’12 Years a Slave’ Lead Critics Choice Nominations


While everyone is still discussing the Academy Awards, Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave may very well just take the prize at tonight’s Critics Choice Awards. The awards which, as the name suggests, are voted on by the critics. The awards may represent an unpopular opinion, but that opinion comes with little bias and possibly without any political agenda, which can’t always be said for the Oscars.

The Critics Choice Awards have given 12 Years a Slave a chance to shine with the film scoring multiple nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Acting Ensemble.

Someone who’s expected to clean up, at least during this broadcast is Chiwetel Ejiofor. While his category is still bloated at the Critics Choice Awards, it seems like the response he has received from the critics has gone above and beyond anything we’ve heard about when other contenders were discussed. At least when the Critics Choice Awards are concerned, the Best Actor award is Ejiofor’s to lose.

It’s been a pretty sweet season for 12 Years a Slave as the film has been a major contender in all of the races. The film’s director Steve McQueen has been humble throughout the whole process. Earlier in the week McQueen sat down with the TODAY show to talk about all of the success, including his win for Best Drama at last weekend’s Golden Globes. Of the win, McQueen said:

“The reason why all four of us are sitting here is because of Solomon Northup, a lost American hero. I’m so happy that we, as a group, as a community of filmmakers, got together to make this film, to hold him up and say, ‘Thank you.'”

As for Ejiofor, who has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue after years of being in the business, the actor has simply decided to take a cue from his director and said of his Oscar nomination:

“At no point during filming, in the sweltering heat of New Orleans, did any of us ever foresee the journey this film would take us all on. Steve McQueen created an entire family to tell one man’s tale and I am delighted that so many of this family have also been recognized today. I am hugely grateful to the Academy for this great honour, and, of course, to Solomon Northup for sharing his story through his breathtaking book.”

As for tonight’s Critics Choice Awards you can catch the ceremony tonight on the CW network at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

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