Hollywood’s brightest stars gathered on the red carpet Monday for the Golden Globe Awards, the first major showbiz event of the year. Leading the film nominations was the surreal narco-musical Emilia Perez, which received 10 nominations—the most ever for a comedy/musical. Directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard, this genre-blending film about a Mexican drug lord transitioning to life as a woman is mostly in Spanish and is hoping for a big night at the Globes, which are often seen as an indicator for the Academy Awards.
Emilia Perez has already made waves, sweeping the European Film Awards, and many are optimistic about its chances at the Oscars. Deadline’s awards columnist Pete Hammond commented, “It’s a true musical that wowed people, and it has the international appeal going for it.” The Golden Globes have separate categories for dramas and comedies/musicals, giving more actors the chance to be recognized—something that is key for the upcoming Oscar nominations.
The film earned nominations across various categories, including three acting nods for Karla Sofia Gascon, who plays the title role, as well as Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez. It will compete for top honors in the musical-comedy category against films such as Wicked, Anora, Challengers, Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, and The Substance, a body horror film starring Demi Moore. Wicked, the much-anticipated adaptation of the Broadway musical, garnered four nominations, including for Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Hammond suggested that Wicked may have a disadvantage due to a lack of nominations in key categories but predicted that Erivo could win Best Lead Actress.
This year’s Golden Globes, now in their second year of reorganization after the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was found to have no Black members in 2021, have seen a more diverse slate of nominees. The revamp was initiated under new ownership, with the HFPA disbanded, and organizers are hoping to build on the ratings success from last year. Hammond noted that the revamped Globes are more international, with films like The Brutalist—which earned seven nominations—exemplifying the awards’ broader scope. The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody, will compete for Best Drama Film alongside Conclave, a fictional account of Vatican power struggles, as well as A Complete Unknown (a Bob Dylan biopic), Dune: Part Two, Nickel Boys, and September 5.
The Golden Globes also recognize television, with The Bear leading with five nominations, and Shogun and Only Murders in the Building tied with four. Comedian Nikki Glaser is set to host the event, which will take place in Beverly Hills at 5:00 pm Pacific Time (0100 GMT Monday). Glaser shared her confidence about the hosting gig, telling The New York Times, “There’s nothing in the set that I feel is so offensive that it would tarnish any kind of opportunities or relationships with people.”
