The 81st annual Golden Globes are underway, with The Holdovers and Oppenheimer taking early wins.
The first award of the evening went to Da’Vine Joy Randolph for her supporting role in The Holdovers, her first nomination and win. After mistakenly thanking the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which no longer backs the Golden Globes, she turned to her collaborators. “To Alexander Payne, thank you for giving me the opportunity to portray this beautiful and flawed woman,” she said, while also calling out her “two partners in crime, her Holdovers co-stars, Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa. She also dedicated her award to her character, Mary Lamb. “Oh Mary, you have changed my life,” said Randolph. “You have made me feel seen in so many ways that I have never imagined.”
“I took a beta blocker, so this is going to be a breeze,” joked supporting actor winner Robert Downey Jr., who earned his fourth Golden Globe for his role as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. “Folks have come up to me since the summertime saying that I was, quote, ‘unrecognizably subtle’ as Leonard Struass. To my fellow nominees: Let’s not pretend this is a compliment. This is more of a most improved player thing.” He also ended his speech with a nod to the updated Golden Globes organization: “And lastly, Golden Globes journalists, thanks for changing your game, therefore changing your name.”
Netflix’s Beef won two key awards early in the evening, with stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong taking home their first Golden Globes for best actor and actress, respectively, in a limited series.
The Golden Globes telecast moved to CBS this year, having left its longtime home at NBC after last year’s ceremony following years of controversy over the conduct of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The 2004 Golden Globes mark the first since the HFPA was replaced as the Globes’ backer.
In June 2023, Dick Clark Productions and Eldridge acquired all of the Globes’ assets, rights and properties from the HFPA. The resulting Golden Globes organization has since significantly revamped the Globes’ voting body, which is now made up of 300 journalists from around the world, representing 76 countries. DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge that also owns The Hollywood Reporter.
Read the full list of 2024 Golden Globe winners here.
