Janelle James Will Host the 2027 Critics Choice Awards

Comedian and actor Janelle James will host the 32nd annual Critics Choice Awards, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 3, 2027, at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.

The telecast will air live from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time, which is 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time. Nominations in the film and television categories will be announced on Dec. 4, which gives voters and studios a few weeks to react before the awards night itself.

James is best known for playing Ava Coleman in ABC's sitcom Abbott Elementary. She has received multiple Emmy nominations, the television industry's main awards, and she was named an honoree for the Comedy Award at the Critics' Choice Celebration of Black Cinema & Television. Sterling K. Brown and Teyana Taylor were also among that group of honorees.

She also has a new project on the way. Her hour-long stand-up special, Janelle James: How Romantic, will premiere on Netflix on Nov. 10.

James takes over from Chelsea Handler, who hosted the Critics Choice Awards for the four years before her. Handler's last turn at the microphone came at the 31st annual ceremony, held on Jan. 4, 2026. That show aired live on E! and USA.

The Critics Choice Association, the group that runs the awards, has been busy beyond the main show. It has announced the full slate of honorees for its 9th annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, unveiled nominations for its 11th annual Documentary Awards, and opened submissions for a new prize, the Critics Choice Creator Awards. The group also gives a Seal of Distinction to new films that score top marks in its weekly member voting.

For viewers, the key dates now are Nov. 10 for the Netflix special, Dec. 4 for the nominations and Jan. 3 for the show itself. Each date gives the awards season another fixed point on the calendar.