Key Moments and Highlights from the 2024 Golden Globe Awards
Hollywood's love affair with accolades was on full display at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards The event not only propelled Oppenheimer and Poor Things into the Oscar race but also kickstarted the emotional farewell tour for the beloved series Succession This star-studded ceremony proved that Tinseltown struggles to let go of those who shower it with honors
The Golden Globes went beyond their practical purpose this year, advancing "Oppenheimer" and "Poor Things" in their Oscar campaigns and kicking off the "Succession" farewell tour. The televised ceremony underscored Hollywood's difficulty in parting ways with those who bestow honors upon it.
While this marked the 81st edition of the Globes, comparisons to previous ceremonies should be taken with caution due to the significant changes the organization has undergone. This includes phasing out the scandal-plagued Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. (HFPA) and establishing a revised and expanded voting group under new management, Dick Clark Productions.
Three of the winners expressed gratitude towards the HFPA, while Robert Downey Jr. stood out by directly acknowledging the recent scandal and thanking the Globes for taking steps to address it.
Comedian Jo Koy hosted this years Golden Globe Award ceremony.
Ashley Landis/AP
Despite a move from NBC to CBS and a strong turnout of Hollywood's top talent at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, this year's ceremony felt subdued. The intention was to emphasize the Globes' reputation as a more relaxed event compared to the Academy Awards, with the voiceover announcer even joking about having censors standing by. However, there were no political statements and the night started off awkwardly, with host Jo Koy's stand-up material falling flat, highlighting why many comedians and other talents have been reluctant to take on these hosting gigs in modern times.
In spite of the controversies surrounding the Golden Globes, they achieved something that the Oscars have failed to do: creating a category that recognizes movies with significant box-office success (more than $150 million worldwide) that have received few nominations in recent years.
The film "Barbie," which was the box-office champion of the year, won the inaugural prize in this category. This allowed director Greta Gerwig, star Margot Robbie, and the rest of the team to receive recognition, and also earned a second statuette for best song for Billie Eilish. The Academy Awards had previously considered a similar "popular film" category in 2018 as a way to improve ratings, but the idea was ultimately rejected by its board.
Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo in "Poor Things," which won two Golden Globe Awards.
"Barbenheimer" saw significant success at the box office and received several awards, solidifying its position in a competitive Oscar season. The film's five wins, including performances by Downey and Cillian Murphy, as well as its musical score and direction by Christopher Nolan, were especially noteworthy. Notably, Nolan, who had been nominated six times previously, received his first Globe, and expressed gratitude to Universal for recognizing the potential of the challenging subject matter and turning a three-hour historical epic about the nuclear bomb into a commercial hit.
The delightful "Poor Things" also saw a significant increase, securing both the award for best musical or comedy movie and another for its star Emma Stone. In other important acting categories, Lily Gladstone earned the only Globe for director Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," marking a historic recognition of a Native-American actor; and Paul Giamatti and DaVine Joy Randolph triumphed for "The Holdovers," reuniting the former with "Sideways" director Alexander Payne.
Dominic Sessa, Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph in "The Holdovers."
Seacia Pavao/Focus Features
The Hollywood Foreign Press has historically made selections with a strong international influence, a tradition that has continued through changes in membership. This includes Frances winning best screenplay for "Anatomy of a Fall," "The Boy and the Heron" from Japan claiming best animated movie, and Ricky Gervais receiving a new award for stand-up specials. In television, "Succession" garnered four awards, including best drama and wins for stars Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, and Matthew Macfadyen, leading up to the Emmys. Limited series "Beef" and comedy "The Bear" also had strong showings, each receiving three awards.
The Golden Globes has a history of recognizing both movies and television, and its timing just before the Oscars has made it a key indicator of which films will be recognized. The Academy Award nominations will be announced on January 23.
This year, the Emmys will take place on January 15, following the Golden Globes. The ceremony was postponed by four months due to the writers and actors strikes. The last time the TV industry's top prize was delayed was in 2001, after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The Emmys voting is finished, and the Television Academy has awarded honors in technical categories. HBO's "The Last of Us" received eight awards, including guest-actor honors for Nick Offerman and Storm Reid, making it the top program.
