“‘THIS ONE IS FOR HER’ — CHELSEA HANDLER SHAKES THE CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS 2026 WITH A SILENT, UNANNOUNCED TRIBUTE TO DIANE KEATON, TURNING A SIMPLE BLACK TUXEDO INTO A HEARTBREAKING STATEMENT THAT STOPPED THE ROOM, STUNNED HOLLYWOOD, AND SENT AN EMOTIONAL SHOCKWAVE ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA”! There was no in-memoriam montage, no spotlight cue, and no speech prepared to explain it — yet the meaning was unmistakable. As Chelsea Handler stepped onto the Critics Choice Awards 2026 stage in a sharply tailored black tuxedo, the room slowly realized what was happening. This wasn’t a fashion choice. It was a message. A quiet, deliberate nod to Diane Keaton, whose signature suits once challenged Hollywood’s rules and redefined what confidence looked like on screen. Without saying her name, Handler let the look speak for her — honoring Keaton’s legacy with restraint, respect, and unmistakable love. In a night built on applause and spectacle, this silent tribute became one of the most powerful moments of all, proving that sometimes the loudest honors are delivered without a single word.

Chelsea Handler is finding her own piece of Diane Keaton.

While hosting the 2026 Critics Choice Awards from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif., on Jan. 4, Chelsea paid tribute to the Annie Hall actress who died at the age of 79 on Oct. 11 after battling bacterial pneumonia.

Chelsea made her way onto the stage wearing a tuxedo over a white shirt and black tie—reminiscent of the black and white menswear looks Diane was well known for.

“This little outfit is my nod to Diane Keaton,” she said from the stage, “another person I think we should be remembering tonight.

The 50-year-old—who had also paid tribute to the late Rob Reiner earlier in the award show—added that Diane was “somebody who made a big contribution to all of us and all the people in the room here.”

“So I think it’s good vibrations to remember all of these good people, right,” she continued. “Let’s keep the vibes high.”

And fashion was a big part of Diane’s life, with the Father of the Bride star sharing why she loved wearing a black and white look so often.

“I don’t want to be flashy,” she told Vogue in 2023, “but I do want to dress myself with what I like.”

Chelsea Handler Honors Diane Keaton at 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association; SGranitz/WireImage

The Oscar winner noted that with a black and white outfit, “you can add anything to it.”

“I can wear a lot of hats. Or coats with a wide belt,” she continued. “I don’t get too crazy with color. I also like suits with turtlenecks, and vests.”

Not focusing on color also let her focus more on accessories, saying that she was also a big fan of a big coat, jacket and a belt.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

“These things are great, because they sustain the idea that I have a body,” she joked. “I’m not kidding! I like to have a belt that’s a little tighter.”

“I’ve been so fortunate and lucky,” she said. “And I do love clothes; I love looking at them. I buy all the magazines, and I’m constantly cutting pages of things that I find interesting—a Dior outfit, hats, or how people decorate their homes.”

For more moments you might have missed during the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, keep reading.