'Crazy Rich Asians' named Best Comedy at Critics Choice Awards

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Crazy Rich Asians Executive Producer Anna Jacobsen didn't hold back punches at the Critics Choice Awards.

IT WAS A HUGE LEAP for Crazy Rich Asians and one small step towards inclusion and better representation.

The landmark movie has broken box-office records and a critic's favorite since it premiered in August last year. Last night (Jan. 13) it was dubbed the Best Comedy Motion Picture at the 24th Annual Critics' Choice Awards.

After getting passed over for Best Cast Ensemble by the actors of The Favourite, the CRA cast couldn't contain its exhuberance when their movie was named Best Comedy over The Favourite and Deadpool 2, The Death of Stalin, Game Night and Sorry to Bother You.

Crazy Rich Asians' Executive Producer Nina Jacobsen won my Speaking Truth! award when she gave the acceptance speech.

"When I was coming up in the business, my bosses — white guys — told me that while every audience member can identify with a white male protagonist, white dudes can't be counted on to identify with anyone who doesn't look or live like they do,

"[It was] the ultimate combination of mansplaining and manspreading all balled up into one convenient premise which was, and still is, a bunch of bulls---."

"You don't have to be crazy, rich or Asian to relate to [author] Kevin Kwan's storytelling, but you sure as hell have to be Asian to star in it. And [director] John Chu assembled an insanely gifted cast of all-stars, anyone of whom could and should star in a movie of his or her own.

"John, Kevin and our cast and crew were united by a sense of purpose and identity, They knew how much was riding on the success of this movie. Representation is power and our movie, like so many of those nominated today, reminds us that audiences are hungry to see that power redistributed."

Backstage, the excited cast couldn't stop congratulating and thanking each other.  Sandra Oh, who just won the award for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her work in Killing Eve, duplicating her Golden Globes feat, couldn't control herself as she joined in the celebration, embracing each of CRA's female cast members including Michelle Yeoh, Constance Wu, Gemma Chan and Awkwafina.

Darren Criss continued his outstanding year by winning Best Actor in A Limited Series for his portrayal of Filipino American killer Andrew Cunanan in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. The Filipino American actor previously won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the career-boosting role.

Wu, who played the lead character of Rachel Chu in Crazy Rich Asians, was also nominated as best actress in a comedy. The award went to Olivia Colman of The Favourite.