NEW YORK (AP) – With nominees appearing via remote video and presenters Tina Fey and Amy Poehler across different parts of the country, a socially distant 78th Golden Globe Awards has advanced amid the pandemic and a storm of criticism.
Fey took the stage in New York’s Rainbow Room, while Poehler stayed at the Globes’ usual home at the Beverly Hilton. In their opening remarks, they managed their normally timely comings and goings, despite being almost 3,000 miles apart.
“I always knew my career would end with me wandering around the Rainbow Room pretending to speak to Amy,” said Fey. “I just thought it would be later.”
They appeared before masked participants, but without stars. Instead, the tables were occupied by “essential rescuers and workers,” said Fey.
In a production nightmare, but one that became familiar during the pandemic, the first winner of the night received his award without sound. Only after host Laura Dern apologized, Daniel Kaluuya, who won the award for best supporting actor for his role as Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in “Judas and the Black Messiah”, made his speech. When he finally answered, he pointed his finger at the cameraman and said, “You’re getting me dirty!”
The improvisation pandemic was only part of damage control for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which features the Globes. After the Los Angeles Times revealed that there are no black members in the HFPA’s 87-person voting body, the press association – which Ricky Gervais called last year “very, very racist” in his monologue – came under increasing pressure to overhaul itself and better reflect the industry in which it owns.
This year, none of the most acclaimed black-led films – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, “One Night in Miami”, “Judas and the Black Messiah”, “Da 5 Bloods” – were nominated for the Globes’ best film award . With HFPA potentially fighting for its life in Hollywood, Sunday’s Globo was part of the apology tour. Fey and Poehler started the matter quickly.
“Look, a lot of loud garbage has been indicated, but it does,” said Poehler. “This is their thing. But a number of black actors and projects led by blacks have been overlooked. “
In the first half hour of NBC’s broadcast, members of the press association also appeared on stage to promise change. “We recognize that we have our own work to do,” said Vice President Helen Hoehne. “We must have black journalists in our organization.”
The show, postponed two months from its usual perch in early January, promised little of the glamor that makes Globos one of the most sparkling and flashy events of the year. Due to the pandemic, there was no parade of stars on the red carpet outside the Beverly Hilton.
When participants would normally be walking down the red carpet on Sunday night, many stars were posing virtually. Regina King, resplendent in a stunning dress, stood before her yawning dog. Carey Mulligan, nominated for “Promising Young Woman,” said from a hotel room in London that she was wearing heels for the first time in more than a year.
Circumstances have led to some award anomalies. Mark Ruffalo won the award for best actor in a series limited by “I Know This Much Is True”, with his children celebrating behind him and his wife, Sunrise Coigney, seated next door. John Boyega, winner of the supporting actor for his performance in Steve McQueen’s “Small Ax” anthology, raised his leg to show he was wearing training pants below his most elegant white jacket.
Other awards included Pixar’s “Soul” for best animated film, Catherine O’Hara (“Schitt’s Creek”) for best actress in a comedy series; and Aaron Sorkin (“Trial of the Chicago 7 ″) for best script. The film, a favorite to win the best drama award on the Globe, was sold to Netflix by Paramount Pictures last summer due to the pandemic. “Netflix saved our lives,” said Sorkin.
As showtime approached, the reaction against HFPA threatened to overwhelm the Globes. However, the Globes persisted because of its popularity (the program ranks as the third most watched award program, after the Oscars and Grammys), its profitability (NBC paid $ 60 million for broadcast rights in 2018) and because they serve as important marketing material for rival films and Oscar candidates. This may be especially true this year, when the pandemic disrupted normal rhythms of unrest in a season of virtual awards lacking the usual frenzy.
The Globes are taking place on the original Oscar date, which will be held on April 25.
Netflix arrives with 42 nominations, including six nods to David Fincher “Mank” and “The Crown”, also surpassing those nominated for TV with six nods. “The Trial of the Chicago 7”, by Aaron Sorkin, also from Netflix, is also a heavyweight with five nominations.