The award season is in full swing! Days after the Independent Spirit Awards were announced, now we’ve got the Golden Globes nominations! It’s been a year and a half since the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which managed the Golden Globe Awards from 1943 to 2023, was disbanded due to diversity issues. If you’re curious as to who votes for the awards currently, here’s what it says on the Globes’ website: The voting body for the Golden Globes currently numbers 334 and is made up of experienced entertainment journalists representing 85 countries. The voting body is 47% female with 60% self-identifying as racially and ethnically diverse: 26.3% Latinx, 13.3% Asian, 11% Black, and 9% Middle Eastern.
So does that mean the nominations are very diverse this year? Well, depends on who you ask. It’s a big year for the LGBTQ community. Netflix’s trans musical, Emilia Pérez, scored a record 10 nominations, with Karla Sofía Gascón up for lead actress in the Musical or Comedy category. How about female directors and non-white performers? Well, that brings me to…
The 5 Glaring Snubs:
1 – Where are the outstanding female performers in black stories?
The first two names I searched when I saw this year’s nominations are Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson) and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys). I’ve always felt that the supporting category is usually more inclusive than the lead category, so I was really rooting for those two outstanding actresses to make the cut. Alas, Deadwyler is snubbed once again, as she also missed out on an Oscar nom for her performance in Till in 2022. The Piano Lesson also missed out in the Best Motion Picture — Drama category, but I’m thrilled that Nickel Boys did get in.
2 – So apparently Dune: Part Two and Wicked were self-directed
Hey, there are self-driving cars out there so maybe movies will direct themselves in the future?? Denis Villeneuve and Jon M. Chu are both missing in the Best Director category, even though their films are nominated in the Best Drama and Musical/Comedy category, respectively. It’s a bummer for the French-Canadian filmmaker as I think the second film is even more mesmerizing than the first.
I’m more gutted for Chu as Wicked was so well-received by both critics and the general public alike, and it broke all kinds of box office records, too. Chu not only bridged the gap between highbrow and mainstream but adapting a hit Broadway musical is no easy feat. Who knows, maybe the Globes will surprise us and nominate Chu for Part II of Wicked, especially since Villeneuve did get a nod for Best Director for the first Dune.
The Globes can be unpredictable, so anything’s possible!
3 – June Squibb is robbed! One of my favorite movies out of MSPIFF 2024 this year was THELMA, which marked the 95-year-old character actor’s first starring role. I absolutely adore her in that movie, she truly carried the film from start to finish, even doing some of her own stunts, including the scooter scenes. Getting this one nominated would likely boost her movie, which I think more people should see!
4 – Nada for Saiorse?
I’ve been seeing Saoirse Ronan‘s name on the biggest snubs list and I’d agree that she was overlooked for The Outrun. Now, I’m lukewarm on Blitz as a movie, but I think Ronan’s performance is still noteworthy. She had been nominated for the Golden Globe four times and won for Lady Bird, all under the age of 30! So there are still plenty of opportunities for her to garner more awards I suppose.
Speaking of Blitz, I was convinced that the lovely song Winter Coat that Ronan sang in the film would get a nomination in the Best Original Song Category. Written by Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, and Taura Stinson, a really gorgeous old-school tune that would sound amazing to be sung live during the ceremony.
5 – Monica Barbaro. As I had just seen A Complete Unknown a few days ago, it’s still fresh in my mind. I was really impressed with Barbaro as Joan Baez. She’s so charismatic I couldn’t take my eyes off her, plus she has an amazing voice! She tends to shine in male-centric films, i.e. Top Gun: Maverick, and she’s proven to be quite versatile. The upside is that she’s still young, and with talents like hers, I hope she’ll score a nomination down the line.
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5 Great Surprises:
1 – Ageism in Hollywood?? Not according to the Globe’s voters.
I know that ageism is definitely a thing in Hollywood, so it was a nice surprise when I read on the AARP website that older performers outnumbered younger actors in both film and TV categories. Six performers over the age of 60 were nominated, including Denzel Washington (69), Demi Moore (64) and Hugh Grant (62).
2 – Yay for two female directors!
I’m not surprised that Coralie Fargeat nabbed a Best Director nomination for her buzzy body horror, The Substance. But I’m elated that Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia made the cut for All We Imagine as Light. I haven’t watched it yet, but I just got the screener, so I can’t wait to check it out after all the awesome buzz I’ve heard!
3 – Woot!! Hans Zimmer’s score for Dune Part 2 gets a well-deserved recognition!
Hans Zimmer‘s epic soundtrack for Dune: Part Two is deemed illegible to compete according to the Academy Awards and BAFTAs since they thought it reused a lot of music from the first “Dune” film. Well, the Globes didn’t seem to mind, and I’m thrilled for Zimmer as the music is truly amazing!
4 – Cheers for Jack Lowden’s nomination for SLOW HORSES!!
This has been a great year for the talented Scot!! While I lamented that his wife Saoirse Ronan was snubbed, I am thrilled that Lowden finally got recognized for his role in Slow Horses. I’ve been a big fan of his since the first season, and just like the show, his performance gets better and better.
My hubby and I are big fans of Jack and we both think he’d make a great 007. Hey, even Saoirse would be willing to give up her dream of playing a Bond villain if it means Jack gets to play Bond!
The Most Puzzling Golden Globes Category is still with us…
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
So last year the Globes added a new category: the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award. To qualify for that category, a movie needs to make $150 million worldwide, with at least $100 million coming from the U.S. I’m not sure if there’s a quality category or any other criteria involved in the selection process.
In any case, here are the eight nominees:
- Alien: Romulus
- Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Gladiator II
- Inside Out 2
- Twisters
- Wicked
- The Wild Robot
It’s such a dumb category, but hey it’s the Golden Globes after all! My vote would be for WICKED!! Not that it’d be a consolation prize for Jon M. Chu, but I do think it’s the most deserving out of the list!
In any case, see below for the full list of nominees (source: Entertainment Weekly).
2025 Golden Globes nominations — Film categories
Best Motion Picture — Drama
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nickel Boys
September 5
Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy
Anora
Challengers
Emilia Pérez
A Real Pain
The Substance
Wicked
Best Motion Picture — Non-English Language
All We Imagine as Light
Emilia Pérez
The Girl With the Needle
I’m Still Here
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Vermiglio
Best Motion Picture — Animated
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Moana 2
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Best Director — Motion Picture
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker, Anora
Edward Berger, Conclave
Brady Corbet, The Brutalist
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light
Best Screenplay — Motion Picture
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker, Anora
Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Peter Straughan, Conclave
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Daniel Craig, Queer
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
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
Kate Winslet, Lee
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
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams, Nightbitch
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Karla Sofia Gascon, Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison, Anora
Demi Moore, The Substance
Zendaya, Challengers
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Yura Borisov, Anora
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Denzel Washington, Gladiator II
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Margaret Qualley, The Substance
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
Zoe Saldana, Emilia Pérez
Best Original Score — Motion Picture
Volker Bertelmann, Conclave
Daniel Blumberg, The Brutalist
Kris Bowers, The Wild Robot
Clément Ducol and Camille, Emilia Pérez
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Challengers
Hans Zimmer, Dune: Part Two
Best Original Song — Motion Picture
“Beautiful That Way,” The Last Showgirl (Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson)
“Compress/Repress,” Challengers (Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino)
“El Mal,” Emilia Pérez (Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard)
“Forbidden Road,” Better Man (Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek)
“Kiss the Sky,” The Wild Robot (Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi)
“Mi Camino,” Emilia Pérez (Clément Ducol, Camille)
2025 Golden Globes nominations — TV categories
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
The Gentlemen
Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Best Television Series – Drama
The Day of the Jackal
The Diplomat
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Shōgun
Slow Horses
Squid Game
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama
Donald Glover, Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Jake Gyllenhaal, Presumed Innocent
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Eddie Redmayne, The Day of the Jackal
Hiroyuki Sanada, Shōgun
Billy Bob Thornton, Landman
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama
Kathy Bates, Matlock
Emma D’Arcy, House of the Dragon
Maya Erskine, Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Keira Knightley, Black Doves
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Anna Sawai, Shōgun
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
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
Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Television Series
Tadanobu Asano, Shōgun
Javier Bardem, Monsters
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
Diego Luna, La Máquina
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Television Series
Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Dakota Fanning, Ripley
Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
Allison Janney, The Diplomat
Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country
Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Baby Reindeer
Disclaimer
Monsters
The Penguin
Ripley
True Detective: Night Country
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Colin Farrell, The Penguin
Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Kevin Kline, Disclaimer
Cooper Koch, Monsters
Ewan McGregor, A Gentleman in Moscow
Andrew Scott, Ripley
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer
Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin
Sofía Vergara, Griselda
Naomi Watts, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
Kate Winslet, The Regime
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I really hate that box office prize. I think it is one of the most unnecessary awards ever. I hate it. I never take the Golden Globes seriously. I’m happy for The Substance getting recognized but I still can’t take it seriously.
Yep, completely unnecessary and dumb (as I said on the post). I mean, just the silly categorization of Comedy/Musical is stupid, remember they put The Martian under that category? [face palm]
Another reason why the Golden Globes will always be little brother to the Oscars.
Little brother is too kind!! More like the silly, unhinged step kid who’s drunk all the time 😀
I stand corrected.
😂
Out of every film nominated I can’t believe The Substance is even a contender 🙄
Hi there Matt! I haven’t seen The Substance (way too gory for my taste) but it seems to be a popular movie. I did hear from a few fellow critic friends who abhorred it, so I understand your sentiment.
Overly long, satirical trash mismarketed as a horror film with excessive unessary gore in the end
I think the message about unrealistic beauty standards for women and ageism is important, but I read that the film is pandering to the male gaze, portraying older women’s bodies as scary and missing the depth that the title suggests.
Yeah.. it truly lacked any substance 😉
Dune: Part Two snubs feel particularly egregious, I’m with you. Globes make like an AI made Dune or something… and not even a nomination for “Box Office Achievement” either??? So unserious. Real happy for Demi Moore and Pamela Anderson tho. Great to see
Yeah, I’m more annoyed when directors get overlooked, esp. since Dune: Part Two is even better than the first, which is quite a feat.
I am happy that seasoned actresses over the age of 55 get recognition, they are still killing it!! 💯
OMG how could I forget about June Squibb? She absolutely should’ve been there for Thelma. Deadwyler getting snubbed again is ridiculous. Especially considering two of the nominees are leads and one was actively bad in their movie. It’s annoying.
Yeah, I’m most upset about Deadwyler getting snubbed again!! So you meant Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldana in Emilia Pérez, right? I haven’t seen the film yet, but which one is actively bad?? Heh, now I’m even less interested in watching it!
Who among the nominated directors would you drop to make space for Denis V and Jon MC?
Well ideally they’d add two more slots so there are 8 directors total. I mean, there are 12 actors nominated for the leads category alone. I have only seen three of the films in that category: Conclave, The Brutalist and All We Imagine is Light (I wouldn’t take out any of them), so based on what I’ve read so far, I’d probably take out Coralie Fargeat (even at the risk of making the nominees more male-centric).
LOVE Ted Danson and Kathy Bates, and love A Man on the Inside and Matlock, they are excellent and glad to see they’re a pick for an award. A Man on the Inside could certainly become a regular series with Danson leading, hope so!
Hey Becky! I saw an episode of Matlock and LOVE Kathy Bates, but not too crazy about the supporting cast (apart from Jason Ritter who I think is pretty good). I’m curious about A Man on the Inside, the trailer made me laugh! I might start watching once I’m done with Netflix’s Black Doves.
Agree about Matlock supporting cast is not great, thank goodness KB makes it worthwhile. Don’t know about Black Doves, will have to check it out. Yes, watch AMOTI, it’s delightful!
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So apparently Dune: Part Two and Wicked were self-directed
Hahahahahahaha!! I love it when you are sarcastic. Thing is…here’s the rub…AI could be directing movies soon enough. Why pay a director, when AI will steal from the best??
The director will be reduced to a person who calls roll and cut.
Denzel is 69? Wow! I do like the over 60’s thing. It’s time Hollywood became less ageist. However, it’s merely a political/box office move. They will go where they think popularity lie$.
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award- That’s for the investors, the $$$$$ people. They want creative awards, too! Why should all the talented creative people get all the creative awards? We put up the $$$! Without us there are no movies!
Hmm, I’d spend pages arguing that!
I could go on.
Awards posts are always a gas, (‘scuse me while I burp) especially the Golden Globes.
Thanks for the entertainment, Ruth!
Ahah, glad you’re entertained, Resa! I’m always annoyed that award voters always focus so much more on the actors than directors. I mean there are 12 lead actors nominated, at the very least they can nominate 10 directors??
Yeah, Denzel looks amazing for being almost 70! It’s true that Hollywood is pretty much driven by the bottom line, age doesn’t matter if it still brings them $$$$ Speaking of… yes it’s true the execs put up the money for films, but these are supposed to be CREATIVE awards. Plus I think producers already get the awards if the film win Best Picture (at least that’s the case with Oscars) but I think the EXECUTIVE producers feel left out and want their own awards too! I sure hope the Academy won’t start adopting the Box Office awards. They ought to recognize stunt artists though, that is long overdue!
Right on!
Agree 100% about Stunt Artists. I always loved working with them.