Boyhood and Birdman continued their award-winning streak at the Critics’ Choice Awards on Thursday, hosted by Michael Strahan, with Boyhood taking home Best Picture.

2015 Critics’ Choice Awards

The 2015 Critics’ Choice Awards celebrated many films that, just a few hours earlier, were nominated for various Academy Awards. Birdman star Michael Keaton, for example, took home the awards for Best Actor and Best Actor in a comedy after being nominated for an Oscar. A handful of other actors recognized by the critics are also new Oscar-nominees. Julianne Moore took home the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress, while JK Simmons and Patricia Arquette took home the trophies in the supporting categories.

Other films snubbed by the Oscars also had a chance to shine. Gillian Flynn earned an award for Best Adapted Screenplay for her work adapting her book into a script for Gone Girl. Also snubbed by the Academy, The Lego Movie won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Animated Film.

Jessica Chastain Calls For Diversity In Hollywood

It was Jessica Chastain, however, who made the most direct allusion to the controversial Oscar nominations, which are the least diverse since 1998. When accepting the award for MVP of the Year, Chastain made a plea for Hollywood to continue to make efforts to diversify the industry.

“Today is Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, so, it got me thinking about our need to build the strength of diversity in our industry and to stand together against homophobic, sexist, misogynist, anti-Semitic and racist agendas. I’m an optimist, and I can’t help but feel hopeful about the future of film, especially looking at all these beautiful people in this room,” Chastain said, to applause.

Chastain’s timely comments were poignant, especially in the wake of the Paris terror attacks on the French newspaper Charlie Hebdo and in light of the incredibly white and male dominated Oscar nominations.

“Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.’ And I would like to encourage everyone in this room to please speak up,” Chastain added.

2015 Critics’ Choice Awards Winners:

Best Picture: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater – Boyhood
Best Actor: Michael Keaton – Birdman
Best Actress: Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Best Supporting Actor: JK Simmons – Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

Best Young Actor/Actress: Ellar Coltrane – Boyhood
Best Acting Ensemble: Birdman
Best Adapted Screenplay: Gillian Flynn – Gone Girl
Best Original Screenplay: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., Armando Bo – Birdman
Best Animated Feature: The Lego Movie
Best Action Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy
Best Actor in an Action Movie: Bradley Cooper – American Sniper
Best Actress in an Action Movie: Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow
Best Comedy: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Actor in a Comedy: Michael Keaton – Birdman
Best Actress in a Comedy: Jenny Slate – Obvious Child

Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie: Interstellar
Best Foreign Language Film: Force Majeure
Best Documentary Feature: Life Itself
Best Art Direction: Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki – Birdman
Best Costume Design: Milena Canonero – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Editing: Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione – Birdman
Best Visual Effects: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Best Hair & Makeup: Guardians of the Galaxy
Best Score: Antonio Sánchez – Birdman
Best Song: “Glory” John Legend and Common – Selma

Lifetime Achievement: Kevin Costner
MVP: Jessica Chastain
Genius Award: Ron Howard

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.