Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys
Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys IMDb

Amy Madigan has found herself at the centre of an unlikely fan craze after her Critics Choice Awards win sparked a viral wave of affection for her character Aunt Gladys in Weapons.

The 75-year-old actress, who took home Best Supporting Actress at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, said she was shocked to learn that fans have dubbed her eccentric horror character a 'sex icon'.

'I really wasn't expecting all this because I thought people would like the movie,' Madigan told the crowd during her acceptance speech. 'And I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys. I mean, it's crazy!' she said, laughing.

The veteran actress added, 'I even got one weird thing about how she's a sex icon, also. Which, I didn't go too deep into that one.'

Madigan thanked fans and the creative team behind Weapons, noting that the defining detail of her character came down to her look. 'The whole team that created the look, once we figured out the bangs, we knew we had it,' she said.

She added that she never understood what it meant to thank fans until now, admitting, 'Usually I see that with great music people, but I'm thanking my fans for this, too.'

Fans Embrace Aunt Gladys' Quirky Appeal

Since Weapons premiered, Aunt Gladys has become an unexpected internet obsession. Social media users have created makeup tutorials, digital fan art and humorous tributes that blend admiration and fascination with the character's unsettling charm.

Memes of Madigan's performance have spread widely across TikTok and X, transforming the actress into what some fans jokingly call the 'unlikeliest sex symbol in horror'.

The reaction has taken Madigan by surprise, especially given her decades-long career marked by serious, grounded roles.

Yet her eccentric portrayal of Aunt Gladys, both humorous and terrifying, appears to have struck a cultural chord that bridges horror fandom and pop culture irony. The fan engagement has also boosted Weapons' continued popularity during awards season.

Inside the World of 'Weapons'

Directed by Zach Cregger, Weapons follows the disappearance of 17 children from a small American town and the growing unease surrounding their fates.

Madigan's character, Aunt Gladys, serves as both a comic and chilling presence in the community, quickly becoming one of the film's standout elements.

The film has earned multiple Critics Choice Awards nominations, including Best Young Actor or Actress for Cary Christopher, Best Original Screenplay for Cregger, and Best Hair and Makeup for Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat and Jason Collins.

Critics have praised the movie's mix of emotional depth and atmospheric dread, with Madigan's performance singled out as its emotional core.

Amy Madigan Reflects on the Role

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly before her Critics Choice Awards win, Madigan said she felt personally fulfilled by her performance in Weapons. 'It's really nice because I felt my work is really good in this piece,' she said. 'I've been doing it a long time, so to get something that's this gratifying and people like it... it's fun.'

Madigan's Critics Choice Awards nomination marked her first ever for the show, underscoring how her turn in Weapons has reignited attention to her decades-long career.

The role has reintroduced Madigan to a younger audience and turned her into an unlikely social media figure, something she acknowledges with a mix of humour and humility.

Strong Competition at the Critics Choice Awards

Madigan triumphed over a competitive field of nominees including Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value), Ariana Grande (Wicked: For Good), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value), Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another).

Each of the contenders brought distinct performances to the screen, but it was Madigan's transformation into Aunt Gladys that captured the public imagination, a rare moment where a supporting role became a cultural talking point beyond the awards stage.

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