Hollywood’s awards season kicked off Sunday at a very different Golden Globes, with winners dialing in remotely to a ceremony that battled through technical glitches and a few awkward moments as the stars doled out prizes and confronted controversy over a lack of diversity among event organizers.
The 78th annual Golden Globe Awards saw Daniel Kaluuya win the Golden Globe for best supporting actor in a film for his magnetic portrayal of the late Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
The actor bested a talented field that included Sacha Baron Cohen (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”), Jared Leto (“The Little Things”), Bill Murray (“On the Rocks”) and Leslie Odom Jr (“One Night in Miami”).
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Usually a star-packed party that draws Tinseltown’s biggest names to a Beverly Hills hotel ballroom, this pandemic edition was broadcast from identical sets in California and New York, with essential workers and a few glamorous A-list presenters among the few in attendance.
British royals drama “The Crown” reigned over the TV drama series categories, but all eyes were on the final film prizes, which will boost or dash the Oscars hopes of early frontrunners like “Nomadland” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
The night was hit with an immediate technical glitch, as the first winner, Kaluuya, initially lost sound for his acceptance speech, forcing in-studio presenter Laura Dern to apologize before audio was restored. “You’re doing me dirty! Am I on?” joked best supporting actor Kaluuya, before paying tribute to late Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, who he played in “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
“I hope generations after this can see how brilliantly he fought, how brilliantly he spoke, and how brilliantly he loved,” he said of Hampton.
In other early film awards, Jodie Foster accepted the prize for best supporting actress for Guantanamo legal drama “The Mauritanian” alongside her wife at home, telling viewers: “I just never expected to ever be here again.”
Jason Sudeikis won best TV comedy actor for his portrayal of fish-out-of-water soccer coach “Ted Lasso,” while “Schitt’s Creek” followed up its Emmys sweep with best TV comedy.
In other early film awards, Jodie Foster accepted the prize for best supporting actress for Guantanamo legal drama “The Mauritanian” alongside her wife at home, telling viewers: “I just never expected to ever be here again.”
Korean-American immigrant family drama “Minari” won the Globe for best foreign language film.
Pixar’s “Soul” — mispronounced by presenter Tracy Morgan as “Sawl,” to widespread amusement among the various stars appearing on videolink — won best animated feature, as well as best musical score.
Unlike the Oscars, the Globes split most movie categories into drama and “musical or comedy,” with Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Borat” sequel and the Disney+ film of hit musical “Hamilton” expected to lead the latter fields.
Comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler — hosting from opposite coasts — opened the ceremony via split-screen while pretending to reach across to one another.
Their opening routine made fun of the Globes-awarding group of obscure foreign reporters, which has been under pressure for its lack of diversity.
“The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is made up of around 90 — no Black — journalists that attend movie junkets each year, in search for a better life,” said Fey.
Despite that controversy, the Globes remain a coveted prize and a high-profile source of momentum in the run-up to the season-crowning Oscars, which were pushed back this year to April 25.
“Chicago 7” bagged an early win for screenplay, with Aaron Sorkin sounding one of the night’s multiple political tones by citing Hoffman’s quote that “if you stop doing it, democracy crumbles” in his acceptance speech.
In the television categories, the latest series of “The Crown” continued the show’s multi-year dominance at the Globes, with acting awards for Gillian Anderson, Emma Corrin and Josh O’Connor, and best drama series honors.
Here’s the full list of winners!Best Drama: Nomadland
Best Musical or Comedy: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Best TV Drama: The Crown
Best TV Musical or Comedy: Schitt’s Creek
Best Limited Series or TV Film: The Queen’s Gambit
Best Director: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Best Actor in a Drama: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Actress in a Drama: Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy: Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy: Rosamund Pike, I Care a Lot
Best Actor in a TV Drama: Josh O’Connor, The Crown
Best Actress in a TV Drama: Emma Corrin, The Crown
Best Actor in a TV Musical or Comedy: Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Supporting Film Actress in a Motion Picture: Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series: John Boyega, Small Axe
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series: Gillian Anderson, The Crown
Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or TV Film: Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or TV Film: Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit
Best Foreign Language Film: Minari
Best Screenplay: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Animated Film: Soul
Source: AFP, Rolling Stone
Related: Black Panther Star Chadwick Boseman Posthumously Honored at MTV Movie & TV Awards Special
