When they voted to hand Lady Gaga their 2021 Best Actress award, the New York Film Critics Circle knew they were smirking, half-kidding, succumbing…they’re supposed to be the fickle hardcore weirdos who always vote political-progressive…the austere, top-of-the-line, above-the-fray guys. And when push came to shove, they tumbled for a performance that they knew was mainly a populist sop…push came to shove and a majority decided “shit, how cool would it be for Lady Gaga, a major tabloid glamour-puss, to attend our awards ceremony?” They know Penelope Cruz‘s performance in Parallel Mothers is way, way above Gaga’s, and they voted for Gaga anyway. Giving it to Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye would have been a more honorable choice. Or Being The Ricardos‘ Nicole Kidman. Or Alana Haim even.