Ukraine weighed heavy in the hearts of presenters and recipients during the Critics’ Choice Awards on Sunday. As the Russian invasion of the country continues, so does the destruction and bloodshed. Many stars voiced their support for the Ukrainians and made pleas for peace.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm star Maria Bakalova is from the neighboring country of Bulgaria. While presenting, she had a message for the Ukrainian people.
“As we gather together on this special night, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the bravery of the people of Ukraine defending their right to independence and democracy,” Bakalova said. “I hope my message goes to the Ukrainian people. We see you, we stand with you and our hearts are with you.”
One of the most passionate calls for support came from Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham. While accepting the award for best comedy, Waddingham made a plea to viewers to remember the littlest and most vulnerable of victims of the war.
“It would be remiss of us to not throw the focus to the most important thing that’s happening in the world at the moment,” Waddingham said. “Our beautiful brothers and sister, and for me more importantly, the babies in the Ukraine that are being utterly decimated at the moment from this putrid, putrid torrent of abuse. Please think of them as much as you can and give as much as you can.”
Echoing the statement he made at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Dopesick star Michael Keaton praised Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I want to say thank you to fellow actor President Zelensky,” Keaton said. “And keep it up.”
Billy Crystal received a lifetime achievement award, and dedicated it to his grandmothers who immigrated from current Ukrainian cities, Odessa and Kyiv. He talked about how they were his first audience and the first laughs he heard when he was a kid growing up in New York.
“I dedicate this award to those amazing people in our living room back in Long Beach, Long Island, whose laughter and joy started this 5-year-old boy on his way to this moment,” Crystal said. “And as we all have thought about and spoken about tonight, I pray that somehow, someway, there can be laughter and joy in that part of the world once again.”
For more information on the show and winners, visit Critics’ Choice Awards.
Watch as Kieran Culkin stumbles through one of the best worst acceptance speeches at the Critics’ Choice Awards:
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