The 82nd Golden Globe Awards, hosted Jan. 5 by comedian Nikki Glaser, found success after its previous hosting missteps but still sparked controversy with shocking wins and snubs across many categories. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best moments from the star-studded night.
Nikki Glaser course-corrects as host
Glaser was a memorable highlight of the evening — a significant improvement from Jo Koy’s humiliating performance in 2024. In her opening monologue, Glaser featured fewer label-pushing jokes, opting instead to lightly jab at Hollywood elites and the industry as a whole.
“The point of making art is not to win an award,” Glaser said. “The point of making art is to start a tequila brand so popular you never have to make art again.”
Past her introduction, Glaser continued to maintain high energy into the night. The result? A fun, relaxed mood which set the tone for the rest of the night.
“Shōgun” sweeps TV drama
Perhaps the least surprising of the Golden Globe wins came from FX’s “Shōgun,” which won all four awards it was nominated for, including Best Television Series – Drama. The show, a historical drama set in feudal Japan, was met with popular and critical acclaim and was lauded for its strong characters, broad themes and painstaking period accuracy. The show is also the most expensive production in FX history.
Nominated for a record-breaking 25 Emmy Awards and winning 18 back in September 2024, “Shōgun” had already made itself out to be a favorite in the drama category. Besides the grand prize, it also took home awards for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama and Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television.
“The Brutalist” takes home big wins, even without a theatrical release
Past “Shōgun”’s well-deserved success, the winners were anything but predictable. Taking home Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy was “Emilia Pérez,” a controversial Spanish-language musical about a Mexican cartel boss. The film, a French production, was criticized for its poor depiction of Mexican culture as well as for its awkward, and at times offensive, transgender representation.
In May 2024, “Emilia Pérez” won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, sparking interest from awards ceremonies. It was nominated for 10 awards at the Golden Globes, making it the second-most nominated film in Golden Globes history. Besides Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, “Emilia Pérez” took home awards in Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Original Song – Motion Picture.
The film, which has had a limited theatrical run paired with a release on Netflix, marks growing acceptance toward the current streaming climate. After the Cannes Film Festival infamously banned films that eschewed theatrical distribution from entering its competition in 2017, streaming services have been working to regain goodwill with awards ceremonies and find ways to promote their films at competitions. “Emilia Pérez” seems to be a turning point in the discourse regarding streaming movie legitimacy at awards ceremonies — earning several of the Golden Globes’ highly prestigious awards.
“The Brutalist” also earned its share of high praise at the Golden Globes, winning Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director – Motion Picture while only having been released in select theatres. The story of a brilliant Hungarian Jewish architect leaving postwar Europe to immigrate to the United States after surviving the Holocaust, “The Brutalist” moved many critics while evading most public opinion due to its scattered showings across Los Angeles and New York City. With such a limited distribution, this film was a surprising win in the public’s eyes, most of whom have not had a chance to watch it.
Perhaps even more surprising than these films’ prevalence at the Golden Globes were the various films that left the event with no awards. Amongst this collection is “Anora,” a film that has poised itself to be a victor across awards ceremonies, already having achieved the Palme d’Or at Cannes. “Dune: Part Two” and “A Complete Unknown,” two critically acclaimed films featuring Timothée Chalamet as their respective leads, also received no recognition throughout the evening. Lastly, “Nickel Boys,” an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s 2019 novel, exited without a single award.
Notable speeches from Demi Moore, Sebastian Stan
Across the many heartwarming moments of the evening, Demi Moore’s and Sebastian Stan’s acceptance speeches stood out as particularly impactful and passionate.
Moore, who had never received a major acting award across her over-40-year-long career, won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her role in the audacious and gruesome film “The Substance.” In her speech , Moore meditated on her career and overcoming feelings of alienation that had haunted her as she grew older in the film industry.
“You can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick,” Moore said. “And so today, I celebrate this as a marker of my wholeness and of the love that is driving me and for the gift of doing something I love and being reminded that I do belong.”
Stan accepted his award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his role as a man with facial disfigurement in the darkly comedic film “A Different Man.” For his first Golden Globe win, Stan’s speech did not skip a beat discussing the need for more representation for people with disabilities.
“Our ignorance and discomfort around disability and disfigurement has to end now. We have to normalize it and continue to expose ourselves to it, and our children,” Stan said. “One way we can do that is by continuing to champion stories that are inclusive. … These are tough subject matters. But these films are real, and they’re necessary.”
Even with the surprises this year’s Golden Globes brought, it was overall a successful ceremony with a captivating host and some deeply memorable speeches.
