Critics Choice Awards 2025: The Touching Reason Kathy Bates Is Giving Her Trophy to Eric Christian Olsen

As Kathy Bates accepted the award for Best Actress in a Drama Series at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, she revealed she would be giving her trophy to actor Eric Christian Olsen. Find out why.

By Will Reid Feb 08, 2025 3:03 AMTags
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Kathy Bates is paying it forward.

As the actress accepted the award for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Matlock at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., she shared that Eric Christian Olsen—who is an executive producer on the series—was among those directly affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.

“[He] had a house in the [Pacific] Palisades,” she said during her speech Feb. 7, “and it burned down.”

As such, Kathy, 76, told the crowd that while the NCIS: Los Angeles star “hasn't quite found a home yet,” she would be giving him her trophy as a gift, telling the actor, “this is coming to you first thing for décor.”

During her speech, the Two and a Half Men alum—who was nominated against Caitriona Balfe, Shanola Hampton, Keira Knightley, Keri Russell and Anna Sawai—also commended the first responders in attendance for their bravery in the face of the natural disaster.

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“To watch all the film of you guys standing in a line with a wall of flames in front of you is just terrifying,” she emphasized. “I don't know how you did it, but I thank you so much for so many of us in Los Angeles.”

Other stars in attendance also spoke about the fires including Kate Hudson, who said that despite the devastation, she was encouraged by the city’s communal spirit.

JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images

“People who live in Los Angeles, we love Los Angeles,” she exclusively told E! News correspondent Will Marfuggi on the red carpet, “and everyone's just risen to the occasion.”

And while LAFD captain Erik Scott admitted that “it's been a very long month” for firefighters, his co-captain Adam VanGerpen noted that their team has been feeling the gratitude from around the city.

“We've had so many people appreciative in the community, as well as businesses,” VanGerpen told E! News. “Hollywood's really been stepping up supporting our firefighters."

To see all the winners at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, keep scrolling.

Best Picture

A Complete Unknown

WINNER: Anora

The Brutalist

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

Nickel Boys

Sing Sing

The Substance

Wicked

Best Actor - Film

WINNER: Adrien Brody – The Brutalist

Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown

Daniel Craig – Queer

Colman Domingo – Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes – Conclave

Hugh Grant – Heretic

Best Actress - Film

Cynthia Erivo – Wicked

Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez

Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths

Angelina Jolie – Maria

Mikey Madison – Anora

WINNER: Demi Moore – The Substance

Best Supporting Actor - Film

Yura Borisov – Anora

WINNER: Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain

Clarence Maclin – Sing Sing

Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown

Guy Pearce – The Brutalist

Denzel Washington – Gladiator II

Best Supporting Actress - Film

Danielle Deadwyler – The Piano Lesson

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – Nickel Boys

Ariana Grande – Wicked

Margaret Qualley – The Substance

Isabella Rossellini – Conclave

WINNER: Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez

Best Comedy Film

TIED WINNERS: A Real Pain

TIED WINNERS: Deadpool & Wolverine

Hit Man

My Old Ass

Saturday Night

Thelma

Best Young Actor/Actress

Alyla Browne – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Elliott Heffernan – Blitz

WINNER: Maisy Stella – My Old Ass

Izaac Wang – Didi

Alisha Weir – Abigail

Zoe Ziegler – Janet Planet

Best Acting Ensemble

Anora

WINNER: Conclave

Emilia Pérez

Saturday Night

Sing Sing

Wicked

Best Song

“Beautiful That Way” – The Last Showgirl – Miley Cyrus

“Compress / Repress” – Challengers – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

WINNER: “El Mal” – Emilia Pérez – Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Camille

“Harper and Will Go West” – Will & Harper – Kristen Wiig

“Kiss the Sky” – The Wild Robot – Maren Morris

“Mi Camino” – Emilia Pérez – Selena Gomez

Best Drama Series

The Day of the Jackal (Peacock)

The Diplomat (Netflix)

Evil (Paramount+)

Industry (HBO | Max)

Interview with the Vampire (AMC)

The Old Man (FX)

WINNER: Shogun (FX / Hulu)

Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

Best Actor in a Drama Series

Jeff Bridges – The Old Man (FX)

Ncuti Gatwa – Doctor Who (Disney+)

Eddie Redmayne – The Day of the Jackal (Peacock)

WINNER: Hiroyuki Sanada – Shogun (FX / Hulu)

Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Antony Starr – The Boys (Prime Video)

Best Actress in a Drama Series

Caitriona Balfe – Outlander (Starz)

WINNER: Kathy Bates – Matlock (CBS)

Shanola Hampton – Found (NBC)

Keira Knightley – Black Doves (Netflix)

Keri Russell – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Anna Sawai – Shogun (FX / Hulu) 

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

WINNER: Tadanobu Asano – Shogun (FX / Hulu)

Michael Emerson – Evil (Paramount+)

Mark-Paul Gosselaar – Found (NBC)

Takehiro Hira – Shogun (FX / Hulu)

John Lithgow – The Old Man (FX)

Sam Reid – Interview with the Vampire (AMC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

WINNER: Moeka Hoshi – Shogun (FX / Hulu)

Allison Janney – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Nicole Kidman – Special Ops: Lioness (Paramount+)

Skye P. Marshall – Matlock (CBS)

Anna Sawai – Pachinko (Apple TV+)

Fiona Shaw – Bad Sisters (Apple TV+)

Best Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

English Teacher (FX)

WINNER: Hacks (HBO | Max)

Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Somebody Somewhere (HBO | Max)

St. Denis Medical (NBC)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Best Actor in a Comedy Series

Brian Jordan Alvarez – English Teacher (FX)

WINNER: Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

David Alan Grier – St. Denis Medical (NBC)

Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Best Actress in a Comedy Series

Kristen Bell – Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Natasia Demetriou – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Bridget Everett – Somebody Somewhere (HBO | Max)

WINNER: Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO | Max)

Kristen Wiig – Palm Royale (Apple TV+) 

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Paul W. Downs – Hacks (HBO | Max)

Asher Grodman – Ghosts (CBS)

Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)

WINNER: Michael Urie – Shrinking (Apple TV+)

Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Liza Colón-Zayas – The Bear (FX / Hulu)

WINNER: Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO | Max)

Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Stephanie Koenig – English Teacher (FX)

Patti LuPone – Agatha All Along (Disney+)

Annie Potts – Young Sheldon (CBS)

Best Limited Series

WINNER: Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Disclaimer (Apple TV+)

Masters of the Air (Apple TV+)

Mr Bates vs the Post Office (PBS)

The Penguin (HBO | Max)

Ripley (Netflix)

Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made For Television

WINNER: Colin Farrell – The Penguin (HBO | Max)

Richard Gadd – Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Tom Hollander – FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans (FX)

Kevin Kline – Disclaimer (Apple TV+)

Ewan McGregor – A Gentleman in Moscow (Paramount+)

Andrew Scott – Ripley (Netflix) 

Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Cate Blanchett – Disclaimer (Apple TV+)

Jodie Foster – True Detective: Night Country (HBO | Max)

Jessica Lange – The Great Lillian Hall (HBO | Max)

WINNER: Cristin Milioti – The Penguin (HBO | Max)

Phoebe-Rae Taylor – Out of My Mind (Disney+)

Naomi Watts – FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans (FX)

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Robert Downey Jr. – The Sympathizer (HBO | Max)

Hugh Grant – The Regime (HBO | Max)

Ron Cephas Jones – Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)

Logan Lerman – We Were the Lucky Ones (Hulu)

WINNER: Liev Schreiber – The Perfect Couple (Netflix)

Treat Williams – FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans (FX)

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made For Television

Dakota Fanning – Ripley (Netflix)

Leila George – Disclaimer (Apple TV+)

Betty Gilpin – Three Women (Starz)

WINNER: Jessica Gunning – Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Deirdre O'Connell – The Penguin (HBO | Max)

Kali Reis – True Detective: Night Country (HBO | Max)

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