'Belfast,' 'West Side Story' lead Critics Choice film nominations

By Steve Iervolino

The Critics Choice Association has announced its picks for the year's best movies, and Kenneth Branagh's "Belfast" and Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" lead the field in the film category, with 11 nominations apiece.

Branagh was nominated in the best director and best screenplay categories for his drama, which also earned best supporting actor nods for both Jamie Dornan and Ciarán Hinds; best supporting actress for Caitríona Balfe; best young actor/actress for Jude Hill and best acting ensemble, among others.

Rob Youngson/Focus Features

Jamie Dornan, Ciaran Hinds, Jude Hill and Judi Dench are shown in a scene from the movie "Belfast."

Spielberg was also given a best director nomination; "West Side Story" also earned nominations for Ariana DeBose and Rita Moreno in the best supporting actress category, while Rachel Zegler is up for Best Young Actor/Actress. The cast was also nominated in the best acting ensemble category.

Other heralded films included "Dune" and "The Power of the Dog," which picked up 10 nominations each. "Licorice Pizza" and "Nightmare Alley" collected eight, while "King Richard" and "Don’t Look Up" were each nominated for six awards.

Hosted by Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer, the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards will air live on The CW and TBS, from the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022.

The Critics Choice Television Awards nominees were announced Dec. 6.

Here are the film nominations for the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards:

BEST PICTURE

• "Belfast"
• "CODA"
• "Don't Look Up"
• "Dune"
• "King Richard"
• "Licorice Pizza"
• "Nightmare Alley"
• "The Power of the Dog"
• "tick, tick…Boom!"
• "West Side Story"

BEST ACTOR

• Nicolas Cage – "Pig"
• Benedict Cumberbatch – "The Power of the Dog"
• Peter Dinklage – "Cyrano"
• Andrew Garfield – "tick, tick…Boom!"
• Will Smith – "King Richard"
• Denzel Washington – "The Tragedy of Macbeth"

BEST ACTRESS

• Jessica Chastain – "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"
• Olivia Colman – "The Lost Daughter"
• Lady Gaga – "House of Gucci"
• Alana Haim – "Licorice Pizza"
• Nicole Kidman – "Being the Ricardos"
• Kristen Stewart – "Spencer"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Jamie Dornan – "Belfast"
• Ciarán Hinds – "Belfast"
• Troy Kotsur – "CODA"
• Jared Leto – "House of Gucci"
• J.K. Simmons – "Being the Ricardos"
• Kodi Smit-McPhee – "The Power of the Dog"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Caitríona Balfe – "Belfast"
• Ariana DeBose – "West Side Story"
• Ann Dowd – Mass
• Kirsten Dunst – "The Power of the Dog"
• Aunjanue Ellis – "King Richard"
• Rita Moreno – "West Side Story"

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

• Jude Hill – "Belfast"
• Cooper Hoffman – "Licorice Pizza"
• Emilia Jones – "CODA"
• Woody Norman – "C’mon C’mon"
• Saniyya Sidney – "King Richard"
• Rachel Zegler – "West Side Story"

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

• "Belfast"
• "Don’t Look Up"
• The Harder They Fall
• "Licorice Pizza"
• "The Power of the Dog"
• "West Side Story"

BEST DIRECTOR

• Paul Thomas Anderson – "Licorice Pizza"
• Kenneth Branagh – "Belfast"
• Jane Campion – "The Power of the Dog"
• Guillermo del Toro – "Nightmare Alley"
• Steven Spielberg – "West Side Story"
• Denis Villeneuve – "Dune"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Paul Thomas Anderson – "Licorice Pizza"
• Zach Baylin – "King Richard"
• Kenneth Branagh – "Belfast"
• Adam McKay, David Sirota – "Don’t Look Up"
• Aaron Sorkin – "Being the Ricardos"

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Jane Campion – "The Power of the Dog"
• Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Lost Daughter
• Siân Heder – "CODA"
• Tony Kushner – "West Side Story"
• Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth – "Dune"