Wicked” director Jon M. Chu beat out several Oscar nominees for best director at the Critics’ Choice Awards Friday evening, taking home the prize from that body. The filmmaker seemed stunned as he took the stage at the behest of his encouraging cast,

After winning the award for best director at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, held Friday, Feb. 7, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif., he proclaimed, “I’m gonna win that Oscar!” (Chu was clearly joking, since he was not nominated for the Oscar this year for his work on Wicked .)

Wicked, Emilia Pérez and The Substance each won three awards at the 30th annual Critics Choice Awards, which were held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. on Friday (Feb. 7). But none of those films took the top prize, best picture, which went to Anora (which won no other awards on the night).

Critics Choice Awards celebrate Anora, Wicked, and The Substance with star-studded ceremony and unexpected wins.