The 2024 Golden Globes kicked off this eventful year’s award season for film and television, bringing in big wins for “Oppenheimer,” but leaving fans of “Barbie” disappointed.
The ceremony, held Sunday, honors the best work in television and film across the globe. It is a casual, relaxed vibe, sporting what the LA Times describes as a “loose, boozy” atmosphere and a scandalous moment or two (think not-so-fashionably late guests, expletive bleeps and over-served celebs).
What sets the Golden Globes apart from award shows like the Emmys and the Oscars is that the awards categories are specific to genres. Still, celebrities walk a red-carpet prior to the event in black tie attire.
This year, it seemed like the entirety of Hollywood was at the awards. Notable carpet-walkers included Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Leonardo DiCaprio and Florence Pugh.
Many celebrities, such as Natalie Portman and Emma Stone brought in an ethereal elegance to this year’s carpet.
However, not every star matched that vibe. Rosamund Pike brought a funeral-chic look to the carpet tonight in all black. Chalamet, despite starring in colorful “Wonka” this year, matched with date Kylie Jenner in all black. On the vibrant side of ensembles, Margot Robbie dressed in full character with a Barbie-inspired pink gown.
As if these celebrities were not lucky enough to be in attendance for one of Hollywood’s biggest nights of the year, attendees receive swag bags worth several hundred thousand dollars. Prizes range from a $69,000 pair of emerald earrings to a vacation to Burgundy, France, and everything in between.
But the news surrounding the Golden Globes for the past couple of years has not been all glitz and glamor. In 2022, NBC canceled the awards following criticism of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s lack of diversity in the awards and “sketchy” practices.
While the awards returned with a new group of voters in 2023, it is unclear if the Golden Globes will return to their prior relevance. The 2023 show drew about a third of its viewership from the 2019 ceremony, leaving the future of the show uncertain.
With the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes putting a strain on the entertainment industry throughout the past year, there was a slightly awkward tone for the evening.
Unsurprisingly, “Barbenheimer” was front and center at this year’s Golden Globes. With 10 nominations, “Barbie” tied with 1972’s “Cabaret,” for second most nominations in the show’s history. “Oppenheimer” did not fall far behind with eight nominations.
In a surprising turn of events, however, “Oppenheimer” had a more successful night. Named the year’s Best Motion Picture – Drama, the movie took home the night’s biggest win.
“Barbie” was definitely snubbed tonight. While its nominations were stacked, the end result was anticlimactic. Many will remember this awards season as the year of “Barbenheimer,” but the end result for this pair was not what I initially expected. Though it was a sad night for “I’m Just Ken,” Barbie still got its musical recognition with “What Was I Made For?” taking home Best Original Song in a Motion Picture.
I was excited to see less viral movies get their recognition. “Poor Things” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” had their moments to shine. “Poor Things” took home Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Notably, Lily Gladstone was the first Indigenous person to win a Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.
I wasn’t shocked to see shows like “The Bear,” “Beef” and “Succession” succeed in the television categories – only Elizabeth Debicki broke up the trio by winning Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television for “The Crown.” This was an especially exciting year for the television category. (And no, this had nothing to do with Jeremy Allen White being in attendance)
Unlike the compelling TV wins, host Jo Koy underwhelmed with a subpar performance. Hosting a three-hour-long show to some of the world’s most prominent actors and actresses, not to mention several million viewers, is a tantalizing task. But, Koy had an even more difficult challenge this year with the inarguably high tensions in the room. It was clearly a challenge Koy’s bumpy delivery couldn’t overcome.
Koy attributed his faulty hosting experience to getting the gig only 10 days before the show, but his performance felt like it was written in less time. Many of Koy’s jokes seemed too easy, including his quib at the length of “Oppenheimer.”
While he poked fun at everything from Taylor Swift to “Saltburn,” laughs from the audience appeared forced. Selena Gomez’s reaction to some horrifically written “Barbie” jokes pretty much summed up my reaction to Koy’s monologue.
When I wasn’t focused on Koy’s performance, I was watching for the show’s star-studded group of presenters. With names like Oprah Winfrey, Jared Leto, Dua Lipa and Will Ferrell handing out the show’s awards, the night was not short on big names. One highlight included a “Suits” reunion, with the show’s cast (minus Meghan Markle) uniting on stage to announce “Succession”’s win for Best TV Series – Drama.
This year’s Golden Globes wasn’t without its awkward moments. Throughout the show, I found myself alternating between loving and hating Hollywood, a sentiment not far off from what I felt throughout the entire year.
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