Critics’ Choice Awards host makes Hollywood stars groan with controversial Warner Bros joke

Comedian’s joke didn’t appear to go down too well with A-list crowd

The most controversial joke at the Critics’ Choice Awards – about Warner Bros’s proposed Netflix deal – prompted loud groans from the shocked audience.

Chelsea Handler hosted the annual ceremony, which took place in Hollywood on Sunday (4 January) and awarded One Battle After Another and Adolescence its top prizes in the film and TV categories, respectively.

Throughout the ceremony, Handler roasted numerous stars, including Leonardo DiCaprio, but her quip about Netflix’s potential acquisition of Warner Bros didn’t go down so well.

Handler’s joke arrived when she discussed Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster vampire film starring Michael B Jordan and distributed by Warner Bros. She described it as “the story of brothers who start this really fun place for entertainment and then vampires show up, suck the life out of everybody and burn it all to the ground”.

The comedian then added: “Fun fact: the original name of the main vampire was David Zaslav.” The camera then cut to the Sinners team, with Jordan seen shaking his head and appearing to stifle a laugh, while writer-director Coogler remained stony-faced. Groans and shocked reactions could be heard echoing around the room.

Zaslav is the Warner Bros CEO who approved the controversial $72bn deal, which has been a shocking development in the world of entertainment that raises questions about the future of film and TV.

The deal, which is yet to go through, has prompted concerns about the future of Warner Bros projects, as well as those released by its affiliate, HBO; Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos has indicated in the past that he doesn’t think the cinema-going experience is a vital one, believing that films can be enjoyed just as effectively when sitting on your sofa at home.

After Oppenheimer and Barbie exceeded $1bn at the box office in the “Barbenheimer” craze of 2023, Sarandos suggested the films would have made just as much of a cultural impact had they been made available to stream instead.

The Critics’ Choice Awards ceremony saw Sinners triumph in four categories, including Best Screenplay and Best Casting. It was a big night for horror with Weapons star Amy Madigan also beating Wicked ’s Ariana Grande to win Best Supporting Actress for her villainous turn as Aunt Gladys.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Elsewhere, British drama Adolescence scooped four awards in total, including trophies for actors Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty and Owen Cooper, who became the awards show’s youngest ever winner.

In the film categories, Timothée Chalamet won Best Actor for his role in Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie, and Irish actor Jessie Buckley took home Best Actress for her performance in Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet.

Jessie Buckley poses with the Best Actress award for 'Hamnet' at Critics’ Choice Awards (REUTERS)

During her acceptance speech, Buckley praised her co-star Paul Mescal, who grew emotional after her triumph.

“Paul, I bloody love you, man. And I know loads of other women do in this room too, but tough s***,” she joked. “I could drink you like water, working with you every single day. You’re a giant of the heart and thank you so much for making me a little bit more human.”

Hamnet explores the relationship between William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, in the aftermath of their 11-year-old son’s death. The film will be released in the UK on Friday (9 January).