For the first time in its history, the Golden Globes took place in a semi-virtual setting. While everyone from the hosts to the nominees tried their best to maintain the spirit of the awards ceremony, it was still uncharted territory.
Comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted from opposite coasts. Fey was in the Rainbow Room of New York City, and Poehler was in the ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Throughout the ceremony, they brought levity by poking fun at anything from politics to the nominees and winners. A live audience was made up of first responders who have made many sacrifices throughout the pandemic and throughout their careers. Some of the presenters also made in-person appearances, while others had chosen to pre-record their piece. Like most of us have been for nearly a full year, all of the nominees were tuned in via a virtual meeting platform.
However, their celebrity status did not exempt them from dealing with the same problems we have. The very first award of the night went to Daniel Kaluuya of ”Judas and the Black Messiah” for Best Performance by an Actor in a Support-
ing Role in a Motion Picture. He had trouble with his internet access and nearly missed out on giving an acceptance speech. Thankfully, the issue was quickly resolved.
One of the more positive aspects of the virtual nature of this ceremony was seeing movie and television stars with their families. When Mark Ruffalo won Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film for his performance in “I Know This Much is True,” he gave his acceptance speech surrounded by his wife and children after receiving several hugs from his children.
Others showed off their various pets. And while many nominees did choose to dress up for the event, there was certainly a more casual air to the ceremony.
After a particularly unrestful year, it came as no surprise that many acceptance speeches included topics such as representation, conservation and political discord.
Jane Fonda, who was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award, called for inclusivity in the movie industry, saying, “Let’s all of us make an effort to expand that tent, so that everyone rises and everyone’s story has a chance to be seen and heard.”
Perhaps the most emotional speech of the evening was the one given by Taylor Simone Ledward on behalf of her late husband, Chadwick Boseman, who sadly passed away last August. Boseman won Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture for his
role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”
Ledward’s stirring words in honor of Boseman included how “He would say something beautiful, something inspiring, something that would amplify that little voice inside of all of us that tells you you can, that tells you to keep going, that calls you back to what you are meant to be doing at this moment in history.”
What came as somewhat of a surprise is that “Hamilton” left this ceremony without a single award. “Hamilton” has won numerous awards, from an astounding eleven Tony Awards to a Pulitzer Prize. Many were surprised that “Hamilton” was nominated at all for the Golden Globes, but it would seem that their winning streak has finally run dry.
It has also been announced that “Hamilton” would not be considered for any Oscar awards. According to an article for the Los Angeles Times, “the SAG Awards is treating ‘Hamilton’ as a TV movie rather than a film” and is thus ineligible for an Oscar.
The Golden Globes is considered the kick-off for the annual awards season. Oscar nominations will be announced soon, with the ceremony coming up in late April. It will be interesting to see how much of the Academy Awards has been predicted by the Golden Globes.
