The Golden Globes kicks off the awards party tonight – and there could be a few surprises
While the Oscars bestows the film industry’s highest honours, the Golden Globes is the ceremony that gets the awards season party started.
Emilia Perez, which stars Selena Gomez and tells the story of a Mexican drug lord who changes gender, leads the nominations with 10, while postwar epic The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody, has seven, and papal thriller Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, has six.
After surpassing Mamma Mia earlier this week to become the highest-grossing film ever adapted from a Broadway musical, Wicked has four nods – and seems certain to follow in the perfectly arched footsteps of Barbie by clinching the prize for cinematic and box office achievement.
The Golden Globes also celebrates TV – with The Bear, Shogun, Only Murders In The Building, Baby Reindeer, The Penguin and Monsters among the big nominees.
This year’s ceremony takes place in Los Angeles later today, so you’ll have to stay up late if you plan to follow in the UK.
Ahead of the show, here are a few things to look out for.
Musicals lead the way
Selena Gomez as Jessi in Emilia Perez. Pic: Shanna Besson/Page 114/Why Not Productions/Pathe Films/ France 2 Cinema
All singing, often dancing – it seems the world has really been holding space for musicals over the past 12 months.
Operatic musical Emilia Perez comfortably has the most nominations of all the films in the running, while Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, has been the most talked about film of the year (not least because of the viral press tour).
Both Erivo and Grande are nominated in acting categories – for Grande, it is her first Golden Globe nod for her performance as Glinda, and she competes in the best supporting female actor in a motion picture category against fellow pop star Gomez and Zoe Saldana, who also stars in Emilia Perez.
Erivo is up for the award for best female actor in a motion picture musical or comedy, alongside Zendaya for romantic sports film Challengers, Karla Sofia Gascon for Emilia Perez, Demi Moore for The Substance, Amy Adams for Nightbitch, and a breakout performance from Mikey Madison for Anora, a film about a young sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch.
Read more: Anora – the film opening the conversation about sex work
Surprise surprise
Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s Conclave. Pic: Philippe Antonello/Focus Features 2024
Last year’s nominations were led by Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, the latter of which went on to win pretty much every award going, including best picture at the Oscars.
While the Barbenheimer buzz was fun for a while, Oppenheimer’s domination made awards season pretty predictable (and, some might say, a little dull). This year, Wicked aside, there are no such obvious contenders.
The Brutalist, which follows Brody as a Hungarian architect attempting to build a life in the US after the Second World War, seems to be a favourite for best drama, as well as a best actor win for its star, and best director for Brady Corbet.
But it faces tough competition from Conclave, in which Fiennes plays a priest who has to select a new pope, as well as A Complete Unknown, starring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan. Awards voters love a biopic, after all.
In the musical/comedy category, experts for awards prediction site Gold Derby seem to be split three ways, between Wicked, Emilia Perez, and Anora – whose star Madison is also tipped to beat the likes of Erivo and Moore in her category.
Read more: The full list of nominations
Celeb spotting
Pamela Anderson in The Last Showgirl. Pic: Roadside Attractions
After a difficult few years, the Golden Globes are still in comeback mode.
Following an expose over a lack of diversity among members, the ceremony was held in private and boycotted by celebs in 2022 and didn’t quite fully bounce back in 2023.
Now, with a new organising body and after appearances by lots of A-listers last year, it looks set to bring some mega-watt star appeal once again.
Angelina Jolie – a favourite for best actress for her portrayal of opera singer Maria Callas in Maria – Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman, Chalamet and Moore are just a few of the big-name nominees, alongside Grande and Gomez. Pamela Anderson is also on the list – nominated for best actress in a drama for her performance in The Last Showgirl.
Read more: Ralph Fiennes on Conclave: ‘It’s not a facile takedown’
British and Irish hopefuls
Eddie Redmayne in The Day Of The Jackal. Pic: Sky UK/ Carnival Film & Television Limited 2024
And it’s not just Hollywood making up the star-studded guest list, as loads of British celebs are in the running for awards, too, from Eddie Redmayne for his performance in Sky’s The Day Of The Jackal, to Keira Knightley for Netflix’s Black Doves.
Other British stars on the shortlists include Kate Winslet (nominated in both the TV and film categories for The Regime and Lee), Gary Oldman for hit Apple TV+ series Slow Horses, Hugh Grant for horror movie Heretic, Felicity Jones for The Brutalist, Colin Farrell for The Penguin, and Daniel Craig for his film Queer, based on the 1985 novella by William S Burroughs. And Erivo, too.
Robbie Williams also gets a nod for best original song for his unique biopic, Better Man – his life story told through the medium of a computer-generated monkey.
Read more: Robbie Williams on Better Man
The stars who missed out
There’s no Golden Globe nod for Paul Mescal this year. Pic: Paramount Pictures
Unlike the Oscars, the Globes covers both TV and film and also includes genre splits – with separate awards for dramas, and comedies and musicals. It means there are a lot of nominees in the running for awards.
Still, there were a few big names absent from the shortlists.
While his co-star Washington is up for a supporting award, Gladiator II star Paul Mescal missed out on a nod – as did director Sir Ridley Scott.
The original film won the best picture Golden Globe in 2001 and star Russell Crowe was nominated in the best acting category for his performance.
British director Sir Steve McQueen’s Second World War drama film Blitz, starring Saoirse Ronan, is also absent from the nominations.
And while Dune: Part Two is up for best picture and best original score by Hans Zimmer, director Denis Villeneuve has not been recognised.
Read more: Paul Mescal on Gladiator II
First female solo host
Host Nikki Glaser is ready for the Golden Globes. Pic: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Yes, you read that right. While Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted the ceremony several times as a double act, comedian Nikki Glaser will be the first woman to take the reins solo.
Some of the ceremony’s most memorable moments have come not from the stars, but the hosts themselves – Ricky Gervais‘s caustic takedowns of the A-listers in the audience were always a favourite.
It’s a big gig, with not just the audience to impress, but the millions who will watch and see the clips all over social media later on. Jo Koy, who hosted last year, didn’t go down particularly well.
Fortunately, this year’s show should be suitably sharp in the hands of US stand-up Glaser, a comedian who is not afraid of being savage.
“It’s the best of TV and film coming together with one common goal: to receive the love and validation they never got as children from their parents,” she said. “Sunday night is a night to celebrate TV and film, actors and directors, Xanax and tequila.”
The Golden Globes take place in LA, with the red carpet starting at about 11.30pm UK time and the ceremony starting at 1am on Monday.
Kanye West has deleted his X account after being criticised over a series of offensive posts on the social media platform.
The US rapper, also known as Ye, was criticised for posting “hate-filled” remarks about Jewish people.
On Friday many of his posts centred on the Jewish community and he said “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi”.
Another post said: “I’m never apologising for my Jewish comments.”
Following the posts, West’s account had a “sensitive content warning” added to it.
But the 47-year-old now appears to have deleted his X account.
“I’m logging out of Twitter,” he wrote. “I appreciate [X owner] Elon [Musk] for allowing me to vent.
“It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board. It was like an Ayahuasca trip.”
“Love all of you who gave me your energy and attention. To we connect again [sic]. Good afternoon and goodnight.”
During the Super Bowl show he had posted about Taylor Swift, writing: “IF ITS ABOUT THE CULTURE … WHY ARE WE LETTING TAYLOR SWIFT BE SEEN ON TV SINGING A SONG ABOUT TAKING A BLACK MAN DOWN AND ACCUSING OF THINGS THAT CAN TAKE A BLACK MAN DOWN FOR LIFE.”
Read more from Sky News:
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X owner Elon Musk. File pic: Reuters
Calls for Musk to remove West from platform
The Campaign Against Antisemitism had called on Mr Musk to remove West from X over a string of offensive posts.
A spokesperson said: “Once again, Ye has gone on an antisemitic rampage online. It couldn’t be any clearer that he is an unrepentant, proud antisemite.”
It added: “At a time of unprecedented antisemitism, there can be no mistaking this incitement for exactly what it is. We call on Elon Musk to remove him from X.”
Friends star David Schwimmer joined the group and others urging Mr Musk to remove West from the platform because of his “hate-filled, ignorant bile”.
The US actor said on his Instagram account: “This is so 2022. We can’t stop a deranged bigot from spewing hate filled, ignorant bile… but we CAN stop giving him a megaphone, Mr Musk.
“Kanye West has 32.7 million followers on your platform, X. That’s twice as many people than the number of Jews in existence. His sick hate speech results in REAL LIFE violence against Jews.
“I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that he identifies as a Nazi (which implies he wants to exterminate ALL marginalized communities including his own) or the fact that there is not sufficient OUTRAGE to remove and ban him from all social media at this point.”
“Silence is complicity,” he added.
Rapper has had account suspended before
It comes after West and his wife Bianca Censori caused controversy at the Grammy Awards when she wore a transparent dress on the red carpet as he stood by her.
The rapper has had his X account suspended at least twice in the past.
In October 2022, West’s account was restricted over antisemitic comments, but he returned to the platform the following month. He also made antisemitic remarks that led Adidas to cut ties with him.
In December 2022 it was suspended after he made antisemitic comments and praised Hitler.
At the time Mr Musk said the account would be suspended after Kanye posted an image appearing to show a swastika inside a Star of David.
He said the suspension was “for incitement to violence”. The account was unsuspended by July 2023.
The creator of TV crime dramas Silent Witness and New Tricks, Nigel McCrery, has died aged 71.
He had been diagnosed with a terminal illness in October 2024.
The screenwriter’s agent posted a photo on social media on Monday, paying tribute and confirming his death.
United Agents wrote: “It’s with a heavy heart that we share the news of screenwriter, author and producer Nigel McCrery’s passing.
“As the creative mind behind such hits as the much-loved, long-running BBC drama series Silent Witness and New Tricks, Nigel captivated and inspired audiences for years with his work.
“His numerous contributions to the arts will always be remembered. Nigel had an incredible career and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”
Running for 28 series and still ongoing, Silent Witness follows a team of forensic pathologists investigating crimes. It is one of the BBC’s longest-running dramas.
New Tricks, about a group of retired detectives helping police solve cold cases, aired for over a decade, across 12 series.
The current cast of Silent Witness. Pic: BBC
McCrery began his career working as a police officer with the Nottinghamshire Constabulary murder squad, where he developed an interest in forensic science.
He left the force after a decade to study at Cambridge University, after which he began working for the BBC, eventually ending up in the drama department.
It was there he wrote his first TV series, police procedural Backup, in 1995, which ran for two years.
Silent Witness followed, airing in 1996, initially starring Amanda Burton as the lead detective, before Emilia Fox’s character took the reins in the eighth series.
A 29th series is expected to follow the one which aired at the start of this year. The drama is also broadcast around the world.
Some of the cast of New Tricks, which finished in 2015. Pic: BBC
New Tricks, which starred Dennis Waterman across all 12 series, premiered in 2003, with its final episode showing in 2015.
McCrery also penned All The King’s Men – a First World War drama starring Sir David Jason, medical drama Born And Bred, and Impact, about a group of air accident investigators, all of which aired on the BBC.
He also wrote several novels, a play and numerous military history books.
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