The Golden Globes, introduced by host Nikki Glaser as “Ozempic’s biggest night,” commenced on Sunday with awards distributed to “Emilia Pérez,” “A Real Pain,” and “Conclave.” The unpredictable nature of this year's Hollywood awards season remained evident.
Comedian Nikki Glaser started the 82nd Golden Globes with a declaration: “I’m not here to roast you.”
However, during her career-defining roast of Tom Brady, Glaser navigated the Beverly Hilton ballroom in Beverly Hills on Sunday, targeting various individuals with a well-prepared opening monologue.
Glaser, hosting the event two weeks before Donald Trump's inauguration, saved her sharpest line for the Hollywood elite gathered in the room: “You could really do anything … except tell the country who to vote for,” she remarked. “But it’s OK, you’ll get ’em next time … if there is one. I’m scared.”
She then directed a comment to “Wicked” star Ariana Grande: “Ariana, hold my finger.”
Praising Timothée Chalamet for his role as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” Glaser complimented him on having “the most gorgeous eye-lashes on your upper lip.”
Despite not reaching the comedic heights of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Glaser’s monologue was well-received and marked a significant improvement over Jo Koy’s performance the previous year. She reassured the attendees that, win or lose, “the point of making art is to start a tequila brand so popular that you never have to make art again.”
First Winners of the Night: Zoe Saldaña won the award for best supporting actress, recognized for her role in Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Perez,” a trans musical that led with ten nominations. The film later secured another award for best non-English language film.
French filmmaker Audiard expressed via an interpreter that he wishes the movie to serve as "a beacon of hope" during difficult periods.
Zoe Saldana attended the 82nd Golden Globes on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Audiard explained the inspiration behind his film on sisterhood: "I don’t have sisters, and maybe that’s why I made this film. If there were more sisters in the world, perhaps it would be a better place."
While many movie awards have been unpredictable this season, Kieran Culkin is emerging as a strong contender for best supporting actor. Culkin won on Sunday for his role in Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain,” his second Globe in the past year after winning for the HBO series “Succession.” He described the Globes as "essentially the best date night my wife and I ever have" and expressed gratitude to her for "enduring what you call my mania."
The papal thriller “Conclave” earned the award for best screenplay, thanks to Peter Straughan’s writing.
In the television category, the Emmy-winning series “Shōgun” continued its success on Sunday with Hiroyuki Sanada winning best actor in a drama series and Tadanobu Asano securing best supporting actor in a drama series. “I’m very happy!” Asano cheered with raised hands.
Ali Wong, who reportedly turned down hosting the Globes previously, took home the award for best stand-up comedy performance. Jean Smart, for the second time, was awarded best lead actress in a comedy series for “Hacks.” Smart, who has received numerous honors, humorously remarked, "I never thought I’d be so pleased to be called a hack."
Additional winners included Jeremy Allen White for “The Bear” (he was not present at the event), Jodie Foster for “True Detective,” and Colin Farrell for his physical transformation in “The Penguin.” Farrell joked, "I guess it’s prosthetics from now on."
Stabilizing Globes? Following a turbulent few years and the dissolution of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes appear to have regained some stability. The main question leading into Sunday was whether they could still deliver an entertaining show.
The previous year’s comeback event, hosted by Koy, was heavily criticized, yet it succeeded in the crucial area: Ratings surged to around 10 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
CBS stepped in after NBC decided to drop the Globes and committed to a five-year contract.
The Globes have now come under the ownership of Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, who bought the award show from the now-defunct Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The HFPA faced criticism over diversity and ethical issues, which led to the sale and its dissolution. Despite this, over a dozen former HFPA members are attempting to nullify the sale to Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions.
Regardless, from the perspective of studios, the main purpose of the Globes is to act as a significant promotional event for their awards candidates. The Academy Awards are still nearly two months away, scheduled for March 2.
In contrast to last year, which saw "Oppenheimer" dominate and the billion-dollar hit "Barbie" energize the competition, this year’s leading contenders are more geared towards the arthouse scene, with no clear frontrunner yet established.
The Globes will be held approximately two weeks before Trump's inauguration. Throughout Hollywood's awards season so far, most nominees have avoided becoming embroiled in political matters, with the notable exception of “The Apprentice,” a young Trump biopic starring Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. Both actors received nominations from the Globes, with Stan securing an additional nomination for his role in “A Different Man.”
For further details on the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awards.
Originally Published: January 5, 2025 at 5:32 PM PST