‘Wicked’ and Jon M. Chu Win Big with the National Board of Review — See the Full List

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The National Board of Review has unveiled its 2024 awards winners list. The announcement comes amid the churn of a busy awards week — the New York Film Critics Circle shared their picks on Tuesday, while the Film Independent Spirit Awards rolled out its nominees Wednesday. The AFI Awards list of the 10 best films of the year also unveils Thursday. The Gotham Awards, meanwhile, took place Monday in New York, crowning “A Different Man” the best independent feature of the year.

The National Board of Review awards gala will take place on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 in New York. The splashy musical “Wicked” was the big winner, taking prizes for Best Film and Best Director for Jon M. Chu. On the acting side, Daniel Craig (“Queer”), Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”), Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”), and Elle Fanning (“A Complete Unknown”) took acting honors. The event will be hosted by MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” co-anchor Willie Geist.

Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in 'Babygirl'

(L-R) Billie Lourd, Kiernan Shipka, Pamela Anderson, Brenda Song and Jamie Lee Curtis of 'The Last Showgirl' pose in the Getty Images Portrait Studio Presented by IMDb and IMDbPro during the Toronto International Film Festival at InterContinental Toronto Centre on September 06, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for IMDb)

Per an NBR press release, “This year, 246 films were viewed by a select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students, many of which were followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. Ballots were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz and Carr CPA.”

“‘Wicked’ represents the pure magic that movies can bring to audiences. Every detail is beautifully crafted and designed, the actors are all exceptional and the music is second-to-none — together it adds up to a transporting experience like no other. The NBR is proud to honor director John M. Chu and his remarkable cinematic vision,” said NBR president Annie Schulhof.

Last year, Martin Scorsese’s epic Apple TV+ drama “Killers of the Flower Moon” was the crown jewel of the NBR. The group is comprised of a gaggle of tastemakers and film enthusiasts as random as the former Golden Globes, their choices often equally as wily and unpredictable. The NBR tends toward the mainstream, with “Green Book” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” (“Furiosa” is here this year) among past winners. But they do like to honor independent and international films with their own respective lists, as reflected here. The NBR also makes room for rising talents, too, as you’ll see across their breakthrough categories.

See the full list of National Board of Review 2024 winners below.

Best Film: Wicked

Best Director: Jon M. Chu, Wicked

Best Actor: Daniel Craig, Queer

Best Actress: Nicole Kidman, Babygirl

Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Best Supporting Actress: Elle Fanning, A Complete Unknown

Best Ensemble: Conclave

Breakthrough Performance: Mikey Madison, Anora

Best Directorial Debut: India Donaldson, Good One

Best Original Screenplay: Mike Leigh, Hard Truths

Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing