Sunday's Golden Globes had the foolish, the intense and Taylor Swift, too

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LOS ANGELES — They could not have had lukewarm chardonnay on the tables, as nominee Jennifer Lawrence had predicted. However the 81st Golden Globes had a little bit of all the pieces else: Some silliness, some seriousness, a little bit of historical past, a couple of good jokes and lots of dangerous ones, a great deal of stars — and one Taylor Swift, who did not ascend the rostrum however nonetheless made her presence generally known as maybe solely Swift can.

One decisive pattern emerged: Within the nice “Barbenheimer” showdown of awards season 2024, spherical one went to the “heimer” half. Christopher Nolan’s sweeping biopic “Oppenheimer” dominated the night, amongst its wins the prize for finest drama, finest director for Nolan, and finest actor (Cillian Murphy) and supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.). Greta Gerwig’s candy-colored “Barbie,” in the meantime, misplaced to upset victor “Poor Issues” within the comedy/musical class, however gained the brand new cinematic and field workplace achievement award, in addition to finest track for Billie Eilish’s wistful “What Was I Made For.”

It could be unwise to rely “Barbie” out, however it was a disappointing evening for her followers, and in addition for one more fearsome pressure: Swifties. The pop celebrity, who spent 2023 smashing all information in sight, misplaced out on her fifth Globe nomination. However she surprised on the carpet in shimmering Gucci inexperienced, and later created a meme-worthy second when she reacted with a seemingly icy glare to a joke about her by host Jo Koy.

Swift was not alone in her displeasure; at one level the jokes had been falling flat sufficient for Koy to cease and clarify that he’d had solely 10 days to arrange.

The gang laughed more durable at Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig, who made an amusing little bit of pretending — insisting — that the ceremony was “a severe evening.” The joke was that few really take the ceremony severely. Famous presenter Mark Hamill: “It is the one awards present with an open bar.”

However it was certainly a severe be aware that served as an emotional highpoint: Lily Gladstone, of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” grew to become the primary Indigenous winner of finest actress in a drama, talking within the Blackfeet language and reminding the gang that there are nonetheless vital advances to be celebrated.

Some notable moments of the night:

A bumpy begin

Koy obtained a couple of laughs with a joke in regards to the prolonged “Oppenheimer,” saying, “I wanted one other hour.” However because the monologue went on, it was clear that the comedian wanted one thing else: sharper jokes from the writers. Cameras caught adverse reactions from celebs like Harrison Ford and Selena Gomez, and the “Barbie” staff didn’t seem amused when he famous that “Oppenheimer” was primarily based on severe materials however their very own movie was primarily based on “a plastic doll with large boobies.”

Koy sought to defend himself. “Yo, I obtained the gig 10 days in the past. You need an ideal monologue?” He added: “I wrote a few of these, they usually’re those you are laughing at.”

They are not known as that …

When Da’Vine Pleasure Randolph gained for her acclaimed supporting actress efficiency in “The Holdovers,” she duly thanked the Hollywood Overseas Press Affiliation. Solely drawback: The HFPA is now defunct, and lots of within the viewers responded audibly: “They are not known as that.” After a number of years of turmoil that adopted the revelation that the HFPA had no Black members, the Golden Globes had been acquired final yr by Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions and become a for-profit enterprise. Some 300 leisure journalists now vote for the awards. Later, Randolph spoke in regards to the vibe of the night. “It is a get together in there,” she mentioned. “It is a good time. We obtained by way of the pandemic. We caught by way of our two strikes. There is a sense of buzz in there.”

… And he wasn’t known as that

Successful an early award for finest supporting actor, Downey Jr. advised the gang he had taken a beta-blocker, so “that is going to be a breeze.” He then misspoke the identify of his character, authorities official Lewis Strauss. “Dozens of parents have come as much as me for the reason that summertime saying that I used to be, I quote, ‘unrecognizably refined as Leonard Strauss,'” the actor mentioned. “To my fellow nominees, let’s not faux it is a praise.”

‘Succession’ succeeds efficiently

To no person’s shock, “Succession,” the HBO drama in regards to the Roy household dynasty, had plenty of success, successful finest drama in addition to main performing awards for Kieran Culkin, Matthew Macfadyen and Sarah Snook. Macfadyen mentioned he’d loved each second of taking part in the “bizarre human grease stain” that was Tom Wambsgans. Culkin, who performed troubled son Roman Roy, advised the gang how he’d been nominated for a Golden Globe 20 years in the past and by no means thought he’d be again, and playfully taunted his co-nominee, Pedro Pascal of “The Final of Us,” quipping: “Suck it, Pedro. Mine!” And Snook, who performed Shiv Roy, ascended the stage and mentioned: “Oh, wow. I used to be form of hoping I did not need to stand up. Kieran’s normally higher at these speeches, proper? Do not you wish to stand up as a substitute?”

Do not be imply

Additionally on the TV aspect, Hulu’s kitchen-based “The Bear” gained large – taking finest comedy collection. Jeremy Allen White gained for the second time, and Ayo Edebiri gained her first Globe for her personal lead efficiency, charming the ballroom crowd when she thanked the assistants of her brokers and managers. “To the individuals who reply my emails, you are the true ones,” she mentioned, She added: “If I forgot to thanks, I am sorry. Except you had been imply or one thing. Okay, bye!”

If seems to be might kill

When “Barbie” gained the brand new award for cinematic and field workplace achievement, it beat out the nominee many thought would win: “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” Nonetheless, Swift, whose attendance was in query till her boyfriend, Travis Kelce of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, was dominated inactive for the day’s sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers, was a glamorous addition to the night (Bruce Springsteen was there, too) in her customized Gucci robe. The digital camera minimize to her a number of occasions, however she was not glad when Koy joked that the distinction between the Globes and the NFL was that the NFL had extra response photographs of Swift. She stared forward and took a sip of her drink.

The significance of phrases

It wasn’t removed from anybody’s minds that Hollywood is rising from historic actors and writers strikes, and one of many extra intelligent presenter bits highlighted the significance of screenwriters. Daniel Kaluuya, Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld joked that they’d requested for his or her section to be written not by writers however by studio executives. “What’s up, Shameik,” Kaluuya mentioned, robotically. “Not a lot, Daniel. How are you, Hailee?” Moore mentioned. “I’m relatable,” Steinfeld mentioned. The screenplay award they offered had a shock winner: Justine Triet, writer-director of “Anatomy of a Fall,” beating out each “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”

A historic win

The night’s emotional highpoint got here with the penultimate award, when Gladstone gained finest actress in a drama for Martin Scorsese’s epic “Killers of the Flower Moon,” turning into the primary Indigenous winner within the class. She opened her speech within the Blackfeet language, explaining backstage that “it was one of many extra pure issues I might do within the second.” In her speech, Gladstone, who performed Osage neighborhood member Mollie Burkhart, pronounced her win historic and mentioned: “That is for each little rez child, each little city child, each little Native child on the market who has a dream, who’s seeing themselves represented and our tales advised — by ourselves, in our personal phrases — with large allies and large belief from and with one another.”

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AP Leisure Writers Maria Sherman and Jonathan Landrum Jr. contributed to this report.