Elizabeth Debicki paid tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales on Sunday evening after being named Best Supporting Actress for her role as the tragic royal in The Crown.
The Australian actress accepted the award alongside Billy Crudup - Best Supporting Actor for his own role in The Morning Show - at the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards.
Taking to the stage at Los Angeles venue The Plaza Hotel, Debicki, 33, admitted she was unprepared for the accolade before crediting the late Diana, who she portrays in her final years.
'Thank you, I truly did not expect this,' she told the audience on Sunday evening. 'This role has been an incredible gift to me. It has been a terrifying challenge and I will always be grateful for it.
'My only hope really was that I would do this remarkable woman, incredible, glorious woman, proud by playing her in this show.'
![Elizabeth Debicki paid tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday evening after being named Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Crown](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/07/80020105-12963925-image-a-1_1705305545304.jpg)
Elizabeth Debicki paid tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday evening after being named Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Crown
![Debicki alsp gave special thanks to fellow actor Khalid Abdalla for his role as Diana's lover Dodi Al Fayed as he watched from the audience (pictured together in The Crown)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/77476843-12963925-Debicki_alsp_gave_special_thanks_to_fellow_actor_Khalid_Abdalla_-a-25_1705322408504.jpg)
Debicki alsp gave special thanks to fellow actor Khalid Abdalla for his role as Diana's lover Dodi Al Fayed as he watched from the audience (pictured together in The Crown)
![Taking to the stage at Los Angeles venue The Plaza Hotel, Debicki admitted she was unprepared for the accolade before crediting the late Diana](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80020089-12963925-Taking_to_the_stage_at_Los_Angeles_venue_The_Plaza_Hotel_Debicki-a-26_1705322408504.jpg)
Taking to the stage at Los Angeles venue The Plaza Hotel, Debicki admitted she was unprepared for the accolade before crediting the late Diana
Debicki alsp gave special thanks to fellow actor Khalid Abdalla for his role as Diana's lover Dodi Al Fayed as he watched from the audience.
'[He's) just the most amazing man. I adore you,' she told him. 'Every actor in this room knows that what we do is not a singular venture at all, and if I did anything good in this show you are half of it.
'You held me through it and I thank you forever, you are a dear friend.'
Barbie's Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig accepted Best Comedy after host Chelsea Handler demanded on-air moment at the Critics Choice Awards while Paul Giamatti landed a shock win over Cillian Murphy on a night where Emma Stone, Oppenheimer, and Succession all triumphed.
Blockbuster film Barbie - which earned $1.4billion in the worldwide box office last year - won the top honor when it comes to comedy films but it was not scheduled to appear on the broadcast and instead was announced during a vignette before breaking off into commercial.
Chelsea, 48, did not stand for the film not being recognized during the televised portion as she went rogue after a return from break at the event held at The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California which featured a star-studded red carpet.
The host announced: 'Earlier tonight Barbie was awarded best comedy. I'll go rogue because Greta and Margot deserve to make a speech. Would you mind coming up and accepting the award for Best Comedy.'
Margot, 33, and 40-year-old filmmaker Greta quickly got up and walked up to the stage to accept the crowning achievement with impromptu speeches at the event which honors the finest achievements in both filmmaking and television programming over the year of 2023.
!['My only hope really was that I would do this remarkable woman, incredible, glorious woman, proud by playing her in this show,' she told the audience](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80020107-12963925-_My_only_hope_really_was_that_I_would_do_this_remarkable_woman_i-a-27_1705322408507.jpg)
'My only hope really was that I would do this remarkable woman, incredible, glorious woman, proud by playing her in this show,' she told the audience
![Elizabeth reenacts Diana's notorious Martin Bashir interview in a scene from The Crown](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80020213-12963925-Elizabeth_reenacts_Diana_s_notorious_Martin_Bashir_interview_in_-a-28_1705322408507.jpg)
Elizabeth reenacts Diana's notorious Martin Bashir interview in a scene from The Crown
![The actress posed with her award backstage after giving her acceptance speech on Sunday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80020103-12963925-The_actress_posed_with_her_award_backstage_after_giving_her_acce-a-29_1705322408507.jpg)
The actress posed with her award backstage after giving her acceptance speech on Sunday
![She was joined by Billy Crudup, who won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in The Morning Show](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80020101-12963925-She_was_joined_by_Billy_Crudup_who_won_the_Best_Supporting_Actor-a-30_1705322408509.jpg)
She was joined by Billy Crudup, who won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in The Morning Show
![Elizabeth looked stunning as she posed for photos at her table during Sunday's ceremony](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80020095-12963925-Elizabeth_looked_stunning_as_she_posed_for_photos_at_her_table_d-a-34_1705322408764.jpg)
Elizabeth looked stunning as she posed for photos at her table during Sunday's ceremony
The film beat out American Fiction, Bottoms, The Holdovers, No Hard Feelings, and Poor Things.
Perhaps the most shocking moment of the night came when Paul Giamatti beat out favorite Cillian Murphy in the Best Actor category.
Paul, 56, was up for the award for The Holdovers while Cillian, 47, was nominated for blockbuster Oppenheimer as they were up against Bradley Cooper - Maestro, Leonardo DiCaprio - Killers of the Flower Moon, Colman Domingo - Rustin, and Jeffrey Wright - American Fiction.
In the film The Holdovers he portrays a cranky history teacher at a remote prep school is forced to remain on campus over the holidays with a troubled student who has no place to go.
Meanwhile Emma Stone was also one of the biggest winners of the night as she earned Best Actress for Poor Things.
The 35-year-old actress - who also triumphed at the Golden Globe Awards last week - was in disbelief as she won over a very stacked category which included the likes of Lily Gladstone - Killers Of The Flower Moon, Sandra Hüller - Anatomy of a Fall, Greta Lee - Past Lives, Carey Mulligan - Maestro, Margot Robbie - Barbie.
![Barbie's Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig accepted Best Comedy after host Chelsea Handler demanded on-air moment at the Critics Choice Awards while Paul Giamatti landed a shock win over Cillian Murphy on a night where Emma Stone, Oppenheimer, and Succession all triumphed.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80013681-12963925-Barbie_s_Margot_Robbie_and_Greta_Gerwig_accepted_Best_Comedy_aft-a-31_1705322408594.jpg)
Barbie's Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig accepted Best Comedy after host Chelsea Handler demanded on-air moment at the Critics Choice Awards while Paul Giamatti landed a shock win over Cillian Murphy on a night where Emma Stone, Oppenheimer, and Succession all triumphed.
![Perhaps the most shocking moment of the night came when Paul Giamatti beat out favorite Cillian Murphy in the Best Actor category](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80016577-12963925-Perhaps_the_most_shocking_moment_of_the_night_came_when_Paul_Gia-a-35_1705322408847.jpg)
![Cillian is seen on the red carpet prior to the event](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80016591-12963925-Cillian_is_seen_on_the_red_carpet_prior_to_the_event-a-36_1705322408847.jpg)
Perhaps the most shocking moment of the night came when Paul Giamatti beat out favorite Cillian Murphy in the Best Actor category
![Emma Stone shined as she earned Best Actress for Poor Things](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80017005-12963925-Emma_Stone_shined_as_she_earned_Best_Actress_for_Poor_Things-a-32_1705322408667.jpg)
Emma Stone shined as she earned Best Actress for Poor Things
She recognized each of her competitors individually during the beginning of her acceptance speech as she said: 'Um, I'll be honest. I'm in full blown I didn't have anything that I was going to say because this is completely crazy. This category is ridiculous. Lily, I mean, come on. Margot. What in the Carey. Okay. Greta and Sandra Huller. This doesn't make any sense.'
In Poor Things she portrays Bella Baxter/Victoria Blessington who is a woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter (played by Willem Dafoe).
Despite Cillian Murphy not winning, Oppenheimer had a massive night as it earned top honor Best Picture and earned the most award of the night with five including Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Ensemble.
The night culminated with the blockbuster film beating out heavy competition including: American Fiction, Barbie, The Color Purple, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Past Lives, Poor Things, and Saltburn.
Oppenheimer is the story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan also won Best Director for the film besting Bradley Cooper - Maestro, Greta Gerwig - Barbie, Yorgos Lanthimos - Poor Things, Alexander Payne - The Holdovers, and Martin Scorsese, - Killers Of The Flower Moon.
![Oppenheimer had a massive night as it earned top honor Best Picture beating out heavy competition including: American Fiction, Barbie, The Color Purple, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Past Lives, Poor Things, and Saltburn](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/15/12/80017465-12963925-Oppenheimer_had_a_massive_night_as_it_earned_top_honor_Best_Pict-a-33_1705322408756.jpg)
Oppenheimer had a massive night as it earned top honor Best Picture beating out heavy competition including: American Fiction, Barbie, The Color Purple, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Past Lives, Poor Things, and Saltburn
Earlier in the night Robert Downey Jr. won Best Supporting Actor for his work in the film.
Downey Jr., 51, was recognized for his work in Oppenheimer and beat out heavy competition including: Sterling K. Brown - American Fiction, Robert De Niro - Killers Of The Flower Moon, Ryan Gosling - Barbie, Charles Melton - May December, and Mark Ruffalo - Poor Things.
In Oppenheimer Downey Jr portrays as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss, a retired Naval officer and high-ranking member of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).
On the television side Succession was the biggest winner of the night as the highly-popular series earned the top honor Best Drama Series.
The drama triumphed over The Crown (Netflix), The Diplomat (Netflix), The Last Of Us (HBO | Max), Loki (Disney+), The Morning Show (Apple TV+), Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+), and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO | Max).
Executive producer and writer Jesse Armstrong accepted the honor as he said: 'We want to say thanks to HBO for their support. Casey and Nora in particular this is the best night I ever had in an aircraft hanger. Thank you very much indeed.'
The series is centered around the Roy family who is known for controlling the biggest media and entertainment company in the world. However, their world changes when their father Logan Roy steps down from the company leading to a chain reaction of events, power struggles, and drama ultimately culminating in the death of the patriarch and wonder who is going to take over.
Succession siblings Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin may not have succeeded their onscreen father Logan Roy but they did each get their coronation at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night.
Sarah beat out stiff competition including Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show (Apple TV+), Aunjanue Ellis – Justified: City Primeval (FX), Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us (HBO | Max), Keri Russell – The Diplomat ( Netflix ), and Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show (Apple TV+).
Her character is Siobhan 'Shiv' Roy who is Logan's youngest child and only daughter. A left-leaning political fixer, she worked for a time for presidential candidate Gil Eavis, whose political views clash with Waystar. She eventually leaves politics to focus on building a future at Waystar.
Meanwhile Kieran won over Tom Hiddleston – Loki (Disney+), Timothy Olyphant – Justified: City Primeval (FX), Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us (HBO | Max), Ramón Rodríguez – Will Trent (ABC), and Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO | Max).
The Critics Choice Awards are bestowed annually to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement.
Historically, they are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nomination