Janelle James to host 2027 Critics Choice Awards

Janelle James has been announced as the host of the 32nd annual Critics Choice Awards, which will take place on January 3, 2027, in Santa Monica, California.

The Abbott Elementary star and comedian will lead the ceremony at The Barker Hangar, where the awards will celebrate the year's best achievements across film and television.

The event will air live on E! and USA Network from 7pm to 10pm ET, marking the third consecutive year the ceremony has aired on E! and the second year on USA Network.

James is best known for playing principal Ava Coleman in ABC's Emmy-nominated comedy series Abbott Elementary. Her performance has earned her five consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, alongside recognition from the Critics Choice Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Gotham Awards and Television Critics Association.

She won the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2026 and has also received multiple NAACP Image Award nominations, winning in 2023 and 2026.

The comedian is set to release her first hour-long stand-up special, Janelle James: How Romantic, on Netflix on November 10, 2026.

Beyond Abbott Elementary, James has worked on Showtime's Black Monday and Apple TV's Central Park. She also appeared in the feature film One of Them Days and is developing Rock City, a Hulu comedy she is co-writing and executive producing with David Caspe.

The Critics Choice Association announced that nominations for the 2027 awards will be revealed on December 4, 2026. The ceremony will continue its combined film and television format, recognising achievements across cinema, television and streaming.

James follows a succession of hosts who have led the Critics Choice Awards in recent years, as the ceremony continues to kick off the awards season conversation at the start of January.

The 32nd annual Critics Choice Awards will be executive-produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment.