How to Watch the Critics Choice Awards Live For Free to See Barbie Make History

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Awards season is in full swing, and for all the cinephiles and television enthusiasts out there, we’ve got your ticket to the Critics Choice Awards. Up ahead, we’re diving into how to watch the Critics Choice Awards live for free, so you don’t miss a second of this star-studded night celebrating the best of this year’s releases.

Today's Top Deals

Established in 1996, the Critics Choice Awards recognizes outstanding achievements in both film and television. What sets these awards apart is the unique voting process. Unlike some other awards ceremonies, the Critics Choice Awards are determined by the Critics Choice Association, a group comprising over 300 film and television critics from various media outlets across the country.

Watch ‘Critics Choice Awards’

$0+

Buy Now

Originally called the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), these critics collectively decide the winners of the film categories at the Critics Choice Awards. On the television front, the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) was founded in 2011 to represent television journalists who cover the television industry on a daily basis and play a crucial role in selecting the winners in the television categories. This unique dual-voting system has earned the Critics Choice Awards a reputation for being a true reflection of the industry’s sentiments.

This year’s nominations promise an exciting competition, with Barbie leading the pack with a record-breaking 18 nominations—the most any film has ever received in the history of these awards. The film not only competes for Best Picture but also sees nominations for Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor. Trailing closely behind are Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, both securing 13 nominations each.

On the television front, the battle for supremacy is fierce among shows like The Morning Show, Succession, The Bear, and Beef. The Morning Show leads the pack with six nominations, followed by Succession with five.

As the nominations unfold, audiences get to witness the best in both film and television vying for the coveted Critics Choice Awards. But first, you’ll have to know how to watch the Critics Choice Awards live for free if you plan to tune in. Keep on reading ahead to find out everything you need to know about streaming the Critics Choice Awards in 2024.

How to Watch Critics Choice Awards Live For Free
Image: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association.

When do the 2024 Critics Choice Awards air?

The 29th annual Critics Choice Awards will air on Sunday, January 14, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET on the CW. While the CW doesn’t have its own streaming service, don’t worry—there are still plenty of options available to watch the 2024 Critics Choice Awards live without a cable subscription.

How to watch the Critics Choice Awards live for free

The Critics Choice Awards will air on the CW, which is available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, Fubo, and Hulu+ With Live TV. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, and starts at $79.99 per month after the trial ends (with up to  $25 off your first two months). Fubo also offers a seven-day free trial, and starts at $74.99 per month after the trial ends. While Hulu+ With Live TV doesn’t have a free trial, it is cheaper per month than the other options, starting at $75.99 per month, and offers plans that include free subscriptions to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.

Best Overall Pick to Watch the Critics Choice Awards 2024: DirecTV Stream

Watch ‘Critics Choice Awards’ with DirectTV Stream

$0+

Buy Now

Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch the Critics Choice Awards live for free for its free trial, price, and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial. DirecTV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $79.99 per month; Choice, which costs $108.99 per month with the first 2 months at $83.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $119.99 per month with the first 2 months at $94.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $174.99 per month.

As for other differences between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and Starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Critics Choice Awards with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.

  1. Visit streamtv.directv.com‘s packages page

  2. Click “Try It Free” for the plan of your choice

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for the CW and start watching the Critics Choice Awards!

Best Free Trial Pick to Watch the Critics Choice Awards 2024: Fubo

Watch ‘Critics Choice Awards’ With Fubo

$0+

Buy Now

Fubo is our best free trial pick to watch the Critics Choice Awards live for free. Fubo offers a seven-day free trial (two days longer than DirecTV Stream) and offers three plans: Pro, which costs $79.99 per month; Elite, which costs $89.99 per month; and Premier, which costs $99.99 per month.

As for the difference between the plans, Pro includes 180 channels, 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 10 screens at once. Elite includes everything in Pro, as well as a total of 256 channels and 4K resolution. Premier includes everything in Pro and Elite, as well as a total of 299 channels, Showtime, and the Red Zone NFL Network. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Critics Choice Awards with Fubo’s free trial.

  1. Visit Fubo.TV

  2. Click “Start Free Trial”

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for the CW and start watching the Critics Choice Awards!

Best Upgrade Pick to Watch the Critics Choice Awards 2024: Hulu+ Live TV

Watch ‘Critics Choice Awards’ With Hulu + Live TV

$75.99+

Buy Now

Hulu+ With Live TV is our best upgrade pick to watch the Critics Choice Awards based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $75.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $76.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $81.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $89.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Critics Choice Awards with Hulu+ Live TV.

  1. Visit Hulu.com/liveTV

  2. Click “Sign Up Now”

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for the CW and start watching the Critics Choice Awards!

Nicholas Braun
Image: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association.

Where are the Critics Choice Awards 2024 held?

The Critics Choice Awards 2024 will air live from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. This marks a return to the venue after two years of hosting the ceremony at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel, where ongoing labor disputes made it impossible for the ceremony to take place.

“We are happy to be able to return to The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, where our show has also enjoyed great success through the years,” said Joey Berlin, CEO of the Critics Choice Association, in a statement per Variety. “For viewers at home, it will be the same exact show – and we’ll now be able to seat even more of our members who fly in from all over to enjoy the evening with the hundreds of stars in the room that night.”

Who is the host of the 2024 Critics Choice Awards?

The Critics Choice Awards 2024 host is Chelsea Handler. This marks the second year in a row that the comedian will host the awards ceremony. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Handler reflected on what it means to host the show during what she described as the “year of women.”

“I feel a strong desire to show up and provide a reprieve to all the madness and to keep the vibes high and remind people about laughter, togetherness and the fact that there’s still good in the world,” Handler said. “It’s nice to be onstage for 90 minutes and forget everything. I love my job right now. I feel very purposeful.”

She continued, “It’s very enjoyable to be able to share a room with all the people who’ve worked so hard to be there, especially in a year where Barbie, the No. 1 box office movie of the year, is by a woman. That makes me so happy. And there are so many females to be celebrating this year. I don’t feel like, “Oh, I better do a good job.” I will do a good job.”

Who are the presenters at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards?

In addition to host Chelsea Handler, the show will feature a list of presenters that includes Vanessa Morgan, Awkwafina, Brendan Fraser, Gael García Bernal, Oprah Winfrey, Sandra Oh, Ashley Madekwe, David Duchovny, Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Jon Cryer, Abigail Spencer, Angela Bassett, Anthony Ramos, Bella Ramsey, Carla Gugino, Daniel Levy, David Oyelowo, Donald Faison, Giacomo Gianniotti, Jenny Slate, John Krasinski, Kaley Cuoco, Ke Huy Quan, Mandy Moore, Meg Ryan, Natasha Lyonne, Nicholas Braun, Phil Dunster, and Ramy Youssef, among others.

Who are the 2024 Critics Choice Awards nominees?

Here is a full list of 2024 Critics Choice Awards nominees.

Best Picture

American Fiction
Barbie
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
Saltburn

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

Best Actress

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall
Greta Lee, Past Lives
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Emma Stone, Poor Things

Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Charles Melton, May December
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
America Ferrera, Barbie
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Julianne Moore, May December
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Best Young Actor/Actress

Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Ariana Greenblatt, Barbie
Calah Lane, Wonka
Milo Machado Graner, Anatomy of a Fall
Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers
Madeleine Yuna Voyles, The Creator

Best Acting Ensemble

Air
Barbie
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer

Best Director

Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Greta Gerwig, Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Alexander Payne, The Holdovers
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Adapted Screenplay

Kelly Fremon Craig, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers
Cord Jefferson, American Fiction
Tony McNamara, Poor Things
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Original Screenplay

Samy Burch, May December
Alex Convery, Air
Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer, Maestro
Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, Barbie
David Hemingson, The Holdovers
Celine Song, Past Lives

Best Cinematography

Matthew Libatique, Maestro
Rodrigo Prieto, Barbie
Rodrigo Prieto, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robbie Ryan, Poor Things
Linus Sandgren, Saltburn
Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer

Best Production Design

Suzie Davies, Charlotte Dirickx, Saltburn
Ruth De Jong, Claire Kaufman, Oppenheimer
Jack Fisk, Adam Willis, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer, Barbie
James Price, Shona Heath, Szusza Mihalek, Poor Things
Adam Stockhausen, Kris Moran, Asteroid City

Best Editing

William Goldenberg – Air
Nick Houy – Barbie
Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer
Yorgos Mavropsaridis – Poor Things
Thelma Schoonmaker – Killers of the Flower Moon
Michelle Tesoro – Maestro

Best Costume Design

Jacqueline Durran, Barbie
Lindy Hemming, Wonka
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck, The Color Purple
Holly Waddington, Poor Things
Jacqueline West, Killers of the Flower Moon
Janty Yates, David Crossman, Napoleon

Best Hair and Makeup

Barbie
The Color Purple
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Priscilla

Best Visual Effects

The Creator
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Comedy

American Fiction
Barbie
Bottoms
The Holdovers
No Hard Feelings
Poor Things

Best Animated Film

The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Nimona
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Wish

Best Foreign Language Film

Anatomy of a Fall
Godzilla Minus One
Perfect Days
Society of the Snow
The Taste of Things
The Zone of Interest

Best Song

“Dance the Night,” Barbie
“I’m Just Ken,” Barbie
“Peaches,” The Super Mario Bros. Movie
“Road to Freedom,” Rustin
“This Wish,” Wish
“What Was I Made For,” Barbie

Best Score

Jerskin Fendrix, Poor Things
Michael Giacchino, Society of the Snow
Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer
Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Robbie Robertson, Killers of the Flower Moon
Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Barbie

The 29th annual Critics Choice Awards airs on the CW at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 14, 2024.

Our mission at StyleCaster is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Best of StyleCaster