The return of the highly-controversial Golden Globe Awards – really?!

golden globe

Remember the Golden Globe Awards?

Initially created by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1944, these awards were designed to recognize excellence in both American and international film and television – the only ceremony to do so, mixing the once-lowly TV hack with the hallowed cinema artiste – with an idea of truly portraying these visual mediums as global and communal. We’re all in this together.

Sure, there was a greatly emphatic lean toward foreign films and television few heard of at the time, but the Golden Globe Awards was also the only televised ceremony where its stars could drink. A lot. And accept awards drunk. That has made for some great, deliciously weird television to go with its often-questionable wardrobe choices and slurred speeches. Plus, the Golden Globes legendarily separated Drama from Comedy. Considering that the Emmys and the Oscars/Academy Awards often overlook comedies and musicals for dramatic events, that made the Globes doubly crucial during awards season. And the drinks. Yes. The booze and the comedy.

So maybe it made no sense that nobody and not-so-newcomer Pia Zadora was awarded “New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture” in 1982. Or that it seemed weird that the awful Angelina Jolie/Johnny Depp action drama, The Tourist, get a Best Musical/Comedy nomination in 2011. Nobody gets giving awards right? Remember the Grammys gifting Jethro Tull with a Best Metal Album award? Priceless.

Like other stodgily, non-diverse corporations (remember, the Globes forever received criticism for excluding Asian films from Best Motion Picture categories) come the Reckoning of 2020/2021, the HFPA got called out for a genuine lack of Black representation among its members. Even after the HFPA announced plans for reforms – including a 50% increase in diverse membership across its next 18 months – everyone from Time’s Up, #BLM and a group of 100 PR firms continued to slam the HFPA’s governing body for its lack of given timelines for filling new management positions, none of which would be executed to have real impact on the cycle of the upcoming 79th Golden Globe Awards in January 2022. Time’s Up also charged HFPA with unspecific language or real commitments to accountability or change. Soon, Amazon Studios, Netflix and NBC announced non-participation from any of its talent, with the latter network suspending its televising of the 2022 ceremony.

After that, HFPA released a timeline for its reforms, but due to Covid, the 2022 Golden Globe ceremony went untelevised – which is fine. Who remembers 2021’s movies and television shows at all at this point? Plus, Time’s Up had its own issues to worry about, rather than concerning itself with how many noms did Succession get.

Cooler heads and major restructuring occurred in 2022, and everyone agreed that there just wasn’t enough gladhanding and self-congratulatory behavior going on in Hollywood – to say nothing of a lack of gift bag freebies and fresh designer wardrobes to stay unpaid for – and the 80th Golden Globe Awards on January 10, 2023 were announced and ready to go.

Yes, there are Vegas odds on Globes’ host Jerrod Carmichael making jokes about slap-happy Will Smith (+150) and several of the night’s presenters and winners faking slaps on stage (Yes +100).

Excited as I am, and you should be, to see the entire 2023 Golden Globe Awards on NBC and Peacock Premium Streaming on Tuesday night, I won’t bore you with every category and nominee – just the choicest ones whose Paradise Media/Philadelphia Weekly projected winners and special categories I will bold out in black and say something stupid about.

Here is a mostly full list of 2023 Golden Globes nominees below.

Best Motion Picture, Drama

  • “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios)
  • “Elvis” (Warner Bros.)
  • “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
  • “Tár” (Focus Features)
  • “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)

Considering that “Top Gun: Maverick” got Tom Cruise to return to his most beloved character, make the year’s most money, and get him to sob on screen, this one gets all the marbles.

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy

  • “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
  • “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
  • “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
  • “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix)
  • “Triangle of Sadness” (Neon)

Are we absolutely certain that a film titled “Triangle of Sadness” was a comedy? Or the film about killing a man’s mule and cutting off fingers (“Banshees”) or rabid cocaine use in a sweaty crowd (“Babylon”)? I’ll say “Glass Onion,” but only because the costumes were funny.

Best Director, Motion Picture

  • James Cameron (“Avatar: The Way of Water”)
  • Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)
  • Baz Luhrmann (“Elvis”)
  • Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)
  • Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”)

Baz Luhrmann films are always too busy and loud for me without a hint of subtlety or nuance. That maximal filmaking style of Baz’s, however, was exactly what was necessary in telling the tale of America’s King.

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture

  • “Tár” (Focus Features) — Todd Field
  • “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) — Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
  • “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures) — Martin McDonagh
  • “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) — Sarah Polley
  • “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures) — Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner

This one is tough. McDonagh is a poet, but the “Banshees” script is so spare, it’s more of a haiku. Spielberg and Kushner wrote a Woody Allen film. “Everything Everywhere” is more of a visual feast than a lyrical, wordy one. I didn’t see “Women Talking” and nor did anyone else. Todd Field wins by process of elimination. Seriously.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

  • Austin Butler (“Elvis”)
  • Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”)
  • Hugh Jackman (“The Son”)
  • Bill Nighy (“Living”)
  • Jeremy Pope (“The Inspection”)

There is a lot of horrible water not-so under the bridge between Brendan Fraser and the HFPA that you should look up as the reason for Fraser not attending the Globes ceremony in person. Yet, he is all but a shoe in for his literally weighty and poignant performance. Still, if there is a tie to be had and an upset to be made at the 80th annual G-Globes, it is Austin Bulter’s give-everything-he-has performance as Presley.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

  • Cate Blanchett (“Tár”)
  • Olivia Colman (“Empire of Light”)
  • Viola Davis (“The Woman King”)
  • Ana de Armas (“Blonde”)
  • Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”)

I know that everybody hated “Blonde” and, by proxy, de Armas because she’s not American, but she lent a most pained film an even more tragically melancholic edge in her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe. Cate Blanchett will probably get the Globe, but de Armas should get the Globe.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

  • Lesley Manville (“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”)
  • Margot Robbie (“Babylon”)
  • Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Menu”)
  • Emma Thompson (“Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”)
  • Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Not a comedy, but give it to Yeoh. She was heartbreaking-ly hilarious.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

  • Diego Calva (“Babylon”)
  • Daniel Craig (“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”)
  • Adam Driver (“White Noise”) |
  • Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)
  • Ralph Fiennes (“The Menu”)

Because I think Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson should both be up for Best Actor (see below), I’m going to go with Daniel Craig, more-so because he spent years toeing the line for 007 as James Bond. And because that Southern accent and dress style he adopts in “Glass Onion” is really goofy.

Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture

  • Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)
  • Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)
  • Brad Pitt (“Babylon”)
  • Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)
  • Eddie Redmayne (“The Good Nurse”)

As much as I think that Pitt is the only good thing about “Babylon,” I’m going for Gleeson as the shaggy dog outsider.

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

  • Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”)
  • Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)
  • Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)
  • Dolly De Leon (“Triangle of Sadness”)
  • Carey Mulligan (“She Said”)

I didn’t care for her movie, but I’m obsessed with Angela Bassett. Score.

Best Television Series, Drama

  • “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
  • “The Crown” (Netflix)
  • “House of the Dragon” (HBO)
  • “Ozark” (Netflix)
  • “Severance” (Apple TV+)

I don’t love giving awards to series that are ended, so I’m going with the “Game of Thrones”+, “House of the Dragon.”

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy

  • “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • “The Bear” (FX)
  • “Hacks” (HBO Max)
  • “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
  • “Wednesday” (Netflix)

The toughest of categories as each had its victories and laughs. Still, Steve Martin lost in New York City wins.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama

  • Jeff Bridges (“The Old Man”)
  • Kevin Costner (“Yellowstone”)
  • Diego Luna (“Andor”)
  • Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”)
  • Adam Scott (“Severance”)

I would have given this to Odenkirk, but Yellowstone all-but remains shut out in other categories, so Costner wins.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama

  • Emma D’Arcy (“House of the Dragon”)
  • Laura Linney (“Ozark”)
  • Imelda Staunton (“The Crown”)
  • Hilary Swank (“Alaska Daily”)
  • Zendaya (“Euphoria”)

The most wrenching season of “Euphoria” yet, means that its star gets the prize.

Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

  • Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”)
  • Kaley Cuoco (“The Flight Attendant”)
  • Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”)
  • Jenna Ortega (“Wednesday”)
  • Jean Smart (“Hacks”)

Gomez is the secret sauce in what makes “Only Murders in the Building” purr.

Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

  • Donald Glover (“Atlanta”)
  • Bill Hader (“Barry”)
  • Steve Martin (“Only Murders in the Building”)
  • Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building”)
  • Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”)

Martin and Short split the “Murders” vote. Glover and Hader starred in the worst seasons of their respective series. “The Bear” guy takes home the Globe.

Best Supporting Actor, Television

  • John Lithgow (“The Old Man”)
  • Jonathan Pryce (“The Crown”)
  • John Turturro (“Severance”)
  • Tyler James Williams (“Abbott Elementary”)
  • Henry Winkler (“Barry”)

Winkler won before and Pryce is my lest favorite Prince Philip. Give it to Lithgow.

Best Supporting Actress, Television

  • Elizabeth Debicki (“The Crown”)
  • Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”)
  • Julia Garner (“Ozark”)
  • Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”)
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”)

Since I’m from Philadelphia, I’ll give my vote to my fellow local, Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television

  • “Black Bird” (Apple TV+)
  • “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” (Netflix)
  • “The Dropout” (Hulu)
  • “Pam & Tommy” (Hulu)
  • “The White Lotus” (HBO)

C’mon. “The White Lotus” by a mile.

    • A.D. Amarosi's Headshot

      A.D. Amorosi is an award-winning journalist who, along with working for the Philadelphia Weekly, writes regularly for Variety, Jazz Times, Flood and Wax Poetics, and hosts and co-produces his own SoundCloud-charting radio show, Theater in the Round for Pacifica National Public Radio station WPPM 106.5 FM and WPPM.org.

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