Byer, Nicole (1986- )

It could be a big night for “Belfast” and “West Side Story” — and might finally bring some clarity to the best actress race at the Oscars.If Peter Dinklage’s Cyrano stirred your soul, you’re a fan of Lady Gaga’s over-the-top accent in “House of Gucci,” or you fell hard for “Belfast” cutie Jude Hill, you’ll want to catch the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night to see if any of them get their due after they were snubbed in the Oscar nominations last month.Postponed from their original Jan. 9 date, the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards will now take place on two continents, with the main ceremony at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and a simultaneous, late-night celebration at the Savoy Hotel in London. That is the organization’s way of dealing with the fact that the EE British Academy Film Awards, or BAFTAs, are the same night. And with less than two weeks before the Oscars, the outcome of the Critics Choice may provide some clarity on the most hotly contested races at the Academy Awards.Will Jessica Chastain or Penélope Cruz rise to the top of the best actress pool? Can Troy Kotsur continue building Oscar momentum by notching a win in the best supporting actor category? Will “Belfast” or “West Side Story,” both of which have a pack-leading 11 nominations, pull off a win for best ensemble?There’s drama on the TV side, too, with Emmy favorite “Mare of Easttown” squaring off against “The Underground Railroad” and “WandaVision” for best limited series, and contenders like “Squid Game,” “Succession” and “Yellowjackets” duking it out for best drama series.Here’s a look at how and what to watch for on Sunday night (and, if you have five hours, how to watch both the Critics Choice Awards and the BAFTAs).What time do the Critics Choice Awards start?The three-hour broadcast begins Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern simultaneously on the CW and TBS. It will be delayed on the West Coast, so check your local listings. If you’ve cut the cord, you can also stream it on Hulu with live TV, FuboTV and Sling TV.Is there a red carpet?Yes. Your best bet for catching all the looks is social media, but many CW stations will be broadcasting a red-carpet show before the ceremony. Check your local listings.Who votes on the awards?Critics of course; also entertainment journalists. They’re all members of the Critics Choice Association, which has a little more than 500 members.Who will be hosting?Taye Diggs, the “Empire” actor and Broadway star has been the host for the last three years. This time he will team up with Nicole Byer, a judge on the Netflix competition series “Nailed It!,” to lead the show from Los Angeles.Who will be presenting?Of course, there’ll be the usual slate of film and television notables — Ava DuVernay, Carey Mulligan, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mayim Bialik, to name just a few — but look for some big stars from the sports world this year, too. Serena Williams, whose story is featured in the biopic “King Richard,” and Sean McVay, the Los Angeles Rams coach whose team won the Super Bowl last month, will also hand out awards.Who will receive special awards?The Critics Choice Association gives out the #SeeHer Award each year, which honors a woman who pushes “boundaries on changing stereotypes” and furthers “authentic portrayals of women across the entertainment landscape.” This year’s honoree is Halle Berry, who 20 years ago became the first — and only — Black woman to win an Academy Award for best actress. The comedian Billy Crystal will also receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.What should I watch for?With the Oscars just around the corner, on March 27, films will be looking to bolster their cases for best picture — or make them. “Belfast,” whose cast hasn’t taken home many prizes during awards season so far, could mount a best picture comeback if it wins big at the Critics Choice Awards. The best actress category is once again a tossup — as it has been at every awards show this year — with the potential for Jessica Chastain to build momentum after her big win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”On the television side, the hit Netflix series “Squid Game” is up for both best foreign language series and best drama series, though it’ll have stiff competition in the latter category from “Succession,” which leads all shows with eight nominations.Who do we think will win?Ariana DeBose, who played Anita in the Steven Spielberg remake of “West Side Story,” is essentially a sure thing for best supporting actress. In the supporting actor category, it’s a two-man race between Kotsur and Kodi Smit-McPhee of “The Power of the Dog.” And best picture? It’s probably between “Belfast” and “The Power of the Dog.”Why are the Critics Choice Awards happening the same night as the BAFTAs?Well, the BAFTAs got here first. But after the pandemic forced the Critics Choice Association to scrap the January date, Joey Berlin, the organization’s chief executive, said at the time that there was only one Sunday between the Super Bowl and the Oscars that the show could move to and still honor contractual obligations with networks, sponsors and venues.Aargh, I want to watch both!You’re in luck! (Thank you, time difference.) The BAFTAs, which will take place at 5 p.m. London time at the Royal Albert Hall and be hosted by Rebel Wilson, will be streamable for American audiences on BritBox beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern, giving you plenty of time to watch before the Critics Choice Awards.Approximate time investment: five hours. More