Here’s What the Critics Choice Awards Looked Like in 2006

As for the Young Actor and Young Actress categories, these young stars aren’t so little anymore. While Dakota Fanning, now 31, was finally able to reach the podium on her own after her adorable viral moment with Orlando Bloom from the 2001 ceremony, she still needed a step stool to thank critics for recognizing her performance in Stephen Spielberg's War of the Worlds alongside Tom Cruise.

“Thank you so much to Steven who has made such an impact on my life,” Dakota, then 11, said in her speech. “Also Tom Cruise who is such a gracious and generous man and I appreciate everything he’s done for me.”

To this day, Dakota continues to boast that her friendship solidified with the Mission: Impossible star on the set of the 2005 film, admitting on Watch What Happens Live November that Tom still gifts her a pair of shoes every year on her birthday, noting, “They're nice shoes."

And while The Good Doctor’s Freddie Highmore was the one to take home the award for Best Young Actor for his performance in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, other recognizable now-all-grown-up stars like Jesse Eisenberg and Daniel Radcliffe were honored with nominations for The Squid and the Whale and the fourth Harry Potter film, respectively.

Other highlights from the ceremony included Julia Roberts making her first appearance since welcoming her and Danny Moder’s twins Phinnaeus and Hazel, now both 21. The Pretty Woman star presented pal George Clooney with the ceremony’s Freedom Award for his direction in Good Night, and Good Luck!

After he accepted the award, George of course expressed gratitude for the achievement, but also couldn’t help but use his speech to ask his Ocean’s Eleven costar, “How are the twins?”

Last year, George went on to star in a stage adaptation of the film on Broadway, marking his debut.

"It's scary,” the ER alum admitted of acting on the stage to CBS last year. “I haven't done a play in 40 years, so it's one of those things where, and I've never done the Broadway play, so I'm, of course, you know, petrified to do it. But it's not such a bad thing.”

For more on how the stars’ pasts informed their presents, keep reading to see more highlights from the 2006 Critics Choice Awards…

Believe it or not, the trophy for War of the Worlds was Dakota's second Critics Choice Award, despite being only 11 at the time. Her first was a whopping four years earlier for her performance in I Am Sam.

A late great. The Capote star earned one of the evening's biggest awards, Best Actor, for his portrayal of Truman Capote in the 2005 film.

The Sex and the City actress supported The Producers star as he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ahead of the ceremony alongside Nathan Lane.

Long before there was Wicked, Taye Diggs, Tracie Thoms, Wilson Heredia, Rosario Dawson and more starred in the film adaptation of Rent, which scored three nominations at the 2006 Critics Choice Awards.

One for the money, two for the show. The Junebug actress shared her 2006 Best Supporting Actress nod with Brokeback Mountain's Michelle Williams.

Quick catch up! The Rendition costars chatted inside the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, where the event was held, one year before confirming their romance. (They ultimately went their separate ways in 2009.)

Best pals. The Good Night, and Good Luck! actor was presented with the Freedom Award by the Pretty Woman actress during the ceremony.

After nabbing a Critics Choice Award in 2005 for work on The Phantom of the Opera, the Shameless actress attended the 2006 ceremony as a presenter.

Baby on board! The former couple, who went on to separate in 2009, attended the ceremony ahead of welcoming their youngest son Leland Francis Fraser that May.

The Walk the Line actress went on to score a win for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter Cash.

Young actors, indeed. The Millions actor and Bee Season actress—who were nominated in the Best Young Actor/Actress categories, respectively—posed together on the red carpet.

Parents night out. The couple—whose daughters Maude and Iris were only 9 and 4, respectively, at the time—made a date night out of supporting The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which went on to win Best Comedy that evening.

The Cinderella Man scored Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joe Gould in the Ron Howard film.

The How Stella Got Her Groove Back actress grooved on the red carpet in a timeless look.

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App