Preview:
- The 2025 saw the awards bouncing back.
- Host Nikki Glaser provided a funny, smooth emcee.
- Sebastian Stan and Demi Moore were among the winners.
If 2024 represented a stumble for the scandal-prone Golden Globes, this year’s awards ceremony appeared to be much more back on form –– host Nikki Glaser kept things moving, while being funny even when it came to controversial subjects –– and there were some surprises in store for winners.
A big factor this year were indies scoring big –– well, if you can call ‘Emilia Perez’ an “indie” since it was produced by Netflix –– but the likes of ‘The Brutalist,’ ‘I’m Still Here’ and ‘Conclave’ all took home awards.
On the bigger scale, ‘Wicked’ could only conjure one win, while indie animated movie ‘Flow’ overtook the heavier hitters in its category.
Let’s break it down…
Glaser Gets It Done
Following last year’s shambles of a hosting gig by comedian Jo Koy, this Globes was in much surer hands thanks to Nikki Glaser, who dipped her toe into controversial topics –– the sex scandals of Sean “Diddy” Combs, politics –– but also managed to raise laughs and keep the ceremony moving.
It might not have been the most hilarious or memorable monologue/set, but it was a definite uptick.
When it came to the matter of the election, Glaser was scathing:
“You’re all so famous, so talented, so powerful. I mean, you could really do anything, except tell the country who to vote for.”
The Diddy crack came when she was referring to Zendaya’s role in ‘Challengers’:
“That movie was more sexually charged than Diddy’s credit card. I mean, seriously. Oh no, no, I know, I’m sorry, I’m upset too, the afterparty’s not going to be as good this year, but we have to move on!”
Finally, there was her skit mashing up ‘Wicked’ with ‘Conclave’ for the song ‘Popeular.’ “You’re gonna love this,” she announced, and it seemed to go over well, except perhaps with Elton John (no part of either movie) who didn’t seem to understand what it was all about.
‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Perez’ Enter the Awards Chat
Despite being 215 minutes, Brady Corbet’s ‘The Brutalist’ was among the big winners, taking home the drama award, Best Director for Corbet and Lead Actor–Drama for star Adrien Brody.
Netflix’s ‘Emilia Pérez,’ meanwhile, won four Globes, including best picture (comedy/musical), supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña, international feature and original song (“El Mal”).
On the acting front, Sebastian Stan was a worthy winner for ‘A Different Man,’ while ‘Wicked,’ which went into the evening with four nominations, only took home the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement gong. ‘Anora,’ which has won trophies from lots of other awards bodies, was shut out.
These wins don’t guarantee success come Oscar night, but they certainly give the movies some momentum.
Related Article: ‘The Brutalist,’ ‘Emilia Perez’ dominate at the Golden Globes
Demi Moore’s Big Win
Possibly the most emotional and celebrated win of the night was Demi Moore finally scoring an award for her lead performance in satirical horror movie ‘The Substance.’
Whether it came because the Globes loves to A) reward a big star and B) can’t resist a comeback story, Moore’s award was nevertheless deserved thanks to her committed, prosthetics-heavy work in Coralie Fargeat’s story of beauty and paranoia.
Her speech was heartfelt and pointed all at once:
“Thirty years ago I had a producer tell me I was a popcorn actress and at that time I made that mean that I wasn’t allowed to have this, that I could do movies that were successful and made a lot of money but that I wouldn’t be acknowledged, and I bought in and I believed that. A few years ago I thought that this was it, maybe I’ve done what I was supposed to do and then I had this magical bold courageous out of the box absolutely bonkers script come across my desk called ‘The Substance’ and the universe told me you’re not done.”
Moore’s family –– including daughter Rumer Willis –– erupted with joy while watching at home, which you can see below via Instagram.
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Awkward Presentations
It wouldn’t be the Golden Globes –– or indeed any awards ceremony –– without a few clunkers on the presentation front. This year’s ceremony included an odd camera angle (which Seth Rogen commented on).
Salma Hayek took the stage like a bride with Colman Domingo holding the back of her dress. Harrison Ford looked like he’d rather be anywhere else while handing out an award with ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ co-star Anthony Mackie, and even Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley could only muster a smattering of laughs joking about ‘The Substance.’
But there was also the reliable likes of Jennifer Coolidge who… well, see for yourself.
Diesel Power
Falling somewhere between funny and entirely awkward (as always) on the presentation side was Vin Diesel, handing out the Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award –– somewhat fitting given his leadership of the wildly successful ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise.
Diesel took the stage and immediately referenced Dwayne Johnson, with whom he’s famously been in a feud (though it seems to have thawed in recent times). “Hey Dwayne…”
The Rock gave no response save his megawatt smile (he’d previously scored a big laugh introducing the first award of the night and referring to how they used some of his chest hair for Timothée Chalamet’s ‘A Complete Unknown,’) but the level of tension certainly revved up a touch.
Fernanda Torres’ Family Affair
Fernanda Torres was a somewhat surprising (yet worthy) winner for the non-English language Brazilian drama ‘I’m Still Here.’
Taking the stage to collect Lead Actress in a Drama, Torres referenced her mother, who was nominated for the same trophy for her role in ‘Central Station’ more than two decades ago.
“She was here 25 years ago, and this is proof that art can endure through life, even in difficult moments like this. ‘I’m Still Here’ is a film that can help us to think how to survive in tough times.”
Kathy Bates Comically Tears Her Acceptance Speech
‘Matlock’s Kathy Bates, nominated in the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama, ultimately lost to Anna Sawai of ‘Shōgun.’
The veteran actor was naturally supportive of Sawai and applauded her win, and has Sawai took the stage, Bates was glimpsed tearing up her now-unnecessary acceptance speech, albeit with more good humor.
Bates needn’t worry –– since ‘Matlock’ has already been renewed for Season 2, she’ll have other chances. And it’s not like she doesn’t already have an Oscar on her mantle.
Kathy Bates ripping her acceptance speech after losing at the #GoldenGlobes 🤭💀❤️ pic.twitter.com/xuapCahyvQ
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) January 6, 2025
‘Flow’ Sailed to Success
With some hefty competition, including this year’s most successful box office release, ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Flow’ was the slightly surprising winner in the Animated Film category.
Not because it isn’t good –– it certainly is –– but because it hadn’t enjoyed quite the exposure of, say, Disney’s behemoth or DreamWorks’ ‘The Wild Robot.’
Writer/director (and various other tasks) Gints Zilbalodis paid tribute to his collaborators:
“This film is made by a very small, young but passionate team in a place where there isn’t a big film industry. This is the first time that a film from Latvia has been here, so this is huge for us. This is a very personal story for me because I used to work alone. I made all my films myself but this time I worked with a team and just like the cat in ‘Flow,’ I had to learn how to trust others, how to collaborate, how to overcome our differences and I think it’s very important to remember this nowadays, more than ever.”
TV Was Largely Repeats
Arriving in the wake of the Emmys, Globes voters largely went for much of the same people/series.
‘Baby Reindeer’ won for Limited series, with co-star Jessica Gunning nabbing Best Supporting Female Actor.
‘Shōgun’ was also triumphant once again, nabbing three awards, while ‘Hacks’ was similarly rewarded with two, including Jean Smart once again.
Such was the lack of surprise at ‘The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White taking Best Performance in a Male Actor –– Musical or Comedy that Allen wasn’t even present to collect his trophy (though that might have something to do with his filming commitments to Bruce Springsteen biopic ‘Deliver Me from Nowhere.’)
What Does This All Mean Going Forward?
It was certainly a better night for the Globes than 2024, though while the success of winners such as ‘The Brutalist,’ ‘Emilia Perez’ and actors including Moore and Stan don’t necessarily point to potential Oscar chances (the Globes traditionally don’t have a great track record of predicting the bigger awards), it was at least less embarrassing.
There remains a whiff of unfortunate corporate influence and some questions over the validity of the voting process, but this was by all reasonable metrics, a success.
Full List of Film Nominations and Winners Below:
Best Motion Picture – Drama
- ‘The Brutalist’ – WINNER
- ‘A Complete Unknown’
- ‘Conclave’
- ‘Dune: Part Two’
- ‘Nickel Boys’
- ‘September 5’
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
- Pamela Anderson, ‘The Last Showgirl’
- Angelina Jolie, ‘Maria’
- Nicole Kidman, ‘Babygirl’
- Tilda Swinton, ‘The Room Next Door’
- Fernanda Torres, ‘I’m Still Here’ – WINNER
- Kate Winslet, ‘Lee’
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
- Adrien Brody, ‘The Brutalist’ – WINNER
- Timothée Chalamet, ‘A Complete Unknown’
- Daniel Craig, ‘Queer’
- Colman Domingo, ‘Sing Sing’
- Ralph Fiennes, ‘Conclave’
- Sebastian Stan, ‘The Apprentice’
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- ‘Anora’
- ‘Challengers’
- ‘Emilia Pérez’ – WINNER
- ‘A Real Pain’
- ‘The Substance’
- ‘Wicked’
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Amy Adams, ‘Nightbitch’
- Cynthia Erivo, ‘Wicked’
- Karla Sofía Gascón, ‘Emilia Pérez’
- Mikey Madison, ‘Anora’
- Demi Moore, ‘The Substance’ – WINNER
- Zendaya, ‘Challengers’
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Jesse Eisenberg, ‘A Real Pain’
- Hugh Grant, ‘Heretic’
- Gabriel LaBelle, ‘Saturday Night’
- Jesse Plemons, ‘Kinds of Kindness’
- Glen Powell, ‘Hit Man’
- Sebastian Stan, ‘A Different Man’ – WINNER
Best Motion Picture – Animated
- ‘Flow’ – WINNER
- ‘Inside Out 2’
- ‘Memoir of a Snail’
- ‘Moana 2’
- ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’
- ‘The Wild Robot’
Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language
- ‘All We Imagine as Light’
- ‘Emilia Pérez’ – WINNER
- ‘The Girl with the Needle’
- ‘I’m Still Here’
- ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’
- ‘Vermiglio’
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
- Ariana Grande, ‘Wicked’
- Selena Gomez, ‘Emilia Pérez’
- Felicity Jones, ‘The Brutalist’
- Margaret Qualley, ‘The Substance’
- Isabella Rossellini, ‘Conclave’
- Zoe Saldaña, ‘Emilia Pérez’ – WINNER
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
- Yura Borisov, ‘Anora’
- Kieran Culkin, ‘A Real Pain’ – WINNER
- Edward Norton, ‘A Complete Unknown’
- Guy Pearce, ‘The Brutalist’
- Jeremy Strong, ‘The Apprentice’
- Denzel Washington, ‘Gladiator II’
Best Director – Motion Picture
- Jacques Audiard, ‘Emilia Pérez’
- Sean Baker, ‘Anora’
- Edward Berger, ‘Conclave’
- Brady Corbet, ‘The Brutalist’ – WINNER
- Coralie Fargeat, ‘The Substance’
- Payal Kapadia, ‘All We Imagine as Light’
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
- Jacques Audiard, ‘Emilia Pérez’
- Sean Baker, ‘Anora’
- Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, ‘The Brutalist’
- Jesse Eisenberg, ‘A Real Pain’
- Coralie Fargeat, ‘The Substance’
- Peter Straughan, ‘Conclave’ – WINNER
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
- Volker Bertelmann, ‘Conclave’
- Daniel Blumberg, ‘The Brutalist’
- Kris Bowers, ‘The Wild Robot’
- Clément Ducol, Camille, ‘Emilia Pérez’
- Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, ‘Challengers’ – WINNER
- Hans Zimmer, Dune: ‘Part Two’
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
- “Beautiful That Way,” ‘The Last Showgirl’
- “Compress/Repress,” ‘Challengers’
- “El Mal,” ‘Emilia Pérez’ – WINNER
- “Forbidden Road,” ‘Better Man’
- “Kiss The Sky,” ‘The Wild Robot’
- “Mi Camino,” ‘Emilia Pérez’
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
- ‘Alien: Romulus’
- ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’
- ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
- ‘Gladiator II’
- ‘Inside Out 2’
- ‘Twisters’
- ‘Wicked’ – WINNER
- ‘The Wild Robot’
Full List of TV Nominations and Winners Below:
Best Television Series – Drama
- ‘The Diplomat’
- ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’
- ‘Shōgun’ – WINNER
- ‘Squid Game’
- ‘Slow Horses’
- ‘The Day of the Jackal’
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama
- Kathy Bates, ‘Matlock’
- Emma D’Arcy, ‘House of the Dragon’
- Maya Erskine, ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’
- Keira Knightley, ‘Black Doves’
- Anna Sawai, ‘Shōgun’ – WINNER
- Keri Russell, ‘The Diplomat’
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama
- Donald Glover, ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’
- Jake Gyllenhaal, ‘Presumed Innocent’
- Gary Oldman, ‘Slow Horses’
- Eddie Redmayne, ‘The Day of the Jackal’
- Hiroyuki Sanada, ‘Shōgun’ – WINNER
- Billy Bob Thornton, ‘Landman’
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
- ‘Abbott Elementary’
- ‘The Bear’
- ‘The Gentlemen’
- ‘Hacks’ – WINNER
- ‘Nobody Wants This’
- ‘Only Murders in the Building’
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
- Kristen Bell, ‘Nobody Wants This’
- Quinta Brunson, ‘Abbott Elementary’
- Ayo Edebiri, ‘The Bear’
- Selena Gomez, ‘Only Murders in the Building’
- Kathryn Hahn, ‘Agatha All Along’
- Jean Smart, ‘Hacks’ – WINNER
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
- Adam Brody, ‘Nobody Wants This’
- Ted Danson, ‘A Man on the Inside’
- Steve Martin, ‘Only Murders in the Building’
- Jason Segel, ‘Shrinking’
- Martin Short, ‘Only Murders in the Building’
- Jeremy Allen White, ‘The Bear’ – WINNER
Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- ‘Baby Reindeer’ – WINNER
- ‘Disclaimer’
- ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’
- ‘The Penguin’
- ‘Ripley’
- ‘True Detective: Night Country’
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television
- Cate Blanchett, ‘Disclaimer’
- Jodie Foster, ‘True Detective: Night Country’ – WINNER
- Cristin Milioti, ‘The Penguin’
- Sofía Vergara, ‘Griselda’
- Naomi Watts, ‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans’
- Kate Winslet, ‘The Regime’
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television
- Colin Farrell, ‘The Penguin’ – WINNER
- Richard Gadd, ‘Baby Reindeer’
- Kevin Kline, ‘Disclaimer’
- Cooper Koch, ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’
- Ewan McGregor, ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’
- Andrew Scott, ‘Ripley’
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role on Television
- Liza Colón-Zayas, ‘The Bear’
- Hannah Einbinder, ‘Hacks’
- Dakota Fanning, ‘Ripley’
- Jessica Gunning, ‘Baby Reindeer’ – WINNER
- Allison Janney, ‘The Diplomat’
- Kali Reis, ‘True Detective: Night Country’
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role on Television
- Tadanobu Asano, ‘Shōgun’ – WINNER
- Javier Bardem, Monsters: ‘The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’
- Harrison Ford, ‘Shrinking’
- Jack Lowden, ‘Slow Horses’
- Diego Luna, ‘La Maquina’
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach, ‘The Bear’
Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television
- Jamie Foxx, ‘What Had Happened Was’
- Nikki Glaser, ‘Someday You’ll Die’
- Seth Meyers, ‘Dad Man Walking’
- Adam Sandler, ‘Love You’
- Ali Wong, ‘Single Lady’ – WINNER
- Ramy Youssef, ‘More Feelings’
