Watch: Critics Choice Awards 2026: When Did Rhea Seehorn Know 'Pluribus' Was a Hit? She Says...
Rhea Seehorn might be immune to Pluribus' apocalyptic virus. However, she's noticed how the pathogen has impacted viewers-one intense watch at a time. Shortly after Rhea's performance in Pluribus earned her Best Actress in a Drama Series at the 2026 Critic Choice Awards, she detailed if she knew the Apple TV series would be a success. "Obviously, it's [creator Vince Gilligan]'s writing, so there's the quality of the writing, the writing team that he assembles, the directors, and it's Apple," Rhea exclusively told E! News' Daryn Carp in an interview at the Jan. 4 ceremony. "But even given that quality of the material and if I tried my hardest, you don't know what the response will be." The 53-year-old, who stars as author Carol Sturka in the sci-fi drama, added, "There's still that other element of, 'What if there's a backlash of we're sick of liking Vince? We're just gonna hate it.'" After all, Pluribus comes years after the screenwriter hit the TV jackpot with Breaking Bad-which received high acclaim from critics during its five season run from 2008 to 2013-and its prequel Better Call Saul that Rhea starred in opposite Bob Odenkirk. And with this back-to-back success, the actress "didn't know" if viewers would approach this slow burn show with high expectations. readPluribus' Rhea Seehorn Reacts to Those Alien TheoriesBut similar to Vince's previous works, Pluribus became an immediate hit and was renewed for season two weeks after its premiere last November. "I didn't know, but I knew it was a show that I would be a fan of," Rhea explained of the show's success, before reflecting on her first time reading the script. "I was like, 'This is deep, weird, hilarious, scary and I have so many questions.' This is my kind of show, and I'm grateful to be in it." But the Franklin & Bash alum isn't the only viewer that's fascinated with her character, as she also admitted "journalists have talked to me about their feelings about the show's" layered plot.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association"The fact that it's inspired conversations like this was a hope," she noted, "but we didn't dream it this big." Indeed, fans have been creating their own plot twists since the series' season one finale, including one where Carol might be an alien. And while Rhea and her costar Karolina Wydra (who plays extraterrestrial handler Zosia) doesn't believe many of the theories, they're both proud that viewers are interacting with the premise. "I love the conversations that people [are] having," Karolina, 44, told E! News last December. "I wrote that to Vince, actually, I said, 'Vince, you've created something that makes people think and not numb out,' And how incredible is that?" Keep reading to see more stars who appeared, and took home a victory, at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards...(E! and USA Network are both part of Versant Media.)Best Young Actor/ActressEverett Blunck - The Plague (Independent Film Company) WINNER: Miles Caton - Sinners (Warner Bros.) Cary Christopher - Weapons (Warner Bros.) Shannon Mahina Gorman - Rental Family (Searchlight Pictures) Jacobi Jupe - Hamnet (Focus Features) Nina Ye - Left-Handed Girl (Netflix)Best Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesPatrick Ball - The Pitt (HBO Max) Billy Crudup - The Morning Show (Apple TV) Ato Essandoh - The Diplomat (Netflix) Wood Harris - Forever (Netflix) Tom Pelphrey - Task (HBO Max) WINNER: Tramell Tillman - Severance (Apple TV)Best PictureBugonia (Focus Features) Frankenstein (Netflix) Hamnet (Focus Features) Jay Kelly (Netflix) Marty Supreme (A24) WINNER: One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) Sentimental Value (Neon) Sinners (Warner Bros.) Train Dreams (Netflix) Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)Best ActorWINNER: Timothée Chalamet - Marty Supreme (A24) Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) Joel Edgerton - Train Dreams (Netflix) Ethan Hawke - Blue Moon (Sony Pictures Classics) Michael B. Jordan - Sinners (Warner Bros.) Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent (Neon)Best ActressWINNER: Jessie Buckley - Hamnet (Focus Features) Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (A24) Chase Infiniti - One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value (Neon) Amanda Seyfried - The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures) Emma Stone - Bugonia (Focus Features)Best Supporting ActorBenicio del Toro - One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) WINNER: Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein (Netflix) Paul Mescal - Hamnet (Focus Features) Sean Penn - One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) Adam Sandler - Jay Kelly (Netflix) Stellan Skarsgård - Sentimental Value (Neon)Best Supporting ActressElle Fanning - Sentimental Value (Neon) Ariana Grande - Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures) Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value (Neon) WINNER: Amy Madigan - Weapons (Warner Bros.) Wunmi Mosaku - Sinners (Warner Bros.) Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another (Warner Br