“Wicked” director Jon M. Chu beat out several Oscar nominees for best director at the Critics’ Choice Awards Friday evening, taking home the prize from that body. The filmmaker seemed stunned as he took the stage at the behest of his encouraging cast, including stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

“I’m going to win that Oscar!” Chu began in his speech, drawing a huge laugh from the room, before waving it away with his hand and smiling, “I’m not nominated, I’m not nominated.”

Chu went on to explain he hadn’t written a speech, saying that “I will be real with you. … We get to tell stories for our life. I’d been waiting to not think about algebra or grammar ever again. I just wanted to make movies. I wanted to work with my friends. I wanted to share whatever it is we had in our heads that week,...