GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS 2019—THE UPSETS AND THE HIGHLIGHTS

A slightly subdued, yet entertaining Golden Globe Awards kick-started an interesting awards season, while the hosts, Golden Globe winners Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg did not disappoint

Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh

 This sure is shaping up to be a very interesting awards season. I mean, from the get-go, a drama about a complicated romance between a veteran musician and a rising star has been considered a frontrunner. And then another movie takes away the top prize instead, but even that is about the rise of a (real-life and legendary) musician. Yes, a lot of people feel that A Star Is Born was snubbed with Bohemian Rhapsody winning best picture drama, but the point is that such films have rarely been the top picks or even frontrunners at major awards. It makes me happy though, because these are simple, honest stories, about complex characters, yet not being about the socio-economic and political conditions of the times they’re set in. And we have a lot of the latter as well this year, by way of BlackkKlansman, Vice, If Beale Street Could Talk, and so on.

Glenn Close and Rami Malek win lead actress and actor, drama, respectively

THE SPEECHES

While I’ll admit, though I loved both films, I did like Bohemian Rhapsody a little better than A Star Is Born, I’m not sure if I’d pick Malek over Cooper for best actor. Rami Malek was excellent, no doubt, but Bradley Cooper was a different person in A Star Is Born, and I still think he stands a better chance at the Oscars. I did love Rami Malek’s speech though. It was among my favorite acceptances of the evening. The humility and his dedication to Freddie Mercury were really endearing. Having seen him through three seasons of MR. ROBOT, it’s good to see him achieve all this. My favorite speech was Glenn Close’s though. Her sincerity was so moving as she spoke to the women and how they see themselves as nurturers, who must care for their kids and husbands, but mustn’t lose sight of doing for themselves what they can and are capable of doing. Now I haven’t seen The Wife yet, but knowing how amazing Close is as an actress, I’m sure she deserved it. (Again, Lady Gaga was a discovery in A Star Is Born, but Glenn Close!) And did anyone else catch her sweet moment between Glenn Close and her Fatal Attraction co-star Michael Douglas when she was going up to accept her award?

THE AMERICANS wins best TV series drama

THE WINS

Patricia Arquette also made a powerful statement in her speech, for winning supporting actress in TV for SHARP OBJECTS. She said that her director, Jean-Marc Vallée had been very demanding, in that he expected everything from her except for sex, and that that was how it always should be. I also enjoyed Carol Burnett’s speech, and how she was thankful for the times when she was making spectacular television, and how it was when it was possible. It was good to see a dedicated career achievement award for television, and an apt person to start with, and hence name the ‘Carol Burnett Award’ after. It was also great to see Chuck Lorre winning for THE KOMINSKY METHOD, and how he was moved, not expecting to be a person 'this happens to'. 

In television, I was surprised to see Richard Madden win for BODYGUARD, but it was well deserved. And this is what I like about the Globes. They’re so open to rewarding new shows and nominees, managing to throw a few surprises our way every year. A pleasant surprise was THE AMERICANS winning best series drama, finally getting the recognition at at least one major awards show, with the top prize, and well-deservedly so, for its fantastic final season. A little less surprising, but equally satisfying was Sandra Oh winning for KILLING EVE. It’s not uncommon for people in the news and limelight vis-à-vis the awards season itself to win, but I’m quite sure this had more to do with a brilliant portrayal of the courageous, yet scared and conflicted Eve Polastri. And her speech was such a breath of fresh air and honesty. She has won a Globe before for GREY’S ANATOMY, but this was special because she was the lead!

Best actress drama winner for KILLING EVE, Sandra Oh

THE HOSTS

And that honesty was something Sandra Oh brought to the stage even as a co-host of the evening. In the midst of the humor and the banter, she made a statement of how significant her being chosen to host (as an Asian) was, and how real that moment was. She and Andy Samberg were everything we expected they would be—hilarious, even if they weren’t likely to be edgy. On the contrary, they decided to present praise for audience members in their opening monologue as a mock roast, and while some bits may have fallen flat, most of it worked. Even Jim Carrey being thrown off into to TV section was quite funny (because he was nominated not for film, but for his TV series, KIDDING)—until he explained why he could only see their lips moving from the far end of the room that was the TV section. One part that completely fell flat was the ‘flu shots’ bit they did, instead of ordering pizza à la Ellen DeGeneres. It’s a good thing that they ended it as quickly as it began. The part I found the funniest was when they said they were presenting the highlights of the Globes from over the years, and they only showed the moments when  they’d won in the past—Oh for GREY’S, and Samberg for BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, more recently.

ALL GOLDEN GLOBE 2019 WINNERS

And while we look forward to the upcoming developments in this awards season, take a look at all those who took home the new and updated bronze-base Golden Globe Award statuettes of 2019:

Best Motion Picture—Drama

Black Panther

BlackkKlansman

Bohemian Rhapsody

If Beale Street Could Talk

A Star Is Born

Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture—Drama

Glenn Close, The Wife

Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born

Nicole Kidman, Destroyer

Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Rosamund Pike, A Private War

Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture—Drama

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Willem Dafoe, At Eternity's Gate

Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased

Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

John David Washington, BlackkKlansman

Best Motion Picture—Musical Or Comedy

Crazy Rich Asians

The Favourite

Green Book

Mary Poppins Returns

Vice

Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture—Musical Or Comedy

Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns

Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade

Charlize Theron, Tully

Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians

Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture—Musical Or Comedy

Christian Bale, Vice

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns

Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Robert Redford, The Old Man & The Gun

John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie

Christian Bale

Best Motion Picture—Animated

Incredibles 2

Isle Of Dogs

Mirai

Ralph Breaks The Internet

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Best Motion Picture—Foreign Language

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Girl (Belgium)

Never Look Away (Germany)

Roma (Mexico)

Shoplifters (Japan)

Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role In Any Motion Picture

Amy Adams, Vice

Claire Foy, First Man

Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Emma Stone, The Favourite

Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In Any Motion Picture

Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

Adam Driver, BlackkKlansman

Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Sam Rockwell, Vice

Best Director—Motion Picture

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Peter Farrelly, Green Book

Spike Lee, BlackkKlansman

Adam McKay, Vice

Best Screenplay—Motion Picture

Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Deborah Davis & Tony McNamara, The Favourite

Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk

Adam McKay, Vice

Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie & Peter Farrelly, Green Book

Best Original Score—Motion Picture

Marco Beltrami, A Quiet Place

Alexandre Desplat, Isle Of Dogs

Ludwig Göransson, Black Panther

Justin Hurwitz, First Man

Marc Shaiman, Mary Poppins Returns

Best Original Song—Motion Picture

“All The Stars” — Black Panther

“Girl In The Movies” — Dumplin’

“Requiem For A Private War” — A Private War

“Revelation”, Boy Erased

“Shallow” — A Star Is Born

Best Television Series—Drama

THE AMERICANS

BODYGUARD

HOMECOMING

KILLING EVE

POSE

Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series—Drama

Caitriona Balfe, OUTLANDER

Elisabeth Moss, THE HANDMAID'S TALE

Sandra Oh, KILLING EVE

Julia Roberts, HOMECOMING

Keri Russell, THE AMERICANS

Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series—Drama

Jason Bateman, OZARK

Stephan James, HOMECOMING

Richard Madden, BODYGUARD

Billy Porter, POSE

Matthew Rhys, THE AMERICANS

Best Television Series—Musical Or Comedy

BARRY

THE GOOD PLACE

KIDDING

THE KOMINSKY METHOD

THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series—Musical Or Comedy

Kristen Bell, THE GOOD PLACE

Candice Bergen, MURPHY BROWN

Alison Brie, GLOW

Rachel Brosnahan, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

Debra Messing, WILL & GRACE

Rachel Brosnahan

Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series—Musical Or Comedy

Sacha Baron Cohen, WHO IS AMERICA

Jim Carrey, KIDDING

Michael Douglas, THE KOMINSKY METHOD

Donald Glover, ATLANTA

Bill Hader, BARRY

Best Television Limited Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television

THE ALIENIST

THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

ESCAPE AT DANNEMORA

SHARP OBJECTS

A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL

Best Performance By An Actress In A Limited Series Or A Motion Picture Made For Television

Amy Adams, SHARP OBJECTS

Patricia Arquette, ESCAPE AT DANNEMORA

Connie Britton, DIRTY JOHN

Laura Dern, THE TALE

Regina King, SEVEN SECONDS

Best Performance By An Actor In A Limited Series Or A Motion Picture Made For Television

Antonio Banderas, GENIUS: PICASSO

Daniel Brühl, THE ALIENIST

Darren Criss, THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

Benedict Cumberbatch, PATRICK MELROSE

Hugh Grant, A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL

Darren Criss

Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role In A Series, Limited Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television

Alex Borstein, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

Patricia Clarkson, SHARP OBJECTS

Penélope Cruz, THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

Thandie Newton, WESTWORLD

Yvonne Strahovski, THE HANDMAID'S TALE

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Series, Limited Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television

Alan Arkin, THE KOMINSKY METHOD

Kieran Culkin, SUCCESSION

Edgar Ramírez, THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

Ben Whishaw, A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL

Henry Winkler, BARRY