Timothée Chalamet did the thing. On a night built for prestige speeches and carefully neutral thank-yous, he went romantic. In front of the world. And suddenly, the 2026 Critics Choice Awards were all about Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, finally, unmistakably ending the will-they-won’t-they era.
While accepting his Best Actor win for A Complete Unknown at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, Timothée Chalamet thanked Kylie Jenner, called her his partner of three years, and told her he loved her. The internet went wild. Entertainment Weekly confirmed the clip within minutes.
While accepting his Best Actor win for A Complete Unknown at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, Timothée Chalamet thanked Kylie Jenner, calling her his partner of three years and telling her he loved her. And the internet went wild. Entertainment Weekly confirmed the moment almost instantly, sealing it as one of the night’s most replayed clips.
For fans, the response was less shock and more relief. The dominant reaction wasn’t “whoa,” it was “finally.” Social feeds filled with variations of “bout damn time,” a sentiment BuzzFeed captured perfectly while recapping how rare this level of openness is for Chalamet.
Why This Moment Hit Differently
Timmée and Kylie have spent years existing in a strange cultural limbo. Constantly photographed. Rarely explained. The relationship was real, but carefully contained. That restraint made the Critics Choice moment land harder. When someone known for privacy chooses that stage, the message is clear. This wasn’t accidental.
The BBC sees the reaction as part of a larger conversation about celebrity control in the social media era, where silence often fuels more speculation than statements ever could. Chalamet redirected the narrative.
The Kylie factor
Kylie Jenner has lived her entire adult life in public view. Chalamet’s done the opposite. That contrast is why the pairing fascinates people. This speech decimated that tension in one sentence. And it subtly reframed Jenner’s place in awards-season culture. She wasn’t there as a fashion footnote or plus-one curiosity. She was named. Directly. That distinction matters.
Inside the 2026 Critics Choice Awards
The ceremony itself was stacked. According to Vogue’s full winners list, the night leaned heavily toward actor-driven performances, signaling an awards season obsessed with intensity over spectacle.
The Guardian went further, calling his victory part of an early Oscar surge, especially alongside Jessie Buckley’s critical momentum.
That context makes the Jenner shout-out even more interesting. This was a positioning moment for Chalamet. Career-wise and personally.
Why Pop Culture Won’t Let This Go
Celebrity relationships usually trend due to outrageous drama or breakups. We’re not reacting to scandal, fans love it that Chalamet’s proclaiming their love to the world.
Search interest around “Timothée Chalamet Kylie Jenner Critics Choice Awards,” “Timothée Chalamet speech Kylie Jenner,” and “2026 Critics Choice Awards highlights” spiked overnight, driven by video clips, quote graphics, and reaction posts. That mélange of awards-prestige and romance validation is click-gold, especially when it’s earned.
Awards season will move on. Oscar Season chatter is already ramping up. Fresh couples will dominate feeds. But this moment sticks because it’s super intentional. And totally adorable.
