Critics Choice Awards Food Sparks Debate Online After Viral Photo

Mckenna Grace with a plate of food at the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California.
Credit:

Phillip Faraone/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Food served at the Critics Choice Awards has drawn scrutiny on social media.
• A viral photograph depicts a snack plate reminiscent of airplane food.
• Abbott Elementary star Janelle James humorously addressed the food during her acceptance speech on January 4.

Following the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards held on January 4, social media erupted with comments about both the event’s proceedings and the food served.

Among the highlights was actor Timothée Chalamet’s affectionate mention of Kylie Jenner, alongside host Chelsea Handler’s comedic remarks and the unremarkable dinner plate presented to attendees.

New York Times columnist Kyle Buchanan provided a glimpse into the event’s dining options, sharing an image of the “snack plate” on X. The post has garnered over 2.8 million views at the time of this report. The spread included grapes, a few crackers, two wedges of cheese, a spoonful of hummus, bruschetta, caprese skewers, one spanakopita, and several dried apricots.

A plate of food at the 31st Annual Critics’ Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California.

Anna Webber/Getty

Several users on X humorously likened the snack plate to airplane cuisine or the notoriously sparse meals served during the Fyre Festival.

During the awards ceremony, Janelle James also made light of the food. Accepting her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, James remarked, “The best thing about being nominated four times is I finally realized they’re never gonna feed us at this thing. It’s gonna be grapes and ice cream every year, but this makes up for it!”

Chase Infiniti, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Benicio del Toro at the Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California.

Phillip Faraone/Getty

This is not the first time celebrities have openly discussed the food—or lack thereof—at awards ceremonies. At the 2024 Critics Choice Awards, cast members from The Color Purple, including Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, and Danielle Brooks, were filmed reacting to receiving bagged pizza. In a now-viral clip, Barrino humorously asked, “Where are the lamb chops?” while Oprah Winfrey, also present, expressed her apprehension about messing up her lipstick with the meal.

Over the years, several celebrities have turned to fast food post-awards ceremonies, with many choosing In-N-Out Burgers. In a 2024 interview, Jimmy Kimmel explained the tradition, noting, “When people are in L.A., one of the things on their list is to go to In-N-Out—especially those in town for the Oscars.” He emphasized, “You get very hungry, so In-N-Out is definitely the award show tradition.”