Christopher Nolan's American epic “Oppenheimer” dominates the 81st Golden Globes, while the series “Succession” and “The Bear” also win numerous awards.
Published at 11:18 am. Updated at 10:37 p.m.
Jake Coyle The Canadian Press
Oppenheimer, who could be the Oscar favorite, won four major awards, including Best Director for “Mr. Nolan”, “Best Actor” for “Cillian Murphy”, “Best Supporting Actor” for “Robert Downey Jr.” and “Music by Ludwig Göransson”.
Comedian and host Joy Koy took the stage at the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom in Beverly Hills, California to open the 81st Golden Globes. The Filipino-American comedian touched on expected topics: Ozempic, Meryl Streep's talent for winning awards and Oppenheimer's longevity. (“I needed another hour.”)
After a failed joke, Mr Koy, who was made host after bigger names were excluded, also highlighted how quickly he was accepted into the job.
“Yo, I got the job 10 days ago. Do you want a perfect number? I've written some of them and they're the ones that make you laugh,” he said.
The first prize of the evening went to Da'Vine Joy Randolph for Best Supporting Actress in Alexander Payne's Those Who Remain. Ms. Randolph became a favorite in the category with her portrayal of a grieving woman in the 1970s boarding school drama.
“Oh Mary, you changed my life,” Ms. Randolph said of her character. You made me feel seen in so many ways I could never have imagined. »
That was quickly followed by a win for Robert Downey Jr., who won his third Golden Globe for his supporting role in “Oppenheimer.” It was the first personal encounter between Christopher Nolan's epic and Greta Gerwig's Barbie. Mr. Downey Jr.'s closest competitor was considered Ryan Gosling's “Kenergy.”
In the television categories, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun each won awards for their performances in Acharnés. TV standout Succession opened with a win for Matthew MacFadyen, who said he “loved every second of playing the strange, wonderful blob of human fat that is Tom Wambsgans.”
New appearance
The carpet was red, but the color of the evening could be pink. Barbie, the biggest hit of the year, topped the nominations with nine nominations, including best comedy or musical. Margot Robbie, star and producer of the film, arrived in a pink Armani dress inspired by the 1977 superstar Barbie.
But whatever the color, it was a new look for the Golden Globes. The awards were presented without the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which dissolved after years of diversity and ethics scandals.
The Golden Globes also lost their long-standing network. This year's show aired on CBS under a one-year contract. Even the menu was changed, with Nobu Restaurant as the caterer.
The revamped Golden Globes faced the challenge of weathering a tumultuous few years while rediscovering the sparkling, irreverent spirit of all those shows hosted by Ricky Gervais or Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. These broadcasts helped make the Golden Globes the third-largest awards show of the year, behind the Oscars and the Grammys.
“I think it's getting better now,” Colman Domingo, nominated for his leading role in Bayard Rustin's drama “Rustin,” said on the red carpet. “I think they did a little bit of searching and we all need to allow everyone to do a little bit of searching. »
Changes in categories
Taylor Swift made a late appearance. His film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is nominated for the newly created Film Achievement and Box Office Awards.
New additions this year include this category and a humor award. Another innovation: In most categories there are six, not five, nominees.
Two awards normally presented at the Golden Globes are missing: the Cecil B. DeMille Award and the Carol Burnett Award. These two awards will not be presented this year, but there will be two new categories: the Blockbuster Prize and the Comedy Special Prize.
Competitors
Greta Gerwig's Barbie, the biggest film of the year with more than 1.4 billion tickets sold, tops the list of nominees with nine nominations, including best comedy or musical, best director for Ms. Gerwig, best actress for Margot Robbie and best supporting actor for Ryan Gosling and three original song nominations.
Christopher Nolan's “Oppenheimer” follows close behind with eight nominations, including Best Drama, Best Director for “Mr. Nolan” and “Best Actor” for Cillian Murphy.
On the television side, HBO's Succession leads the way with nine nominations. “The Bear” and “Only Murders in the Building” follow, each with five nominations.
Past controversies
A few years ago, the Golden Globes were on the verge of failure. After the Los Angeles Times reported that the HFPA had no black members, Hollywood boycotted the organization. The 2022 Golden Globes have been effectively canceled and taken off television.
After the reforms, the Golden Globes returned to NBC last year with a one-year deal, but the broadcast was moved to Tuesday nights. With Jerrod Carmichael as host, the show attracted 6.3 million viewers, a new low for NBC and a far cry from the 20 million who once tuned in.
The Golden Globes were acquired by Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, a subsidiary of Penske Media, and converted into a for-profit company. The HFPA (which normally had around 90 voting members) has been dissolved and a new group of around 300 cultural journalists from around the world now vote on the awards.
Questions remain about the Golden Globes' long-term future, but their value to Hollywood studios continues to give awards contenders a marketing boost. The Oscars don't take place until March 10th. This year, due to strikes by actors and writers, the Golden Globes were broadcast before the Emmys, which were postponed to January 15th.
With movie ticket sales still 20% below pre-pandemic prices and the industry facing a potentially difficult 2024 at the box office, Hollywood needs the Golden Globes more than ever.