2024 Golden Globes: "Oppenheimer" and "Succession" owns the night

On the Los Angeles evening of January 7, the 81st Golden Globe Awards held its ceremony. Unlike the several previous editions where the star power was dimmed due to epidemics and scandals, the revamped 2024 Golden Globes have regained its star-studded charm. With Taylor Swift, Brie Larson, Margot Robbie, Christopher Nolan, Timothée Chalamet, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as nominees or presenters, it was arguably the biggest event so far in this Hollywood awards season.

The hottest word in Hollywood in 2023 is "Barbenheimer". And the buzz has carried over to the Golden Globes, with "Barbie" gaining nine nominations and "Oppenheimer" gaining eight. However, with the results of the awards, it was clear that the latter had the last laugh. Oppenheimer took home five awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Score in the Drama category.

First-time Golden Globe Award-winning director Christopher Nolan, in his acceptance speech, emotionally mentioned that the last time he stepped on the Golden Globe stage was to receive the Best Supporting Actor award on behalf of the late Heath Ledger. "In the middle of speaking, I glanced up and Robert Downey Jr. caught my eye and gave me a look of love and support. The same look he's giving me now — the same love and support he's shown so many people in our community over the years," Nolan said. Downey responded the speech with tears in his eyes, and the audience gave Nolan a huge applause.

Barbie, the No.1 worldwide box office film in 2023, was a worthy recipient of the newly created Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. In addition, Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell's "What Was I Made For?" won the Best Original Song award for Barbie. However, "Poor Things" and its star Emma Stone was the winner of Best Picture and Best Actress award in the musical/comedy category. And "Barbie" missed out on both awards, casting a shadow over its path to the Oscars.

After the reform in 2023, the number of Golden Globe Awards voters increased from the original 90 to 300, representing 75 countries and regions worldwide, providing more opportunities for the non-American films. Despite not being able to represent France in the Oscars for Best International Film, "Anatomy of a Fall" triumphed at the Golden Globe Awards, surpassing "Fallen Leaves" and "The Zone of Interest" to win the Best Non-English Language Film award. It also won the Best Screenplay award against "Barbie," “Poor Things,” "Killers of the Flower Moon," and "Past Lives."

The two actors from "The Holdovers," Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, each had their victories. Giamatti won the Best Actor award in the Musical/Comedy category, intensifying his Oscar race with Cillian Murphy, the winner of Best Actor award in the Drama category. Meanwhile, Da'Vine Joy Randolph seems to have secured an Oscar for the Best Supporting Actress award.

Actress Lily Gladstone also seems to be a sure-fire winner. The “Killers of the Flower Moon” star won the Best Actress award in the drama category, adding a new accolade in her seemingly invincible Oscar journey. She was also the first Native American actress to win this award.

The Golden Globes have always been highly regarded for their movie categories, which are the windfall awards of the Oscars. In comparison, the television categories get much less attention. However, in 2023, due to the impact of the strikes of WGA and SAG, the Emmy Awards, America's most important television awards, were postponed from the original date of September 18, 2023, to January 15, 2024. Consequently, this year's Golden Globe Awards for television categories also hold significant influence for the Emmys.

Looking at the results, it's basically "Succession", "The Bear" and "Beef" dominating their respective categories. Notably, Jeremy Allen White from "The Bear " won the Best Actor award for the second consecutive time. Meanwhile, the "Beef" stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong became the first Asian actor/actress to win the acting awards in the Limited Series/Anthology Series/Motion Picture Made for TV category.

Here’s a look at all the winners.

Film

Best motion picture (Drama): “Oppenheimer”

Best motion picture (Musical or Comedy): “Poor Things”

Cinematic and box office achievement: “Barbie”

Best performance by a male actor in a motion picture (Drama): Cillian Murphy — “Oppenheimer”

Best performance by a female actor in a motion picture (Drama): Lily Gladstone — “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Best performance by a male actor in a motion picture (Musical or Comedy): Paul Giamatti — “The Holdovers”

Best performance by a female actor in a motion picture (Musical or Comedy): Emma Stone — “Poor Things”

Best performance by a male actor in a supporting role in any motion picture: Robert Downey Jr. — “Oppenheimer”

Best performance by a female actor in a supporting role in any motion picture: Da’Vine Joy Randolph — “The Holdovers”

Best director: Christopher Nolan — “Oppenheimer”

Best screenplay: Justine Triet, Arthur Harari — “Anatomy of a Fall”

Best original score: Ludwig Göransson — “Oppenheimer”

Best original song: “What Was I Made For?” — Billie Eilish and Finneas (“Barbie”)

Best motion picture (Non-English language): “Anatomy of a Fall”

Best motion picture (Animated): “The Boy and the Heron”

Television

Best television series (Drama): “Succession”

Best television series (Musical or Comedy): “The Bear”

Best television limited series, anthology series or motion picture made for television: “Beef”

Best performance by a male actor in a television series (Drama): Kieran Culkin — “Succession”

Best performance by a female actor in a television series (Drama): Sarah Snook — “Succession”

Best performance by a male actor in a television series (Musical or Comedy): Jeremy Allen White — “The Bear”

Best performance by a female actor in a television series (Musical or Comedy): Ayo Edebiri — “The Bear”

Best performance by a male actor in a supporting role on television: Matthew Macfadyen — “Succession”

Best performance by a female actor in a supporting role on television: Elizabeth Debicki — “The Crown”

Best performance by a male actor in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television: Steven Yeun — “Beef”

Best performance by a female actor in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television: Ali Wong — “Beef”

Best performance in stand-up comedy on television: Ricky Gervais (“Ricky Gervais: Armageddon”)