- The Thrills Can’t Be Stopped in “Hijack” Season 2 (January 14, 2026)
Every few years, another movie chases the iconic highs of “Die Hard,” but most fall short. I hear you shouting out your favorites. I’ll add a few here: “Con Air,” “Speed,” “Air Force One.” Some of you might even say “White House Down.” Since 1988, there have been dozens of imitators with varying degrees of success or lack thereof, but “Die Hard” is a complex combination of thrills, counterterrorism, and heroism. Perhaps we’ve been looking in the wrong place when chasing that cinematic high. We were going to the theaters—and we should keep going—but our newest version of Bruce Willis’ John McClane might be leading a streaming series on Apple TV’s “Hijack.”
“This is a game of poker. You don’t have to have the best hand to win, you just have to have the best bluff.”
“Hijack” is back, and Sam Nelson (Idris Elba) is caught up in another high-stakes hostage situation that’s fraught with twists, reversals, and no one to trust. Many of the characters who survived Season 1 have returned: Marsha (Christine Adams), Daniel (Max Beesley), and Zahra (Archie Panjabi), among others. Clare-Hope Ashitey joins the cast as Olivia, along with Christian Näthe, Toby Jones, Lisa Vicari, and Christiane Paul in important roles.
Season two doesn’t travel the same old skies. We’ve left the commercial flights behind and switched to a commuter train in Berlin. More importantly, we’ve lost our trust in Sam. His allegiances and motives are murky at the start, and, as we learn who wants what and why, “Hijack” gains momentum and intensity.
As in the first season, each episode ends in a cliffhanger. In terms of storytelling, although both seasons play out close to real time, the Berlin Incident feels tighter in key moments, with an unrelenting pace. Somehow connecting us to this new set of hostages on a deeper level. Both seasons have their strengths, and as the second one unfurls, it’s clear “Hijack” has a house style, employing similar beats and plot twists in new ways. At least, mostly new ways. There are connections to the first season that will galvanize fans as this train barrels towards its denouement. And although you might get impatient for the last few secrets to be revealed, it’s an ending that’s worth the ride.
What emerges is that any of us could be a hero or a villain if our weaknesses are exploited. That’s key as the series continues to develop Sam’s character, showing various sides of him under duress. He’s a thinking person’s protagonist, constantly working out solutions, staying ahead of the villains, and willing to sacrifice himself to save one life or many. But there’s always the risk he’ll become a noble fool. Christine Adams’ Marsha has her own test of survival, too. And whether the next season is on a boat—I vote for a cruise—or in a commandeered building like its inspiration, we have to hope Sam and Marsha will be slugging it out together next time.
“Hijack” is an intensely watchable series that keeps your attention and anxiety up. It may not be as iconic as “Die Hard,” but it understands the thrill of the chase and has enough momentum to punch our ticket for Season 3.
Whole season screened for review. Starts today, January 14th.
- HBO’s “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Is The Best Fantasy Adaptation of the Decade (January 13, 2026)
In the first five minutes of HBO’s “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” the soaring title theme of its predecessors “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon” trickles in, before abruptly cutting off, replaced by the sound of the series’ protagonist having a bowel movement. It’s not a slight against the previous series, but rather a move to let the show’s audience know that this is not only a different story in the world of Westeros, but a different kind of adaptation entirely.
Adapted from “The Hedge Knight,” the first novella in George R.R. Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” series, this new show is vastly different from its grand predecessors. Unlike them both, there are no dragons, no grand battles, and no big stars.
Instead, the series focuses on Duncan “Dunk” the Tall (Peter Claffey), an awkward man who desperately wants to become a knight. Alone in the world after the death of his mentor Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb), with only his horse Sweetfoot as a friend, Dunk decides to enter a tourney as a means to make money. On his journey, he meets Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), a young boy who, despite Dunk’s insistence, he can’t seem to shake. But Dunk’s journey won’t be easy. In this world, to become a knight, you must have credentials, and desperate to gain some, Dunk must make some connections while protecting himself and his new ally from burgeoning foes.
HBO
There are other players who come into the mix, like the hedonistic Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) and the endearing Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas), but ultimately, this is a story about a lonely man and an even lonelier boy whose bond is the one thing that will save them both from the relentless world they were born into. During their first night together, Egg points out a shooting star. “A falling star brings luck to those who see it,” he tells Dunk. His companion tells him to go to sleep, even after Egg explains that the other knights attending the tournament are sleeping with tents above their heads, the sky invisible to them as they dream peacefully, while he and Dunk sleep outside. In a moment of vulnerability, Dunk seems to understand why Egg brought it up. “So the luck is ours alone?” he confirms.
Claffey and Ansell are the show’s beating heart, allowing Dunk and Egg to become one of the most fascinating and tender friendships this universe has put to screen. Though he tries to be stern, Dunk often succumbs to his new companions’ wishes, some of which threaten to change the course of both of their lives. While the former seems to be in over his head, Egg wears a sadness inside him unlike that of a child his age. He asks questions about songs other men sing, giving them philosophical meaning that even Dunk can’t comprehend, and is clearly desperate not for fatherly affections, but for a connection with an adult who treats him like a person, rather than a nuisance.
Within this sadness lies a secret, one so gargantuan it will change not only how these characters operate in the world, but also how they see each other. Although it starts off quite light with three episodes directed by Owen Harris, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” switches gears halfway through, with the back half of the show directed by Sarah Adina Smith. Here, the inklings of darkness initially hinted at finally rear their heads, spreading forth when Dunk makes a decision that not only threatens his own life, but the harmony of the realm.
HBO
We see this most prominently when Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett), who entered the tourney merely for his bloodlust, is on screen. Bennett plays Aerion with a controlled madness that simmers under the surface of each glare, quickly proving himself to be a fascinating villain whose desperation for war isn’t suited for the peacetime that Westeros has fallen into.
Throughout the show’s six episodes, there are whispers of dreams that come true, dragons that are now long dead, and fantastical lands that feel out of reach. But despite the lack of outward magic, inflections of it still exist in this world. Yet as Dunk and Egg’s story continues, creator Ira Parker makes it clear that this version of Westeros is one that has been hardened by battles of the past, and one that has slowly begun to usher in the changing tides that led to “Game of Thrones.” With its tighter narrative and dedication to its source material, the series is undeniably the most faithful adaptation of Martin’s work to date, displaying an understanding of its source material that often peters out as adaptations of these sprawling texts have progressed.
Yes, Westeros is a cruel place where people die in horrific ways, but this is also a world where a significant amount of hope exists. Dunk and Egg’s dedication to each other never wavers in the face of danger, and neither does Parker, Harris, and Smith’s dedication to creating a show that can still be great, even disconnected from prestige TV’s most well-known fantasy franchise. Throughout its six-episode run, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” makes it clear that fantasy television can still surprise you, and when it comes to the genre, bigger isn’t always better.
All six episodes were screened for review.
- The Many Reasons Women Are Watching “Heated Rivalry” (January 13, 2026)
Across the country, notably in New York City right now, lesbian bars are throwing “Heated Rivalry” watch parties; in the comments of “Heated Rivalry” TikToks, you will frequently see “I’m a lesbian, and I’m still at the cottage.” The gay hockey romance between two rivals based on books from Rachel Reid’s popular Game Changers series has everyone in a tizzy.
No, seriously, I mean everyone: even Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen drunkenly referenced the show on CNN’s infamous New Year’s Eve broadcast, and folk-country star Brandi Carlisle confirmed on the same show that it’s all she can think about. The stars were presenters at the Golden Globes this week. You can’t open a social media app without seeing a fan video of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov or an interview with the two men who play them, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. If you’re not seeing a tender kiss between the fictional couple, you’re seeing something very silly and endearing from the show’s two leads.
While the series’ and show’s audience has an exponential amount of other women under the queer umbrella who have been openly obsessed with the story and its characters since the first books were released several years ago, straight women are bearing the brunt of puzzled pundits. The rest of women and femmes are largely erased by the current discourse. Yes, of course, straight women are watching, but to narrow the scope of the fanbase for a conveniently “paradoxical” narrative feels disingenuous from the get-go. This show resonates with women, all kinds of women of all sexualities and races and gender identities; omitting these complexities also flattens the plethora of reasons Reid’s story and the Crave original adaptation have captured their hearts and minds.
These past few weeks, since the show’s Boxing Day finale, there have been constant interviews with showrunner and director Jacob Tierney, author Rachel Reid, and the main cast of the show, including Storrie, Williams, and, frequently, Francois Arnaud, who plays the pivotal role of Scott Hunter. In almost every interview, you can guarantee that a certain question will be asked: Why are women, particularly straight women, so into this?
The question has been asked and answered to death at this point, and the discourse surrounding “Heated Rivalry”’s woman-dominated fanbase has grown increasingly suffocating. As the show is distributed more widely (they finally made their UK debut on January 10th, and there are more European releases to follow), the audience continues to grow, bringing more eyes and more analyses. Almost every bit of commentary tackling the question of why women and femmes love this show has been written by men, albeit gay men, and the cast and crew asked most about it are also men.
While they’ve all answered the question several times over and very thoughtfully, Connor Storrie recently answered it for Quinn Media and closed out in the way I’ve liked best: “At the end of the day, though, we’re both men. I have no idea what it’s like to be a woman. So y’all tell us.”
There are, of course, the obvious reasons women enjoy the show, which have been pointed out at length by Reid herself, the showrunner, and the cast. Jacob Tierney has spoken at length on podcasts like What Chaos! and to outlets like Vulture about how removing women from the love story gives them the freedom to actually enjoy it.
Though some don’t believe he’s entirely genuine. Coleman Spilde of Salon theorized Tierney is only so loudly supportive because “anything other than unmitigated gratitude for the women who have made this show such a massive success could come at an equally immense cost.” For whatever his reasons, Tierney has been straightforwardly defensive of the show’s audience. This is obviously appealing to women as well. In TV, audiences with a women and femme majority are often treated as silly, trivial, and/or secondary to the desires of the heterosexual male masses. This is a constant for the romance genre specifically, likely due to the overwhelming femme presence.
Storrie and Williams have been very vocal, most recently with Quinn Media, about the fact that male stories remove the quiet threat of sexual violence against women that always seems to be lurking, and that there’s also no designated role for you to see yourself in. There is no breathy protagonist meant to be your only entry point to the story, and there’s no thematic romantic burden that is so often placed on women.
In particular for straight women and women who like men, the removal of those expectations can be incredibly freeing when heterosexual relations are narratively off the table. All of this opens the door for women to put their minds at ease and allow themselves the space to actually enjoy and feel. And on top of that, most people can appreciate something being sexy. Irrefutable connection is sexy; secret love affairs are sexy; undeniable chemistry is sexy; yearning is sexy. And explicit and enthusiastic consent is sexy, a particularly intentional highlight in “Heated Rivalry,” the show, and in Reid’s books.
Men/Men (MM) romances like “Heated Rivalry” please women, and they have for a long time. While there have been and need to be good faith conversations around where the lines are being blurred between admiration and fetishization, the brush currently painting women’s intrigue and interest in this smutty, gay story as a fetish is a broad one. Some of the most rabid fans of the Game Changers book series are actually on the spectrum of asexuality, proving again that those commenting don’t know the audience well and that, while hot, this is not sex for the sake of sex.
Heated Rivalry (L to R) – Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in Episode 105 of Heated Rivalry. Cr. Sabrina Lantos © 2025
Sex in the genre and Reid’s series, especially in “Heated Rivalry,” is used as a plot device. It’s a vehicle for a larger emotional story, adding several layers to an already layered experience. Both Shane and Ilya struggle with communication in the first half of the show, so much is communicated through their bodies instead. Their desperation, their growing adoration, and their fear all come through in their sex. They also use it to connect with one another and actually be themselves in a way they can’t in the public eye, and that freedom opens them up to genuine intimacy. While these layers have been overlooked in favor of appreciating the well-choreographed and well-acted scenes of physical intimacy, that doesn’t change the device it is, and, in truth, for many, that may be why it’s so hot.
Arnaud had a good quote in this vein for E! News when asked about the show’s female audience. While the interviewer prompted him to highlight the draw of explicit sex scenes, Arnaud turned more to the emotional reasons women, in particular, are drawn to these stories and the genre. The word yearning has been thrown around a lot, but the emotional openness Arnaud named is where the draw lies more than the illicit sex for so many who enjoy MM romance at large. As he states plainly, people are sick of seeing emotionally unavailable men. In the fantasy world of romance, we can see men in a way that many don’t allow themselves to be seen.
The emotional vulnerability that Reid brings to her characters translates beautifully to the screen, with Storrie and Williams bringing their characters’ inner turmoil and oil spill-like feelings to life. For women to be able to see male characters not only in a positive, vulnerable light, but also in a way that feels safe enough to connect with, is a clear recipe for success.
The relatability of these characters extends beyond their anatomy and who they’re having sex with. Situational relatability alone does a lot of heavy lifting here. The story may be community- or demographic-specific in many ways, but the general themes of repression, denial, and emotional vulnerability that characters like Shane, Ilya, and Scott confront are ones everyone can relate to. Shane is a closeted gay man who’s Asian-Canadian. He is influenced by multiple cultures rooted in the safety and ease of politeness, not being too loud or brash or space-taking.
Adding the pressure of uber-masculinity in hockey, he sees the path of the closet and his robotic nature as the best way to get by. Scott is similar without multiculturalism. He’s a traditional American hockey player who has been rolled right off the hockey conveyor belt. He knows what the expectations are: give 110% on the ice, make off the ice about the name on the front of your jersey, not the name on the back, and toe traditional lines. Ilya, like Shane, has another layer of difficulty.
Heated Rivalry – (L to R) Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in Episode 106 of Heated Rivalry. Cr. Sabrina Lantos © 2025
Yes, as a bisexual man, it is an easier time to move sexually, but being a young Russian phenom providing for an ungrateful and deeply harsh family weighs on him greatly. Women historically are forced to make their emotions smaller to be easier and more digestible because god forbid any woman’s emotions are too big in a world that condemns them as irrational or manipulative. We know what boxes we’re meant to fit into and how we are expected to behave; society lays out clean lines just like hockey culture. The prison of hypermasculinity and the societal demand of hyperfemininity aren’t actually so different when you pay attention.
In the end, much of the discourse surrounding the women of the “Heated Rivalry” fanbase comes down to misogyny. The fact that men are the majority of people answering this question by making judgment calls about what women like is proof of this central contradiction. Instead of simply asking women why they like something (or believing their answers, which are frequently discussed in fan spaces), assumptions are made quickly, and judgments are made even faster. When thoughtful answers are given by the female author herself or by the eloquent cast and crew, they’re questioned and pooh-poohed as fan service and marketing techniques to avoid losing the rabid audience. So, with every actual answer repeatedly discounted, the questions keep coming.
Despite the never-ending questions, there is a striking lack of curiosity about the topic at hand. Exploring why women like what we do isn’t inherently a negative endeavor, but that’s not what’s happening. Instead, these questions seem to already have answers, and they’re asked to dismiss or shame what pleases women and what we enjoy.
“Heated Rivalry” is a show about two closeted men playing a hyper-masculine sport in a league and culture (and for Ilya, a country) that demands you shelter key parts of yourself to be accepted and safe. Both the National Hockey League and the fictional Major League Hockey are prisons for players that force them to shrink themselves into neat little hockey robots that parrot the same talking points, are never openly opinionated or principled, and make everyone but themselves comfortable.
The people trotting out these narratives don’t seem to really wonder why women would value seeing that portrayed so masterfully, opting for easier, hornier, and limiting avenues of thought.
“Heated Rivalry” is now on HBO Max.
- “Sinners,” “Bel-Air” Lead NAACP Image Award Nominees (January 12, 2026)
“Sinners” and “Bel-Air” led the NAACP Image Awards when nominations were announced this morning on CBS. Ryan Coogler’s southern gothic vampire period piece nabbed a whopping 18 nods on the film side, while “Bel-Air,” which just aired its fourth season, was recognized 7 times in the television categories.
Founded in 1967, the NAACP Image Awards were established by Toni Vaz to honor talented Black creatives and the producers who carved out spaces for them. The first ceremony was held at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel. Over the decades, the awards have become a beacon of joy and excellence, expanding from modest programming on NBC to live broadcasts on Fox to its current home on BET.
The theme of this year’s broadcast, which will be hosted by Deon Cole, is fittingly “We See You.”
“The NAACP Image Awards is our declaration to our community that “We See You,” affirming Black creativity, excellence, and humanity across every space where our stories are told,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. “From film, television, and music to literature and beyond, the voices of all of our nominees tell stories that honor our past, celebrate our identity, and remind us that storytelling has the power to move culture forward.”
The 57th NAACP Image Awards will take place on Feb. 28 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and will be televised on BET.
The public can vote in select categories at https://naacpimageawards.net. Voting closes on Feb. 7.
The partial list of nominees is included below…
Entertainer of the Year
Cynthia Erivo
Doechii
Kendrick Lamar
Michael B. Jordan
Teyana Taylor
Outstanding Motion Picture
Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
One of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Sarah’s Oil (Amazon MGM Studios)
Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
Elijah Bynum – “Magazine Dreams” (Briarcliff Entertainment)
Guillermo del Toro – “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
Lawrence Lamont – “One of Them Days” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
R.T. Thorne – “40 Acres” (Magnolia Pictures)
Ryan Coogler – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
Chloé Zhao – “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
Nora Garrett – “After the Hunt” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Ryan Coogler – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Syreeta Singleton – “One of Them Days” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Walter Mosley, Nadia Latif – “The Man in My Basement” (Andscape)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
André Holland – Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
Denzel Washington – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Nnamdi Asomugha – The Knife (Relatively Media)
Tyriq Withers – HIM (Monkeypaw Productions)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
Danielle Deadwyler – 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
Keke Palmer – One Of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Kerry Washington – Shadow Force (Lionsgate)
Tessa Thompson – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
Damson Idris – F1 (Apple Original Films)
Delroy Lindo – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Jeffrey Wright – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Janelle James – One Of Them Days (Sony)
Jayme Lawson – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Regina Hall – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures )
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
Magazine Dreams (Briarcliff Entertainment)
Opus (A24)
Unexpected Christmas (3 Diamonds Entertainment)
Outstanding International Motion Picture
40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
My Father’s Shadow (MUBI)
Souleymane’s Story (Kino Lorber)
The Fisherman (Luu Vision Media)
The Secret Agent (NEON)
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Tabitha Brown – Unexpected Christmas (3 Diamonds Films)
Tyriq Withers – HIM (Monkeypaw Productions)
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Buddy Guy, Delroy Lindo, Peter Dreimanis, Lola Kirke, Li Jun Li, Saul Williams, Yao – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Keke Palmer, SZA, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Lil Rel Howery, Katt Williams – “One Of Them Days” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Coleman Domingo, Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh – “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)
Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, A$AP Rocky – “Highest 2 Lowest” (A24)
Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, Jason Clarke – “A House of Dynamite” (Netflix)
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
Elio (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
Sneaks (Briarcliff Entertainment)
The Bad Guys 2 (DreamWorks Animation)
Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
Anthony Mackie – Sneaks (Briarcliff Entertainment)
Craig Robinson – The Bad Guys 2 (DreamWorks Animation)
Danielle Brooks – The Bad Guys 2 (DreamWorks Animation)
Lil Rel Howery – Dog Man (DreamWorks Animation)
Quinta Brunson – Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Outstanding Short Form (Live Action)
ADO (Baylor University)
Before You Let Go (Find Your People Program)
Best Eyes (American Film Institute Conservatory)
Ella (Netflix)
Food for the Soul (P.A. Works)
Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
ASALI: Power of The Pollinators (Upenndo! Productions)
Black Man, Black Man (Chainwheel Productions)
Captain Zero: Into the Abyss Part II (Cutting Edge Animation)
Jazzy Bells (Deep C Digital)
Wednesdays with Gramps (DreamWorks Animation)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
Cassandra Mann – Unexpected Christmas (3 Diamonds Entertainment LLC)
Contessa Gayles – Songs from the Hole (Netflix)
Nnamdi Asomugha – The Knife (Relativity Media)
R.T. Thorne – 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
Rachael Abigail Holder – Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
Outstanding Performance by a Youth in a Motion Picture
Amari Price – The Knife (Relativity Media)
Estella K. Kahiha – The Woman in the Yard (Athena Studios)
Jahleel Kamara – Shadow Force (Lionsgate)
Naya Desir-Johnson – Sarah’s Oil (Amazon MGM Studios)
Peyton Jackson – The Woman in the Yard (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Cinematography in a Motion Picture
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Kira Kelly – HIM (Universal Pictures)
Martim Vian – Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich)
Sean Bobbitt – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)
Shabier Kirchner – Materialists (A24)
Outstanding Documentary (Film)
Being Eddie (Netflix)
Fatherless No More (First Gen Films)
Left Behind (Corso Films)
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
Who in the Hell is Regina Jones? (Weigel Productions)
Outstanding Documentary (Television)
A Star Without A Star: The Untold Juanita Moore Story (Apple TV)
Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015 (HBO Max)
Great Migrations: A People on the Move (PBS)
High Horse: The Black Cowboy (Peacock)
Number One On the Call Sheet (Apple TV)
Outstanding Short Form Documentary (Film)
Black Longevity (Apt. 5f)
CIRILO, A Legacy Untold (JOCMedia & Entertainment)
Freeman Vines (Switchboard)
Masaka Kids, a Rhythm Within (Netflix)
The Ebony Canal: A Story of Black Infant Health (Ya Momz House)
Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Harlem (Prime Video)
Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
The Residence (Netflix)
The Upshaws (Netflix)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Cedric The Entertainer – “The Neighborhood” (CBS)
David Alan Grier – “St. Denis Medical” (NBC)
David Oyelowo – “Government Cheese” (Apple TV)
Mike Epps – “The Upshaws” (Netflix)
Vince Staples – “The Vince Staples Show” (Netflix)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Ayo Edebiri – “The Bear” (FX/Hulu)
Maya Rudolph – “Loot” (Apple TV)
Michelle Buteau – “Survival of the Thickest” (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Uzo Aduba – “The Residence” (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Colman Domingo – “The Four Seasons” (Netflix)
Giancarlo Esposito – “The Residence” (Netflix)
Josh Johnson – “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central)
Wendell Pierce – “Elsbeth” (CBS)
William Stanford Davis – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Edwina Finley – “The Residence” (Netflix)
Ego Nwodim – “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Janelle James – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Jerrie Johnson – “Harlem” (Prime Video)
Wanda Sykes – “The Upshaws” (Netflix)
Outstanding Drama Series
Bel-Air (Peacock)
Beyond The Gates (CBS)
Forever (Netflix)
Paradise (Hulu)
Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Forest Whitaker – “Godfather of Harlem” (MGM+)
Jabari Banks – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
Michael Cooper Jr. – “Forever” (Netflix)
Morris Chestnut – “Watson” (CBS)
Sterling K. Brown – “Paradise” (ABC)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Angela Bassett – “9-1-1” (ABC)
Emayatzy Corinealdi – “Reasonable Doubt” (Hulu)
Lovie Simone – “Forever” (Netflix)
Patina Miller – “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” (STARZ)
Queen Latifah – “The Equalizer” (CBS)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Adrian Holmes – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
Ato Essandoh – “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
Caleb McLaughlin – “Stranger Things” (Netflix)
Jacob Latimore – “The Chi” (Showtime)
Wood Harris – “Forever” (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Aisha Hinds – “9-1-1” (ABC)
Audra McDonald – “The Gilded Age” (HBO Max)
Karen Pittman – “Forever” (Netflix)
Karen Pittman – “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)
Nicole Beharie – “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)
Outstanding Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)
G20 (Prime Video)
Ironheart (Disney+)
Ruth & Boaz (Netflix)
Straw (Netflix)
Washington Black (Hulu)
Outstanding Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)
Brian Tyree Henry – “Dope Thief” (Apple TV)
Giancarlo Esposito – “Please Don’t Feed The Children”( Tubi)
Idris Elba – “Heads of State” (Prime Video)
Taye Diggs – “Terry McMillan Presents: His, Hers & Ours” (Lifetime)
Tyler Lepley – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
Outstanding Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)
Brandy Norwood – “Christmas Everyday” (Lifetime)
Dominique Thorne – “Ironheart” (Disney+)
Serayah – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
Taraji P. Henson – “Straw” (Netflix)
Viola Davis – “G20” (Prime Video)
Outstanding Children’s Program
Eyes of Wakanda (Disney+)
Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
Iyanu (Cartoon Network)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)
Reading Rainbow (KidZuko)
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited–Series)
Amanda Christine – IT: Welcome to Derry (HBO Max)
Blake Cameron James – IT: Welcome to Derry (HBO Max)
Jeremiah Felder – The Residence (Netflix)
Leah Sava Jeffries – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)
Percy Daggs IV – Paradise (Hulu)
Outstanding Guest Performance
Brandee Evans – Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Dave Chappelle – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Janet Hubert – Bel-Air (Peacock)
Malcolm-Jamal Warner – Murder in a Small Town (FOX)
Morris Chestnut – Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Outstanding Animated Series
Disney Jr.’s Ariel (Disney Jr.)
Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
Iyanu (Cartoon Network)
Lil Kev (BET+)
Weather Hunters (PBS KIDS)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
Anika Noni Rose – The Mighty Nein (Prime Video)
Ayo Edebiri – Big Mouth (Netflix)
Cedric the Entertainer – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Graceyn Hollingsworth – Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction/Documentary
College Gameday: Michael Vick (ESPN)
Glam Through The Ages (KeyTV Network)
Noochie’s Live From The Front Porch (YouTube TV)
The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show starring Kendrick Lamar (FOX)
The Daily Show: After The Cut (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
Chinaka Hodge – Ironheart (Disney+)
Daniel Lawrence Taylor – Boarders (Tubi)
Haolu Wang – Black Mirror (Netflix)
Jas Summers – Stay (Hulu)
Tearrance Averelle Chisolm – Demascus (Tubi)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, Movie)
Glynn Turman – Straw (Netflix)
Jay Ellis – All Her Fault (Peacock)
Rockmond Dunbar – Straw (Netflix)
Sterling K. Brown – Washington Black (Hulu)
Ving Rhames – Dope Thief (Apple TV)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)
Angela Bassett – Zero Day (Netflix)
Lyric Ross – Ironheart (Disney+)
Marsai Martin – G20 (Prime Video)
Sherri Shepherd – Straw (Netflix)
Teyana Taylor – Straw (Netflix)
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Aisha Muharrar – Hacks – “Clickable Face” (HBO Max)
Frida Perez – The Studio – “The War” (Apple TV)
Lizzy Darrell – Abbott Elementary – “100th Day of School” (ABC)
Monique D. Hall – Sesame Street – “Tamir’s Art Show” (MAX)
Naomi Ekperigin – St. Denis Medical – “Buffalo Bruce and the Matty Kid” (NBC)
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Ajani Jackson – Law & Order – “Episode 10” (NBC)
Bryce Ahart, Stephanie McFarlane – FBI – “Episode 12” (CBS)
C.A. Johnson – The Beast in Me – “Thanatos” (Netflix)
Cynthia Adarkwa – The Pitt -“12:00 P.M.” (HBO Max)
Walter Mosley – The Lowdown – “Tulsa Turnaround” (FX/Hulu)
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie, Documentary or Special
Aireka Muse – “Friends & Lovers” (Lifetime Movie Network)
Jas Summers – “Stay” (Hulu)
Jerrod Carmichael – “Jerrod Carmichael: Don’t Be Gay” (HBO Max)
Michael Elliot, Cory Tynan – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
Roye Okupe and Brandon Easton – “Iyanu: The Age of Wonders” (Cartoon Network)
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Amy Aniobi – Survival of the Thickest – “It’s Not A MoMent, It’s A Movement, Bitch!” (Netflix)
Colman Domingo – The Four Seasons – “Ultimate Frisbee” (Netflix)
Paul Hunter – Government Cheese – “Father Facts, Figures, and Failures” (Apple TV)
Theodore Witcher – Demascus – “The Thanksgiving Episode” (Tubi)
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary – “The Science Fair” (ABC)
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Angela Barnes – Ironheart – “The Past Is the Past” (Disney+)
Anton Cropper – Reasonable Doubt – “Feelin’ It” (Hulu)
Jet Wilkinson – The Copenhagen Test – “Copenhagen” (Peacock)
Mario Van Peebles – Power Book III: Raising Kanan – “Allow Me to Re-Introduce Myself” (STARZ)
Salli Richardson-Whitfield – The Gilded Age – “My Mind Is Made Up” (HBO Max)
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie, Documentary or Special
Alanna Brown – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
Nicole G. Leier – “Trapped in the Spotlight” (Lifetime)
Olatunde Osunsanmi – “Star Trek: Section 31” (Paramount+)
Tailiah Breon – “Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story” (A&E)
Troy A. Scott – “I’ll Never Let You Go” (Lifetime)
Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Film)
Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson – “Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” (Hulu)
Andre Gaines – “Boo-Yah – A Portrait of Stuart Scott” (ESPN)
Contessa Gayles – “Songs from the Hole” (Netflix)
Reginald Hudlin, Shola Lynch – “Number One on the Call Sheet” (Apple TV)
Yemi Oyediran – “King of Them All: The Story of King Records” (PBS)
- Glitz and Glamour: A Report from the 2026 Palm Springs Festival Gala (January 12, 2026)
When you think of film festivals attracting the biggest and brightest red carpet stars, Cannes, Venice, and Toronto immediately spring to mind. But the Palm Springs International Film Festival, now in its 37th year, is considered one of the year’s kick-off events for award season. Held early in the year, prior to the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards ceremony, and before final voting is due for the upcoming Academy Awards, the desert oasis that is only two to three hours (depending on traffic) from Los Angeles is a must stop for the year’s most applauded and award-worthy talent.
The sparkling centerpiece of the festival is the glitzy yet relaxed black-tie gala dinner, held at the Palm Springs Convention Centre. This year’s took place on January 3, 2026. Stars are not zipped into a VIP area but are seated among the 2400 guests at the many large round tables, where champagne and hearty three-course meals are served before the official proceedings (not to mention the decorative small glass buddhas placed at each seat that guests are welcome to take home). Twelve awards are handed out throughout the evening, usually bestowed by other A-listers and award contenders. This year’s roster of honorees included high-caliber stars such as Timothee Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Hudson, Adam Sandler, Rose Byrne, Miley Cyrus, Amanda Seyfried, Ethan Hawke, as well as the filmmakers and directors of “Sentimental Value” and “Hamnet”.
For many who have already received Golden Globe nominations and are campaigning for the Oscars, the event offers a chance to hone their award speech skills as they share personal stories, their love of cinema, and the experience of working on their films.
First up for the night was the Breakthrough Performance Award, given to Australian actress Rose Byrne. Byrne made her first screen appearance at age 15 and continued to work in Australian film and TV before her Hollywood breakout in 2011 with “Bridesmaids”. She has since demonstrated her ability to mix drama and comedy in films like 2014’s “Neighbors” and in Apple TV series “Physical” and “Platonic,” starring Seth Rogen. Her latest role, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” written and directed by Mary Bronstein, is an unconventional look at a mother on edge and has been winning awards, including the Golden Globe. Byrne thanked the festival for recognizing what she described as “a punk rock film about motherhood,” which she called “the highlight of her creative career,” laughing that, at the age of 46, receiving a breakthrough award also has to be pretty punk rock.
Josh Safdie, the director and writer of “Marty Supreme,” presented the film’s star Timothee Chalamet with the Spotlight Award. The young actor thanked the Palm Springs film community for “always having his back.” “Every day to wake up in good health, the opportunity to make things for the world, the generation of people alive right now, I consider to be our graduating class,” he said, “That’s truly a gift in every sense of the word.”
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 03: (L-R) Paul Mescal, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor and Rose Byrne attend the 37th Annual Palm Springs International Film Awards after party at Parker Palm Springs on January 03, 2026 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Palm Springs International Film Society)
A surprise presenter was the legendary Jane Fonda, who awarded “Hamnet” with the Vanguard Award, presented to director Chloé Zhao and actors Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.
Fonda expressed in her introduction the profound effect the movie had on her. “This is what film is supposed to be. This is the perfect film in my opinion,” she said, “It’s ironic that a film about Shakespeare or his family has little to do with words – it’s beyond words. If you give yourself over to it, you feel yourself being taken down to bedrock – it’s a primal film which I believe could have only been made by a woman like Chloé Zhao.
Leonardo DiCaprio received the Desert Palm Achievement Award but had to accept it via a pre-recorded video message because his plane was delayed by unexpected flight restrictions related to the situation in Venezuela. DiCaprio reflected on his own love of cinema and how it should remain.
“My father used to take me to the Vista theatre in LA, and I now live four blocks away. It’s now home to one of the last Vista Vision projectors on earth,” said DiCaprio. “Neighborhood theatre is where I first felt the power of cinema and how deeply films can affect all of us.”
“The Palm Springs Film Festival has long been a champion of storytelling, remaining steadfast in its commitment to supporting craft and supporting artists,” he said.
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 03: Adam Sandler accepts the Chairman’s Award onstage during the 37th Annual Palm Springs International Film Awards at Palm Springs Convention Center on January 03, 2026 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Palm Springs International Film Society)
Miley Cyrus, who has written and performed the song “Dream As One” from “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” was given the Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award.
“It’s so refreshing to honor art without the stress of competition,” she said. ‘There is no holding my breath to see who won. It’s just pure celebration. During award season, we are often positioned as competitors, but we are meant to be a community, not opponents. There is no single best – it’s only our personal best work.”
Many of the actors and directors also appear at other festivals, including the Women In Motion–presented films “Hamnet,” directed by Chloé Zhao, and “The Testament of Ann Lee,” written and directed by Mona Fastvold and starring Amanda Seyfried. The Talking Pictures program featured conversations with director Guillermo del Toro and Oscar Isaac ahead of “Frankenstein” and Ethan Hawke speaking ahead of a screening for “Blue Moon,” where he plays the songwriter Lorenz Hart.
The eleven-day festival (Jan 2 – Jan 12, 2026) screened 176 films from 72 countries and territories, including 53 premieres.
