The 2024 Golden Globe Awards held on a star-studded night, where ‘Oppenheimer‘ and ‘Succession‘ emerged as the big winners, dominating both film and television categories.
‘Oppenheimer‘ was the standout film of the evening, walking away with an impressive five awards, including the coveted Best Drama Film. Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr., the film’s lead actors, received recognition for their remarkable performances, while Christopher Nolan was honored with the Best Director award. The biopic, which delved into the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, often referred to as the father of the atomic bomb, also clinched awards for Best Score and Best Supporting Actor, awarded to Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. injected humor into his acceptance speech, acknowledging the film’s unexpected box office success, saying, “A sweeping story about the ethical dilemma of nuclear weapons grosses $1 billion? Dozens of folks have come up to me since the summertime saying I was unrecognizably subtle as Lewis Strauss. To my fellow nominees, let’s not pretend this is a compliment.” He also commended the changes made to the Golden Globes membership following a scandal over corruption and a lack of diversity.
Cillian Murphy, known for his role in ‘Peaky Blinders,’ paid tribute to Christopher Nolan’s unwavering commitment to the project, joking about the absence of seating options for actors on Nolan’s set. Murphy also humorously noted the high number of Irish nominees in this year’s awards season.
In a historic moment, Lily Gladstone, star of Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ became the first indigenous person to win the Best Drama Actress award. She began her acceptance speech by speaking the Algonquian language Blackfoot, representing her Blackfeet Indian Reservation roots. In the film, Gladstone portrayed Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman whose family members face tragedy as part of a plot by white settlers.
In the television categories, ‘Succession‘ claimed the spotlight, winning multiple awards following its highly acclaimed fourth and final season. Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, and Matthew Macfadyen took home top acting honors. The show was also awarded the title of Best Drama Series, considered one of the night’s most prestigious television awards.
A new category, the Box Office Achievement Award, was introduced this year, and ‘Barbie‘ emerged as the inaugural winner, recognizing its impressive $1.4 billion global earnings. Margot Robbie, the star of ‘Barbie,‘ expressed gratitude to fans and the Golden Globes for celebrating moviegoers. Billie Eilish also won Best Original Song for “What Was I Made For?” from the film’s soundtrack.
In the midst of these accomplishments, Da’Vine Joy Randolph secured the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in ‘The Holdovers,’ while Paul Giamatti was named Best Leading Actor in a drama for his performance in the same film.
‘Anatomy of a Fall‘ won Best Foreign Language Film and Best Screenplay, and its director, Justine Triet, shared insights into the unique experience of writing the film during the pandemic.
The television category featured several other notable winners, including Steven Yeun and Ali Wong for their performances in ‘Beef,’ and Elizabeth Debicki, who was named Best Supporting Actress in a TV series for her portrayal of Princess Diana in ‘The Crown.’
Emma Stone’s performance in ‘Poor Things‘ earned her the title of Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, with the film also being recognized as the Best Musical or Comedy Film.
The Golden Globes mark the beginning of the film awards season, setting the stage for the highly anticipated Oscars ceremony scheduled for March 10th, 2024.