The Golden Globes officially kick off Hollywood’s awards season with a ceremony packed with biting humour, cultural commentary and standout victories that sharpen the Oscars race.
Top honours went to One Battle After Another, Adolescence and The Studio, while host Nikki Glaser set the tone early with a monologue that skewered Hollywood, politics and the media. She joked about everything from George Clooney fixing her Nespresso to Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating history, before taking swipes at the US justice department, CBS News and Warner Bros, which she mockingly suggested should be put up for sale.
Glaser leaned heavily into political satire, quipping that many A-list stars belonged to “a list that has been heavily redacted,” and inventing a fake editing award she handed to the justice department for its handling of the Epstein files. She later parodied Nicole Kidman’s viral AMC cinema advert and sang a spoof of Golden, the hit song from K-Pop Demon Hunter, before being humorously cut off by Fran Drescher.
One of the night’s most emotional moments came when the recording artist-turned-actress won her first Golden Globe for One Battle After Another. Closing her speech, she addressed young girls watching at home, telling them their “softness is not a liability” and insisting that they “belong in every room.”
The ceremony also introduced a new podcast category, drawing applause including from presenter Snoop Dogg. Amy Poehler took home the inaugural prize for Good Hang with Amy Poehler, delivering an exuberant acceptance speech and joking that NPR should “try harder” instead of sounding like “a bunch of celebs phoning it in.” Backstage, Poehler said she hoped Snoop actually listened to her show, while naming Meryl Streep as her dream audience member.
Timothée Chalamet claimed the top male acting award for Marty Supreme, acknowledging competition from George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ethan Hawke. He also thanked co-star Kevin O’Leary, joking about the surreal experience of praising “Mr Wonderful from Shark Tank” on an awards stage.
Animation also had a major night, with the juggernaut hit winning best animated film and best song for Golden. Its creators said audiences had embraced characters who were bold, strange, hungry and unapologetically imperfect, while admitting uncertainty about replicating that success in a planned sequel.
Breakout stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams brought playful tension and innuendo while presenting, reigniting the chemistry that made their erotic ice-hockey drama Heated Rivalry a fan favourite. The crowd erupted as Williams joked that even trainers and their families had watched the show.
Director Judd Apatow used his presentation slot to criticise the Golden Globes’ genre categories, still clearly aggrieved that his comedy Trainwreck lost to The Martian in 2015. Melissa McCarthy and Kathryn Hahn followed with a satirical bit flipping gender stereotypes in Hollywood, earning big laughs for their sharp delivery.
By the end of the night, the Golden Globes had done exactly what they are designed to do: ignite awards season with controversy, celebration and moments that will be dissected all the way to Oscar night.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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