After a difficult few years and the dissolution of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes have seemingly stabilized. Now the question is: can they still put on a good show?
The 82nd Golden Globes, which kicks off Sunday night at 8 p.m. EST, hopes to rekindle some of the frothy comedic energy from the days when Ricky Gervais or Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted. Last year’s comeback edition, hosted by Jo Koy, was widely criticized, but it delivered what counted: Ratings rebounded to around 10 million viewers, according to Nielsen. CBS signed for five more years.
This time, comedian Nikki Glaser will emcee the ceremony from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The Globes, now owned by Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, will be broadcast live on CBS and available to Paramount+ subscribers with Showtime starting at 8 p.m. ET.
While Glaser doesn’t have as many watched contenders as last year, when “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” headlined, the show promises all the star power Hollywood can muster. Among the nominees are Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Denzel Washington, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Selena Gomez.
Jacques Audiard’s Netflix musical “Emilia Pérez” is the leading nominee, with 10 nominations, followed by Brady Corbet’s postwar epic “The Brutalist,” with seven, and Edward Berger’s papal thriller “Conclave,” with six. . Among the best-nominated series are “The Bear,” “Shogun” and “Only Murders in the Building.”
Here are some things to keep in mind heading into Sunday’s Globes:
Will Timothée Chalamet win his first Globe?
The best actor in the drama category is A Thug, with a field of Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”), Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), Daniel Craig (“Queer”), Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Sebastian Stan (“The Apprentice”) and Chalamet, for the Bob Dylan film “A Complete Unknown.” While Fiennes or Brody could take it, a win for Chalamet would be the first major award for the 29-year-old star, and would surely get Oscar conversations started.
How soon until someone mentions Hollywood’s biggest feud?
Just days before the Globes, Blake Lively sued “It Ends With Us” director Justin Baldoni and several others linked to the romantic drama, alleging harassment and a coordinated campaign to attack her reputation for speaking out about her treatment at the set. Baldoni, who has denied it, joined a lawsuit accusing the New York Times of defamation in its article about his accusations.
Whether or not any of this is mentioned on stage at the Beverly Hilton Ballroom, it’s sure to be on the minds of many attendees. Among those nominated for box office achievements is “Deadpool & Wolverine,” starring and co-produced by Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband. Glaser, whose biting jokes about a Tom Brady roast helped catapult her to this moment, isn’t known for biting her tongue.
How will ‘Wicked’ do?
“Emilia Pérez” may have been the favorite over “Wicked” for the best comedy or musical award, but Jon M. Chu’s theatrical hit is also in the mix for the Globes’ nascent film box office award. Either or both of the “Wicked” leads could also win: Erivo in the lead actress category and Grande in the supporting actress category.
Will politics play a leading role?
The Globes, which will take place about two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, could become very political if the presenters and winners are so inclined to continue what has been a mutually antagonistic relationship between Hollywood and Trump. However, that may be unlikely; So far in Hollywood awards season, most nominees have tried to stay out of it.
However, this is with one big exception: “The Apprentice,” the drama about young Trump starring Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. Both were nominated for the Globes. Stan was also nominated for the second time for his performance in “A Different Man.”
Is there an Oscar favorite?
It’s been an unusually uncertain awards season so far in many ways. No film has really stepped up as a front-runner for best picture, although several films, including “Conclave,” “Anora,” “Wicked,” “Emilia Pérez” and “The Brutalist,” can make a decent case. They usually don’t do much to clear the field, but a strong performance from any of the above could add fuel to their Oscar campaign.
