Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took the virtual stage at the Golden Globes, hosting on a split screen from opposite coasts. The spartan gathering was an “audience made up of smokin'-hot first responders,” said Fey. “We are so grateful for the work that you do."
Poehler shared what the crowd usually looks like at the Globes: “Meryl Streep, like, hammered, can’t remember what movie she’s there for,” she said. “Quentin Tarantino, crawling under tables, touching people’s feet.”
Fey poked fun at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, for its “90 international, no-black journalists” and a German member who might just be a sausage with a face drawn on it.
Also Read: HFPA Addresses Diversity Controversy During Golden Globes Ceremony
Laura Dern awarded the best supporting actor in a motion picture. The prize went to Daniel Kaluuya for HBO Max’s Judas and the Black Messiah.
Kaluuya initially had connectivity issues, then came through. He thanked director Shaka King “for your vision.” He said, “We’re here to give until we’re empty, and I gave everything."
Angela Bassett awarded best supporting actor in a TV series, with John Boyega of Amazon Prime’s Small Axe getting honored. Boyega apologized for wearing track bottoms, and thanked director Steve McQueen for his leadership. “I’m absolutely shocked,” he said.
Christian Slater named the best actress in a comedy, with Catherine O’Hara of Pop TV’s Schitt’s Creek winning. She singled out creators Eugene and Daniel Levy. “They created an inspiring, funny, beautify family love story,” she said.
Tiffany Haddish awarded the best animated feature, with Soul winning. “Little did we know that making a film about jazz, jazz would teach us so much about life,” said one producer.
Best actor in a limited series went to Mark Ruffalo of HBO’s I Know This Much Is True. “Thanks to my family who lets me go off and bring these crazy people home,” he said of his characters.
He singled out showrunner Derek Cianfrance. “My brother, my partner, my director,” he said.
“Let’s be courageous together,” Ruffalo urged viewers, imploring them to treat the earth, and each other, better.
Cynthia Erivo was out next to award the best motion picture screenplay. Aaron Sorkin of Netflix’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 got the honor. “This is very nice but it can’t top the honor of being nominated alongside these four screenplays,” he said of Mank, Promising Young Woman, The Father and Nomadland.
The HFPA acknowledged its shortcomings in terms of the association’s diversity. “Just like in film and television, Black representation is vital,” said VP Helen Hoehne. “We must have Black journalists in our organization.”
Norman Lear got the Carol Burnett award for TV achievement. “By changing television, he changed America,” went the narration of his intro.
“He paved the way for all of us who follow,” said Tina Fey.
“It knocks me out to be introduced by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey and to accept this award named for Carol Burnett,” Lear said, adding, “nobody made me laugh harder” than Burnett.
Lear thanked “Sony Pictures Television, one of the greatest, most able groups of executives I’ve ever worked with.”
On the cusp of 99 years old, Lear said, “I’ve never lived alone. I’ve never laughed alone.”
Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon came out to name the best actress in a TV drama. Emma Corrin of Netflix’s The Crown got the honor, ahead of Olivia Colman from The Crown, Jodie Comer from Killing Eve, Laura Linney from Ozark and Sarah Paulson from Ratched.
“Thank you to my incredible cast and crew for being by my side,” she said, and praised Princess Diana for teaching her empathy.
Tracy Morgan awarded best song from a movie to "IO SI" from Netflix’s The Life Ahead. He awarded best movie score to Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste for Disney Plus’s Soul. “I think this is the first piece of art I ever made in my life that I can show my kids,” said Reznor.
Sterling K. Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson from This Is Us came out for best actor in a TV comedy. Jason Sudeikis from Apple TV Plus’s Ted Lasso was picked. “That’s nuts,” he said.
Sudeikis mentioned reading Tolstoy’s short story The Three Questions to his son, which made him “kind of reject the premise” of best actor, saying everyone he acts with should share the honors. They may not make him the best, he added, but they make him better.
Best comedy went to Schitt’s Creek, the big winner at the Emmys in September. Daniel Levy thanked the show’s “amazing” cast and crew for their work in taking the show to “places we never thought possible.”
He called the Globe honor “a lovely vote of confidence in the messages the show stands for,” such as inclusion.
Ben Stiller showed off the Golden Globe trophy he baked, he said after learning to bake during COVID. After taking a satisfied bite, he gave the best actress in a motion picture comedy prize to Rosamund Pike for Netflix’s I Care a Lot.
She thanked the HFPA for “recognizing the dark side of comedy” and Netflix for “giving us an audience.”
Pike also thanked “America’s broken legal system for making it possible to make stories like this.”
Anthony Anderson gave out best actor in a TV drama. Josh O’Connor from The Crown beat out Jason Bateman of Ozark, Bob Odenkirk of Better Call Saul, Al Pacino of Hunters and Matthew Rhys of Perry Mason. Of the Crown cast, he said, “every day, working with you was a master class.”
O’Connor singled out co-star Emma Corrin for being “extraordinarily talented, funny, and a brilliant player of rock-paper-scissors.”
Gal Gadot was out next for foreign language motion picture. Minari won. Director Lee Isaac Chung described the film as about “A family trying to learn a language all its own,” adding, “a language of love.”
Kenan Thompson gave out best TV drama to The Crown, beating out Lovecraft Country, The Mandalorian, Ozark and Ratched.
“I’m just sorry that I’m sitting here in my tragic little office,” said Crown showrunner Peter Morgan as he saluted his cast.
Jane Fonda was given the Cecil B. DeMille Award. “I’m so moved to receive this honor,” she said.
She cited the essentiality of storytelling in tough times. “For all our adversity, we are humans first,” she said.
Fonda mentioned Minari, Small Axe, Judas and the Black Messiah and Rami, among other series and films, for giving her empathy and opening her mind. She pushed Hollywood to be more inclusive. “Let’s all of us make an effort to expand that tent so that everyone rises,” said Fonda.
Jamie Lee Curtis came out to salute the best supporting actress in a movie. Jodie Foster got the honor for The Mauritanian. “I think you made a mistake,” she said. “I’m a little speechless. I just never expected to be here again.”
Foster mentioned author Mohamedou Ould Salahi, who wrote the book that predated the film, and thanked him for sharing his story.
Christopher Meloni saluted the best TV actress in a supporting role. Gillian Anderson of The Crown won for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher. She called out showrunner Peter Morgan, “for imagining I could inhabit Mrs. T.”
Rosie Perez was out next to salute best actress in a limited series. Anya Taylor-Joy of Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit won. “Thank you for letting us make the show that we want to make,” she said of Netflix.
“I would do this project again and again and again,” she added. “I learned so much.”
Best limited series went to The Queen’s Gambit. Showrunner Scott Frank mentioned the producers securing the film rights to the Walter Tevis novel “three years before Anya was born.”
Of Anya Taylor-Joy, he wondered how someone who is “such a joy to work with” can go by the name Joy.
Renee Zellwegger was out next for the best film actor in a drama prize. Chadwick Boseman of Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom got the honors. Boseman died last year. His wife Taylor Simone Ledward spoke on his behalf. “He would thank God,” she said. “He would thank his parents. He would thank his ancestors for their guidance and their sacrifices.”
She added, “He would say something beautiful. Something inspiring.”
Best film director went to Chloé Zhao for Nomadland.
“Thank you for making beautiful beautiful movies,” she said to her fellow nominees. She thanked her family “for keeping me sane all these years.”
Best comedy movie went to Amazon’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Director and star Sacha Baron Cohen said, “This movie couldn’t have been possible without my costar. I’m talking, of course, about Rudy Giuliani.”
He added, “The revelation, the sensation, was Maria Bakalova.”
Cohen saluted cast, crew and producers for getting the film out before Election Day, “to show the danger of lies, hate, conspiracies,” he said, and the power of empathy.
Awkwafina was out next to hand out the prize for actor in a comedy movie. Sacha Baron Cohen won for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. He said, “Donald Trump is contesting the result,” adding that the former president said dead people voted.
Joaquin Phoenix came out to award best actress in a drama movie. Andra Day of The United States vs. Billie Holliday won. An emotional Day said she was “in the presence of giants” among her nominees. “You inspire me so much.”
Billie Holliday, she added, “just transformed me with this role and her presence and her spirit.”
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones gave out the Globe for best drama movie. Nomadland won.
“I’m speechless,” said Chloé Zhao.
She thanked star Frances McDormand “for trusting me to create the character with you.”
At its core, the film is “a pilgrimage through grief and healing,” she said.
“We don’t say goodbye,” concluded Zhao. “We say, see you down the road.”
