Critics Choice Awards 2022: Behind the Scenes With Lady Gaga, West Side Story Cast in Lo

From Lady Gaga to the cast of West Side Story, it was the night Tinseltown came to London. The 2022 Critics Choice Awards hosted a satellite ceremony in the British capital on Sunday night after the omicron variant of COVID-19 forced the show to vacate its initial slot of Jan. 9 and the new March

From Lady Gaga to the cast of “West Side Story,” it was the night Tinseltown came to London.

The 2022 Critics Choice Awards hosted a satellite ceremony in the British capital on Sunday night after the omicron variant of COVID-19 forced the show to vacate its initial slot of Jan. 9 and the new March 13 date clashed with the U.K. BAFTA Awards.

With a 10-hour flight and seven-hour time difference meaning attendees couldn’t hotfoot it between ceremonies, the broadcast from the U.K. ensured that nominees including Lady Gaga, Ariana DeBose and Troy Kotsur were able to be in two places at (almost) the same time.

In London, the Critics Choice Awards kicked off at 11 p.m. GMT (4 p.m. PT), just as the BAFTA post-ceremony dinner was coming to a close, giving guests such as Rachel Zegler and Alana and Este Haim just enough time for a quick outfit change. (The men largely stayed in their BAFTA-required black tie dress code, which contrasted with the marginally more casual suits on the other side of the Atlantic.)

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Unlike the BAFTAs, which packed out the Royal Albert Hall, or the primary Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles’ Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel, the London arm of the ceremony was a more intimate affair. Hosted in the aptly-titled American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London’s West End, attendees were ensconced in plush leather sofas or armchairs, with winners squeezing past their co-stars’ knees to reach the makeshift podium in the center of the room (which replaced the usual grand piano located there).

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During commercial breaks, smartly-dressed waiters carrying plates of mini burgers, bao buns and desserts such as lemon tarts and macarons came whizzing out of the kitchens (no doubt they would have been doubly appreciated in L.A., given Issa Rae said at one point on stage: “I just want the world to know that Critics Choice only fed us hummus and wine.”)

While the London ceremony may have had an abundance of food there was only one Critics Choice Award statue in the room for winners to clutch as they made their acceptance speeches, with a producer sanitizing it whenever the cameras cut back to the U.S. (which explains the gasp that reverberated when, towards the end of the evening, Joanna Scanlan, fresh from her BAFTA win for best actress, knocked the award off the podium and onto the floor, where it fortunately remained in one piece before being rescued by a terrified producer).

While there may not have been as many wins in London (barring “Ted Lasso,” which scooped up numerous awards), the atmosphere was joyous. In one corner, Alana Haim laughing next to her sister Este; on a nearby sofa, fellow best actress nominee Lady Gaga holding court alongside her “House of Gucci” hairstylist Frederic Aspiras; opposite her, Apple TV Plus executives sitting with the casts of “Ted Lasso” and “CODA,” including Emilia Jones (nominated for best young actor/actress), Hannah Waddingham (who won best supporting actress in a comedy series) and Brett Goldstein (who won best supporting actor in a comedy series).

On the other side of the room, Zegler (also nominated for best young actor/actress) sat with Ariana DeBose (who won for best supporting actress, her second win of the night after picking up the same award at the BAFTAs), near some of the cast and crew from “Belfast,” including Caitriona Balfe (also nominated for best supporting actress).

During one commercial break, Zegler made her way over to Lady Gaga, telling her: “You’re stunning and I’m obsessed with you.” Lady Gaga stood up to embrace her, causing Zegler to tear up before she turned to say hi to the Haim sisters. A moment later, both Lady Gaga and Este Haim fussed over a strap that appeared to be twisted at the back of Zegler’s dress.

Meanwhile DeBose headed over to say hello to the cast of “CODA” as well as Apple TV Plus exec Matt Dentler (DeBose stars in upcoming Apple TV Plus film “Argyle” alongside Henry Cavill). After hugging Emilia Jones, DeBose posed for a snap with Kotsur at his request — he went on to bag pictures with Lady Gaga and the “Ted Lasso” cast, too.

Scanlan and Lady Gaga also exchanged some warm words (despite Gaga having lost out to Scanlan at the BAFTAs) with the American superstar at one point tenderly bending over to plant a kiss on Scanlan’s head.

Although there was still some time to go before the end of the ceremony in L.A., around 1.30 a.m. London time the room began to wind down, especially once attendees were told all the categories with U.K. nominees had been aired.

Lady Gaga made her way out, stopping obligingly for selfie requests on the way. Elsewhere, the Haim sisters mingled with the “CODA” cast, who were among the last to leave, with attendees slowly filed out until the only people left were a jubilant production team, some servers collecting empty drinks glasses and a white suited waiter still making cocktails behind the bar.

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