The 81st Golden Globe Awards unfolded on Sunday, bringing together Hollywood’s brightest stars to celebrate outstanding achievements in film and television.
Oppenheimer, the epic exploration of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb, emerged as the night’s big winner, clinching five awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Christopher Nolan, the visionary director behind Oppenheimer, secured the Best Director accolade, showcasing his ability to transition from blockbuster films like The Dark Knight to a thought-provoking $100 million drama.
Cillian Murphy, who portrayed the brooding scientist at the film’s center, was named Best Actor in a Drama, and the film was also honored for its atmospheric score.
In the realm of television, Succession, the scathing portrayal of a Murdoch-esque media mogul and his tumultuous family, dominated with four wins, including Best Drama Series. The show, concluding its four-season run in May, resonated with audiences and critics alike for its biting commentary and compelling characters.
The post-modern film Poor Things, a feminist reimagining of the Frankenstein tale, claimed two victories, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Emma Stone’s portrayal of a childlike woman on a journey of sexual and emotional discovery earned her the award for Best Female Actor in a Comedy.
In the television comedy category, The Bear, a narrative about a struggling Chicago restaurant, secured three wins, including Best Comedy Series and Best Leading Actor and Actress in a Musical or Comedy for Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri.
Beef, a dramedy delving into the aftermath of a road rage incident, took home three statues, winning Best Limited Series and securing acting prizes for Ali Wong and Steven Yeun.
Lily Gladstone’s compelling performance as an Osage woman targeted for her oil wealth in Killers of the Flower Moon earned her the title of Best Female Actor in a Drama, marking a historic moment for the indigenous community in the entertainment industry.
The awards ceremony was not without recognition for outstanding performances on the small screen. Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook won Best Male Actor and Best Female Actor in a TV Drama for their roles in Succession, while Matthew Macfadyen earned Best Supporting Male Actor for his work on the show.
Here is the complete list of winner from last night’s Golden Globes.
Best Motion Picture, Drama
Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures) (WINNER)
Killers of the Flower Moon (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures)
Maestro (Netflix)
Past Lives (A24)
The Zone of Interest (A24)
Anatomy of a Fall (Neon)
Best Picture, Musical or Comedy
Barbie (Warner Bros.)
Poor Things (Searchlight Pictures) (WINNER)
American Fiction (MGM)
The Holdovers (Focus Features)
May December (Netflix)
Air (Amazon MGM Studios)
Best Director, Motion Picture
Bradley Cooper — Maestro
Greta Gerwig — Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos — Poor Things
Christopher Nolan — Oppenheimer (WINNER)
Martin Scorsese — Killers of the Flower Moon
Celine Song — Past Lives
Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Barbie — Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach
Poor Things — Tony McNamara
Oppenheimer — Christopher Nolan
Killers of the Flower Moon — Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese
Past Lives — Celine Song
Anatomy of a Fall — Justine Triet, Arthur Harari (WINNER)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Bradley Cooper — Maestro
Cillian Murphy — Oppenheimer (WINNER)
Leonardo DiCaprio — Killers of the Flower Moon
Colman Domingo — Rustin
Andrew Scott — All of Us Strangers
Barry Keoghan — Saltburn
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Lily Gladstone — Killers of the Flower Moon (WINNER)
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall
Annette Bening — Nyad
Greta Lee — Past Lives
Cailee Spaeny — Priscilla
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Fantasia Barrino – The Color Purple
Jennifer Lawrence – No Hard Feelings
Natalie Portman – May December
Alma Pöysti – Fallen Leaves
Margot Robbie – Barbie
Emma Stone – Poor Things (WINNER)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Nicolas Cage — Dream Scenario
Timothée Chalamet — Wonka
Matt Damon — Air
Paul Giamatti — The Holdovers (WINNER)
Joaquin Phoenix — Beau Is Afraid
Jeffrey Wright — American Fiction
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Willem Dafoe — Poor Things
Robert De Niro — Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. — Oppenheimer (WINNER)
Ryan Gosling — Barbie
Charles Melton — May December
Mark Ruffalo — Poor Things
Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture
Emily Blunt — Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks — The Color Purple
Jodie Foster — Nyad
Julianne Moore — May December
Rosamund Pike — Saltburn
Da’Vine Joy Randolph — The Holdovers (WINNER)
Best Television Series, Drama
1923 (Paramount+)
The Crown (Netflix)
The Diplomat (Netflix)
The Last of Us (HBO)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Succession (HBO) (WINNER)
Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy
The Bear (FX) (WINNER)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Barry (HBO)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Pedro Pascal — The Last of Us
Kieran Culkin — Succession (WINNER)
Jeremy Strong — Succession
Brian Cox — Succession
Gary Oldman — Slow Horses
Dominic West — The Crown
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Helen Mirren — 1923
Bella Ramsey — The Last of Us
Keri Russell — The Diplomat
Sarah Snook — Succession (WINNER)
Imelda Staunton — The Crown
Emma Stone — The Curse
Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Ayo Edebiri — The Bear (WINNER)
Natasha Lyonne — Poker Face
Quinta Brunson — Abbott Elementary
Rachel Brosnahan — The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Selena Gomez — Only Murders in the Building
Elle Fanning – The Great
Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Bill Hader — Barry
Steve Martin — Only Murders in the Building
Martin Short — Only Murders in the Building
Jason Segel — Shrinking
Jason Sudeikis — Ted Lasso
Jeremy Allen White — The Bear (WINNER)
Best Supporting Actor, Television
Billy Crudup — The Morning Show
Matthew Macfadyen — Succession (WINNER)
James Marsden — Jury Duty
Ebon Moss-Bachrach — The Bear
Alan Ruck — Succession
Alexander Skarsgård — Succession
Best Supporting Actress, Television
Elizabeth Debicki — The Crown (WINNER)
Abby Elliott — The Bear
Christina Ricci — Yellowjackets
J. Smith-Cameron — Succession
Meryl Streep — Only Murders in the Building
Hannah Waddingham — Ted Lasso
Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Beef (WINNER)
Lessons in Chemistry
Daisy Jones & the Six
All the Light We Cannot See
Fellow Travelers
Fargo
Best Performance by an Actor, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Matt Bomer — Fellow Travelers
Sam Claflin — Daisy Jones & the Six
Jon Hamm — Fargo
Woody Harrelson — White House Plumbers
David Oyelowo — Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Steven Yeun — Beef (WINNER)
Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Riley Keough — Daisy Jones & the Six
Brie Larson — Lessons in Chemistry
Elizabeth Olsen — Love and Death
Juno Temple — Fargo
Rachel Weisz — Dead Ringers
Ali Wong — Beef (WINNER)
Best Original Score, Motion Picture
Ludwig Göransson — Oppenheimer (WINNER)
Jerskin Fendrix — Poor Things
Robbie Robertson — Killers of the Flower Moon
Mica Levi — The Zone of Interest
Daniel Pemberton — Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Joe Hisaishi — The Boy and the Heron
Best Picture, Non-English Language
Anatomy of a Fall (Neon) — France (WINNER)
Fallen Leaves (Mubi) — Finland
Io Capitano (01 Distribution) — Italy
Past Lives (A24) — United States
Society of the Snow (Netflix) — Spain
The Zone of Interest (A24) — United Kingdom
Best Original Song, Motion Picture
Barbie — “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish and Finneas (WINNER)
Barbie — “Dance the Night” by Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
She Came to Me — “Addicted to Romance” by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa
The Super Mario Bros. Movie — “Peaches” by Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond, and John Spiker
Barbie — “I’m Just Ken” by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt
Rustin — “Road to Freedom” by Lenny Kravitz
Best Motion Picture, Animated
The Boy and the Heron (GKids) (WINNER)
Elemental (Disney)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal Pictures)
Suzume (Toho Co.)
Wish (Disney)
Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy or Television
Ricky Gervais — Ricky Gervais: Armageddon (WINNER)
Trevor Noah — Trevor Noah: Where Was I
Chris Rock — Chris Rock: Selective Outrage
Amy Schumer — Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact
Sarah Silverman — Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love
Wanda Sykes — Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
Barbie (Warner Bros.) (WINNER)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney)
John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate Films)
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (Paramount Pictures)
Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal Pictures)
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (AMC Theatres)
Against the backdrop of a tumultuous year in Hollywood, marked by strikes and industry disputes, the Golden Globes acknowledged the resilience and creativity of the entertainment community. The event signaled a return to normalcy after months of disruptions caused by the strikes, which saw unions negotiating over the use of A.I. and the impact of streaming business models on livelihoods.
As the glittering evening unfolded, the winners took to the stage to express gratitude, reflect on their roles, and acknowledge the challenges faced by the industry in recent times. The 81st Golden Globe Awards proved to be a celebration of talent, diversity, and resilience in the world of entertainment.
