Best and Worst Moments From the 2024 Golden Globes

The Golden Globes had rather a lot to show Sunday night time. It was the award present’s return to a primo broadcast time slot after a sequence of scandals over funds and lack of range upended what was once often known as the largest celebration of the yr in Hollywood. Now privately owned with a tremendously expanded pool of voters, the Globes had been making a bid for relevance. Did that bid succeed? Well, it helped that this was the primary main televised ceremony for the reason that writers’ and actors’ strikes introduced Hollywood to a halt, and stars and studios trying to goose their Oscar probabilities turned out after some skipped final yr’s occasion. Then once more, this wasn’t the liveliest present. Here are the highs and lows as we noticed them.

Most Historic Win: Lily Gladstone

In a momentous triumph, Lily Gladstone turned the primary Indigenous individual to win a Golden Globe for finest actress, for her flip in “Killers of the Flower Moon” as an Osage girl whose relations are killed in a plot to take their fortune. Gladstone, whose background is Blackfeet and Nez Perce, was solely the second Native actress to obtain recognition from the Globes: Irene Bedard was nominated in 1995 for “Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee,” a tv film.

After receiving a standing ovation, an overcome Gladstone spoke a couple of traces within the Blackfeet language, “the beautiful community nation that raised me, that encouraged me to keep going, keep doing this,” she defined in English.

“I’m so grateful that I can speak even a little bit of my language,” she added later, “because in this business, Native actors used to speak their lines in English, and then the sound mixers would run them backwards to accomplish Native languages on camera.” She devoted the award to “every little rez kid” who had a dream. — Esther Zuckerman

In the top, the nice “Barbenheimer” face-off was a whole fizzle. “Oppenheimer,” with eight nominations, gained 5 trophies — finest drama, director, actor, supporting actor and rating. After sitting on the sidelines for many of the night time, “Barbie,” the ceremony’s most-nominated movie, with 9 nods, lastly received within the recreation with a win within the somewhat meaningless class of finest blockbuster (“cinematic and box office achievement”). “Barbie” received a second prize within the type of finest track, which was form of a no brainer as a result of the movie’s tunes crammed three of the class’s six slots. Time to rev up that Oscar marketing campaign, Babs! — Brooks Barnes

Best Looks: Stars Dressing on a Theme

Just in case anybody forgot in regards to the “Barbie” impact of final yr, which turned total crowds pink, Margot Robbie managed to out-“Barbie” her personal purple carpets previous in a sequined slither of scorching pink Armani paired with a bristling pink tulle boa, all of it impressed by the 1977 Superstar Barbie.

As it turned out, nevertheless, that was only the start of the on-theme dressing. Oprah Winfrey wore Louis Vuitton within the shade purple, in honor of — you guessed it — “The Color Purple,” for which she served as a producer. And Taylor Swift wore glimmering Gucci within the kind of brilliant leafy shade that evoked nothing a lot as the colour of cash and made it inconceivable to overlook simply how a lot inexperienced her Eras Tour has generated.

Together they made for a extra fascinating development than the normal strapless frocks that additionally proliferated. (The better of these being Elle Fanning’s classic Balmain and Rosamund Pike’s not-quite-vintage 2019 Dior: If you’re going to go together with the classics, may as effectively return to the supply.) And the theme dressing added a brand new dimension to the brand-marketing machine that the purple carpet has turn into. — Vanessa Friedman

Flattest Monologue: Jo Koy

I had excessive hopes for Jo Koy, the 52-year-old Filipino American comic who is just the second Asian American to host the Golden Globes. (Sandra Oh was the primary, in 2019.) But Koy’s opening monologue felt like a spotlight reel of mortifying moments. From a bizarre joke about being interested in a plastic Barbie to at least one in regards to the “Killers of the Flower Moon” filmmakers stealing the plot, Koy’s jokes met an icy reception from the viewers. To be honest, he had barely any time to arrange. “I got the gig 10 days ago!” he stated from the stage. “You want a perfect monologue?” It’s a disgrace, however Koy’s jokes will most likely find yourself being finest remembered for the memes they encourage on social media. — Christopher Kuo

Flattest Joke: Koy Riffing on Taylor Swift

Why you gotta be so imply? The host’s jokes didn’t actually enhance because the night time went on.

“We came on after a football doubleheader,” Koy stated because the ceremony returned from its first business break. “The big difference between the Golden Globes and the N.F.L.? On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.”

Koy appeared to swallow the phrase “camera” as he stated it. And when the precise digicam, on cue, panned to Swift, she appeared deeply unamused, her lips pursed, her eyes stern as she sipped a drink.

It is true that Swift has been proven many, many instances on N.F.L. telecasts since she started displaying up at Kansas City Chiefs video games to cheer on the crew’s tight finish, Travis Kelce.

But Koy’s joke, on the expense of maybe essentially the most well-known individual in a room filled with well-known folks, fell flat once more. So flat, that he muttered, “Sorry about that.” — Matt Stevens

Best Speech With a Twist: Steven Yeun

The most entertaining speeches take us on a journey. That’s what Steven Yeun did when he gained for actor in a restricted sequence for his function in “Beef.” He began out with a critical and weak tone, saying, “The story I usually tell of myself to myself is one of isolation and, like, separateness.” But then he threw in a twist, saying that when he climbed onto the stage he realized that — wait, that interior monologue “feels a lot like the plot to ‘Frozen.’” It was sudden but heartfelt, a joke for his daughter. — Brooks Barnes

Best Speeches With a Dose of Honesty: Kieran Culkin and Robert Downey Jr.

Awards present speeches are usually mash-ups of gushing adjectives meant to speak most gratitude — “amazings” and “incredibles” aplenty — however a few actors had been refreshingly measured of their delight. This isn’t the Oscars, in any case. Winning for his function as Roman Roy in “Succession,” Kieran Culkin informed the viewers, merely, “This is a nice moment for me.” And when Robert Downey Jr. stepped as much as the microphone, he deflected applause for his supporting efficiency in “Oppenheimer” by addressing the prescription medicine powering his nonchalance onstage: “Yeah, yeah, I took a beta blocker,” he stated, “so this is going to be a breeze.” — Julia Jacobs

Biggest Upset: Best Screenplay for ‘Anatomy of a Fall’

The earlier group of Golden Globe voters may all the time be counted on to provide us a couple of unpredictable wins, and although they weren’t all the time welcome swerves, they at the least lent the night time a cost of anything-could-happen frisson. That feeling was laborious to come back by this yr, due to a sequence of respectable, secure decisions, although the sudden triumph of “Anatomy of a Fall” within the screenplay class definitely awakened the ballroom: In years previous, Globe voters nearly definitely would have chosen a starrier choose like “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer,” and it was enjoyable to get a worthy upset. — Kyle Buchanan

The Globes added a brand new box-office trophy this yr, with nominees required to have earned at the least $150 million (or, as the rules put it, “commensurate digital streaming viewership”). The complete factor is just a little foolish, particularly in a yr by which two big hits — “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — had been additionally well-liked with critics and nominated for a lot of awards. Is it an effort to revive the academy’s broadly derided try so as to add a finest well-liked movie class to the Oscars? Or simply to get extra A-listers within the room (together with, sure, Taylor Swift)?

Entertainment plaudits are principally made up of vibes and campaigning, meant to create heated discussions. But if there’s something in motion pictures that’s inconceivable to argue with, it’s field workplace receipts and clicks. So what was the undisputed greatest field workplace achievement in 2023? “Barbie.” Who gained this new Globe? “Barbie.” Who else may it have been? — Alissa Wilkinson

Best Writers’ Revenge: A Script ‘Written’ by Studio Executives

Perhaps as an ode to the not too long ago settled Hollywood writers’ strike, the presenters Daniel Kaluuya, Hailee Steinfeld and Shameik Moore introduced they’d introduce the most effective screenplay nominees with phrases written by studio executives — though given the dry, stilted language, the script might effectively have been generated by ChatGPT.

“I am relatable,” Steinfeld intoned. “I am enjoy the Golden Globes.”

“I do agree,” Moore stated.

“As do I,” Kaluuya agreed.

At least the “executives” generated a couple of laughs.

— Jonathan Abrams

Least Satisfying Reunion: ‘Suits’

What is a “Suits” reunion with out Meghan Markle? The law-firm drama that has discovered unprecedented success on Netflix greater than a decade after its debut deserved a second within the solar only for the sheer variety of viewers it accrued in latest months. And I’m certain the actors Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Gina Torres and Sarah Rafferty had been thrilled to current the award for finest drama sequence. But the place was Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who was a star of the present and performed a key character? She doesn’t stay very removed from the Beverly Hilton, the place the ceremony was held. “Suits” followers needed to be thrilled that their beloved solid was alive and effectively, however with out Meghan, can you actually name it a reunion? — Nicole Sperling

Keeping issues fascinating visually throughout an awards present is usually a difficult job. Talking heads. Nominees. Award. Speech. Rinse. Repeat. But on Sunday night time, the producers combined it up by pulling a easy reversal and capturing among the presenters with the viewers within the background. It modified the texture whereas permitting us at house to peek behind among the presenters through the extra boring banter to take a look at the celebrities behind them. Who’s paying consideration? Who can’t be bothered? One downside was that the lighting didn’t all the time favor the presenters at these various angles. But total, it felt enjoyable and gave just a little jolt to the proceedings. — Mekado Murphy

Most Surprising (Apparent) Spoiler: ‘Anatomy of a Fall’

“Anatomy of a Fall” took house two Globes for its taut dissection of the frictions in a wedding, uncovered when a spouse is placed on trial and accused of pushing her husband to his dying at their house within the French Alps. Under the scrutiny of a courtroom and the couple’s preteen son, Sandra (Sandra Hüller) defends herself as viewers are left to plumb the proof for indicators of whether or not her husband’s dying resulted from an assault, an unintentional fall or his personal leaping.

But as she accepted the award for finest screenplay for the movie, written together with her husband, Arthur Harari, Justine Triet perhaps revealed what her script didn’t. Describing their considering once they accomplished the script, she stated: “OK we are having a lot of fun but it’s radical and dark, nobody’s going to see this movie. It’s too long, they talk all the time, there’s no score — a couple fighting, suicide, a dog vomiting. I mean, come on.” The (unintentional?) disclosure of the style of dying appeared out of step for one of many creators of a movie so meticulously constructed to go away audiences guessing. — Elena Bergeron

Best and Worst Reinvention: The Globes Themselves

With the Globes attempting to claw their technique to semi-legitimacy, this was a superbly cheap try, nevertheless it all felt perfunctory.

High: Intro segments have a tendency towards the cringey at each awards present, and there have been loads of awkward moments right here, too, however there have been some brilliant spots: Keri Russell and Ray Romano’s enjoyable repartee, Andra Day and Jon Batiste’s giggly banter and particularly Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell’s goofy dance bit. Ferrell’s signature outburst — “The Golden Globes have not changed!” — was most likely the largest snort of the night time.

Low: Kind of every thing? The complete ceremony had kind of a blah vitality. The speeches had been all tremendous, however none was particularly wild. The greatest shock got here when the printed included what seemed like glasses clattering to the ground. — Margaret Lyons