Sunday night's Critics' Choice Awards 2023 in Los Angeles was filled to the gunwales with Hollywood A-listers like Julia Roberts, Viola Davis and many others. But with all due respect, Israeli star Niv Sultan stole the show for us.
Action-drama series Tehran, starring Sultan as an undercover Mossad agent in enemy territory, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Series but lost to TV drama Pachinko. Still, Sultan got a chance to bask a bit in true Hollywood stardust.
While the Critics' Choice Awards doesn't quite carry the same prestige as the Golden Globes, it's still hardly short of big names every year.
Lithe and elegant in a black Saint Laurent dress, Sultan did not shy away from getting her picture taken with fellow rising stars, such as South African actress Thuso Mbedu, star of the 2022 film The Woman King.
Unfortunately, legendary actress Glenn Close, who features in the second season of Tehran, did not make it to the awards show.
Rumor has it that many artists feel compelled to attend the ceremony for fear of being shortchanged by critics in future projects, a move that can significantly hamper their careers.
Malaysian sensation Michelle Yeoh, star of the sci-fi comedy-drama Everything Everywhere All At Once, was also in the house.
Cate Blanchett picked up the award for Best Actress for her performance in Tár.
Jennifer Coolidge won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The White Lotus.
Brendan Fraser won the Best Actor award for his performance in The Whale in a triumphant comeback after falling from the limelight in recent years with a series of lackluster theater releases that failed to live up to past successes.
Amanda Seyfried won Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for her role in The Dropout, but her evening began in a somewhat rocky fashion, as her vintage gold 2020 Dior Haute Couture gown began ripping on the red carpet. The star avoided a near-wardrobe malfunction as she took the stage at the ceremony and seemed to take it in good humor.
Despite the night's star-heavy roster, some big names were conspicuously absent, such as Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and Stephen Spielberg.