After months of anticipation, 9.3 million people watched the 82nd annual Golden Globes award show on January 5, 2025. The Golden Globes started the awards season for film and television, followed by the Critics Choice Awards on January 12th, and the Oscars on March 2nd, which officially concludes the film awards season for this year.
As the first female host of the Golden Globes, Nikki Glaser marked a significant milestone in the award show’s history. A reality television host, actress, podcastor, and comedian, Glaser brought a unique comedic style to this prestigious event. Known for her lighthearted jokes about celebrities, the media found her humor and delivery to be enlightening, in comparison to last year’s controversial and somewhat offensive jokes from host Jo Koy.
The red carpet moments were loved by many viewers, who watched as the event took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, and in the media center backstage. We saw some top fashion looks from celebrities like Monica Barbaro (Dior), Zoe Saldaña (Saint Laurent), Michelle Yeoh (Balenciaga), Timothee Chalamet (Tom Ford), and Colman Domingo (Valentino).
The Golden Globes ceremony itself consisted of 24 different categories: 16 motion picture awards and 11 television awards.
Some big wins were the movies “Emilia Perez” and “The Brutalist” earning the top film awards, the television show “Baby Reindeer” winning the best limited series, and “Shōgun” named the best television drama.
Some especially memorable times from the night were big names like Zoe Saldaña who won her first Golden Globe as best supporting female actor for “Emilia Pérez,” and Demi Moore’s acceptance speech after winning her first Golden Globe for “The Substance.”
English teacher and avid filmgoer Mrs. Lauren Tocci was enthusiastic about Zendaya’s accomplishment in the Golden Globes.
“Zendaya’s turn as a tennis pro in ‘Challengers’ was the award I was most excited to see nominated. Films that come out in the spring are often ignored by voting bodies, and that kind of film is often passed off,” Tocci said. “But what she does in showing the transformation of an elite athlete from being a phenom to retired is really impressive. She has to embody a kind of disenchanted strength that is compelling.”
Viewers were surprised that the movie adaptation of “Wicked” did not receive more awards, especially for leading actors Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) or Arianna Grande (Glinda). Yet, “Wicked” did successfully win the category “highest-earning and/or most-viewed films that have gained extensive global audience support and produced exceptional creative content,” which satisfied fans of the movie.
Viewers were additionally shocked that the film “Wild Robot” did not take home any wins. “Wild Robot” was the most nominated animated film in Golden Globes history and is considered by many to be one of the best-animated films ever.
“It was sad and it was disappointing, because [Wild Robot] really did something that was unique, that was special,” senior Wyatt Mullins-Bell said. “And while, yes, it was based off of a book, it took its own creative liberties that made it its own piece of art.”
Although disappointing, “Wild Robot” can still take home many titles at award shows to come, as can other under-recognized films.
Mrs. Tocci, however, was beyond pleased to see Coralie Fargeat’s win.
“She is the director of ‘The Substance,’ a film that took me through a multitude of emotional states,” Tocci said. “Fargeat is a visionary in every sense of the word, and is totally forward thinking in terms of narrative structure and visual rhetoric.”
Among all the differentiating opinions and “hot takes” surrounding the Golden Globes, it is essential to understand this is only the beginning of award season. If a film or contributor was arguably “under-recognized” in this specific awards show, they still have a chance to win a Critics Choice award or Oscar award.
Unfortunately, there was a decrease in the number of viewers streaming the Golden Globes this year (9.3 million) compared to last year (9.4 million). With social media making “Golden Globe recaps” easily accessible, the number of viewers will likely continue to decrease and award shows like the Golden Globes may continue to decline in popularity in future years.
“I think they’re going to lose mainstream relevance,” said Mullins-Bell. “They’re still always going to be a niche of people who are going to love those kinds of awards because they’re always going to be around. You can’t get rid of an award recognizing someone’s talent.”