Jacob Elordi achieved a major milestone in his career by winning the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor at the 2026 ceremony held on January 4 in Santa Monica, California. The 28-year-old actor earned the honor for his portrayal of the Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated adaptation of Frankenstein, making it his first major acting award. Taking the stage at Barker Hangar, Elordi looked surprised by the win. Beginning his speech he admitted that he had not prepared the comments.
Elordi began his acceptance speech with, “Bloody hell. I didn’t really plan this.” The actor thanked production designer Tamara Deverell, costume designer Kate Hawley and Mike Hill, head of the prosthetics makeup effects department. He said, “You guys are geniuses. I can’t walk around in front of a green screen like that. You guys have created that world. So thank you.” The actor also praised director Guillermo del Toro for inspiring him since his childhood. “I love you. We all love you. You made my dreams come true when I was 11. I’m so happy to be here,” he continued, “and thank you, Mom and Dad. Cheers.”
In del Toro’s reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, Elordi plays the ill-fated creation of Victor Frankenstein, portrayed opposite Oscar Isaac. The role reflects the creature’s emotional evolution from innocent curiosity to tragic anger as he fends off rejection and cruelty from humanity. Elordi has previously described the character as extremely personal, stating that the performance allowed him to channel his life experiences into what he considers his most honest work to date.
This role was also physically difficult. Del Toro previously mentioned that Jacob Elordi spent about 10 hours every day in extensive prosthetic application that included dozens of makeup pieces. Despite the grueling process, the director praised the actor’s patience and dedication, and described the final performance as emotionally raw and deeply affecting.
Elordi’s win came against a strong lineup of nominees including Benicio del Toro, Paul Mescal, Sean Penn, Adam Sandler and Stellan Skarsgård. Adding to his awards-season momentum, the actor has also been nominated at the upcoming 2026 Golden Globe Awards, set to take place on January 11, further cementing his rise as one of the most compelling actors of his generation.
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