Golden Globes 2023: The Return of the Most Casual Celebration of Hollywood
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
The 80th Golden Globes have happened, and they went exactly as one would expect. Televised a year after the awards ceremony was boycotted and held off of TV by NBC (for a whole plethora of problematic reasons), the celebration held by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is finally back as we remember them (I honestly felt like they would be cancelled for good a couple of years ago, but here we are). So, what has changed? Not much on the surface. This is still the ceremony where stars get drunk, let loose, spout a swear word or two, and generally not care about winning or losing (outside of a couple of exceptions). Deep down, there has allegedly been a lot of change, including a more inclusive academy. With the huge array of winners tonight from all walks of life, maybe there has been a bit of internal shifting in order to change for the better. Who knows, because the Golden Globes felt the exact same as they always have.
Host Jerrod Carmichael kicked things off with a very postmodern introduction: one that simply only covered his own calls to host this event. No one in the audience was roasted. No current events were touched upon. Just Carmichael’s call and hesitation to take the job, until realizing that A) he can make some sweet bank (five hundred thousand buckaroos, to be exact), and B) he cannot be fired (he concludes that he’s the first Black host in the history of the awards, so it would be a terrible look if he were to be let go), so this gig may not be so bad after all. He presses his luck again and again in an opening speech that may either impress viewers or really bother them: it’s a self awareness that one can definitely call bold, either way. He even runs a little bit over time, but decides that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association will figure it out. He proceeded to tell the audience to “shut the fuck up” after the commercial break to try and get the next segment going. That’s audacious (if his request for the search for Shelly Miscavige in exchange for Tom Cruise’s three returned Golden Globes later on wasn’t, or bringing up Whitney Houston’s tragic death in the very hotel this ceremony is taking place).
The evening kicked off with two tearful wins, one from Key Huy Quan (for Everything Everywhere All at Once, who talked about his massive comeback after years outside of Hollywood when he wasn’t getting work), and Angela Bassett (one of the only deserving possible winners in Marvel history who sealed the deal with her brilliant work in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) who recognized the magnitude of this very moment. It was a nice way to remind us of what the awards season could be like away from the politics, snobbery, and salt of it all. Otherwise, the evening carried the same kind of silliness, anarchy, and awkwardness that the Golden Globes always boast. Jennifer Coolidge announced “The Oscar goes to” while, you know, presenting at the Golden Globes (and would proceed to spoil the big twist in the second season of The White Lotus when she wound up winning a Golden Globe later on in the evening). A number of winners, including Amanda Seyfried, Cate Blanchett, Kevin Costner, and Zendaya weren’t there to pick up their awards: I can’t help but wonder how many people weren’t here because they’re still boycotting the awards.
Then came the biggest enemy of the night: the piano track used to cut speeches short (Carmichael made sure to distance pianist Chloe Flower from this vitriolic response that the playing-off received). Here are some noteworthy examples:
-Colin Farrell saying “You can forget that piano” when getting played off, and then continuing that Jenny the donkey from the film stated “Fuck the film industry” before “retiring” post The Banshees of Inisherin.
-Michelle Yeoh telling the piano “Shut up, please” and jokingly threatening to beat the imaginary pianist up during her Everything Everywhere All at Once win.
-Austin Butler requesting that the pianist “at least play ‘Suspicious Minds’ or something” when getting played off after winning for Elvis.
Not all things Golden Globes 2023 was goofy, mind you. After winning for Pinocchio (you know, the actual good one from last year and not that Disney+ mockery), Guillermo del Toro proclaimed ”If it’s been a good year for cinema, then it’s been a good year for animation, because animation is cinema. It is not a genre for kids. It is a medium.” It’s a statement that the people in the back have needed to hear for years now surrounding the stigma that has plagued animation for decades. Steven Spielberg equated his entire career to being the working up of the courage necessary to tell the story of his broken family in The Fabelmans, and his speech came off as entirely sincere and humble (if anyone has earned the right to show a bit of proudness, it’s Steven Spielberg, and even still he held back). Quinta Brunson tallied off all of the comedians in the audience that inspired her to make Abbott Elementary, and it seemed like the opportunity she always wanted to have (while saying “hey” to Brad Pitt as well, because, why not?). Michelle Yeoh detailed a life as an immigrant and an older woman who felt like she had multiple miraculous chances in life in an industry that is typically far less giving. We can finger-pick all of the glory of the evening if I really wanted to, because there were actually quite a few examples. I do want to segue into a noteworthy example, however, and that comes in the form of the speech given by Ryan Murphy.
Ryan Murphy accepted the Carol Burnett Award for his prolific, groundbreaking achievements in television across the course of numerous decades. He used the opportunity to give Pose star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez — the first trans actress to ever win a Golden Globe — the televised standing ovation she didn’t get last year when the Golden Globes weren’t shown on TV. He proceeded to dedicate the majority of his speech to various actors he has worked with, including Jeremy Pope and presenter Billy Porter, showing the progress within the film and television industries, stating that his mission of the last twenty five years was to shed light on “the invisible”, whether they be members of the LGBTQ+ community, racial minorities, or any other group that has been shut out of Hollywood for many bigoted years.
Eddie Murphy accepted the Cecil B. DeMille award for his many years within the film industry, and he kept his speech short and to the point as well. He thanked producers he has worked with, and his family. He then went on with his “definitive blueprint” for new stars to follow in order to guarantee longevity within the industry: “1) pay your taxes, 2) mind your business, and 3) keep Will Smith’s wife’s name out your fuckin’ mouth” (it wasn’t the first Will Smith reference of the night, and I thought that we’d be past this Academy Awards snafu nearly a whole year later).
The big winners of the night included House of the Dragon (drama series), The White Lotus (limited or anthology series), and Abbott Elementary (comedy series) winning for the largest television series categories, and The Banshees of Inisherin (musical or comedy motion picture) and The Fabelmans (drama motion picture). The winners, for the most part, were either as predicted or close to the comfort zone of the HFPA: no real shockers came out of tonight’s ceremony (especially considering how safe the nominees felt in the first place). The biggest shocks came from the many instances of swearing that came out (this is Hollywood letting loooooooose) and Carmichael’s more polarizing jokes, but those come and go. The awards themselves are permanent, and they went almost entirely as expected. Will this keep the Golden Globes around or in our consciousness? Who knows, but they’re back and as unhinged as ever (whilst somehow lighting the way for the rest of the awards season from this point onward). The Banshees of Inisherin, The Fabelmans, Austin Butler, Cate Blanchett, and everything about Everything Everywhere All at Once seem to continue their awards season successes, while Angela Bassett has paved the way as the most acclaimed Marvel performance of all time (a possible Oscar shocker could be coming our way).
You can find all of the winners below:
Best Motion Picture, Drama
Avatar: The Way of Water
Elvis
The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Best Picture, Musical or Comedy
Babylon
The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Triangle of Sadness
Best Director, Motion Picture
James Cameron (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Baz Luhrmann (Elvis)
Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans)
Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Tár: Todd Field
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
The Banshees of Inisherin: Martin McDonagh
Women Talking: Sarah Polley
The Fabelmans: Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Austin Butler (Elvis)
Brendan Fraser (The Whale)
Hugh Jackman (The Son)
Bill Nighy (Living)
Jeremy Pope (The Inspection)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Cate Blanchett (Tár)
Olivia Colman (Empire of Light)
Viola Davis (The Woman King)
Ana de Armas (Blonde)
Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris)
Margot Robbie (Babylon)
Anya Taylor-Joy (The Menu)
Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande)
Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Diego Calva (Babylon)
Daniel Craig (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)
Adam Driver (White Noise)
Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Ralph Fiennes (The Menu)
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Brad Pitt (Babylon)
Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse)
Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture
Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Dolly De Leon (Triangle of Sadness)
Carey Mulligan (She Said)
Best Original Score, Motion Picture
The Banshees of Inisherin: Carter Burwell
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: Alexandre Desplat
Women Talking: Hildur Guðnadóttir
Babylon: Justin Hurwitz
The Fabelmans: John Williams
Best Picture, Non-English Language
All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany)
Argentina, 1985 (Argentina)
Close (Belgium)
Decision to Leave (South Korea)
RRR (India)
Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing: Taylor Swift
“Ciao Papa” from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro
“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick: Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice
“Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler
“Naatu Naatu” from RRR: Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj
Best Motion Picture, Animated
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Inu-Oh
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Turning Red
Best Television Series, Drama
Better Call Saul
The Crown
House of the Dragon
Ozark
Severance
Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building
Wednesday
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Jeff Bridges (The Old Man)
Kevin Costner (Yellowstone)
Diego Luna (Andor)
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
Adam Scott (Severance)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon)
Laura Linney (Ozark)
Imelda Staunton (The Crown)
Hilary Swank (Alaska Daily)
Zendaya (Euphoria)
Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)
Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant)
Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building)
Jenna Ortega (Wednesday)
Jean Smart (Hacks)
Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Donald Glover (Atlanta)
Bill Hader (Barry)
Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)
Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)
Best Supporting Actor, Television
John Lithgow (The Old Man)
Jonathan Pryce (The Crown)
John Turturro (Severance)
Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary)
Henry Winkler (Barry)
Best Supporting Actress, Television
Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown)
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)
Julia Garner (Ozark)
Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)
Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary)
Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television
Black Bird
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
The Dropout
Pam & Tommy
The White Lotus
Best Performance by an Actor, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture made for Television
Taron Egerton (Black Bird)
Colin Firth (The Staircase)
Andrew Garfield (Under the Banner of Heaven)
Evan Peters (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Sebastian Stan (Pam & Tommy)
Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television
Jessica Chastain (George and Tammy)
Julia Garner (Inventing Anna)
Lily James (Pam & Tommy)
Julia Roberts (Gaslit)
Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)
Best Performance by an Actress in Supporting Role, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television
Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)
Claire Danes (Fleishman Is in Trouble)
Daisy Edgar-Jones (Under the Banner of Heaven)
Niecy Nash-Betts (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus)
Best Performance by an Actor in Supporting Role, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television
F. Murray Abraham (The White Lotus)
Domhnall Gleeson (The Patient)
Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird)
Richard Jenkins (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Seth Rogen (Pam & Tommy)
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.