At the reimagined Golden Globes, which aired on CBS for the first time, the evening transpired largely as predicted, with minimal genuine shocks. Hosted by Jo Koy, the telecast featured a monologue that lacked many jokes but included some quips, creating perhaps the biggest snub of the night for Koy’s own career. While there were a few surprises, notably in categories where “Barbie” faced unexpected setbacks, the overall predictability of the event stood out.
“Barbie” Loses Best Comedy to “Poor Things” In the Musical/Comedy category, typically prone to category fraud, “Barbie” surprisingly lost to “Poor Things.” The upset marked one of the rare surprises of the night, with Emma Stone winning for her role in “Poor Things,” which explores unique perspectives on identity and womanhood.
Taylor Swift Loses the New “Popular” Globe to “Barbie” In the newly introduced category honoring cinematic and box office achievement, “Barbie” claimed victory over Taylor Swift’s concert film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” Despite its status as the most popular movie of 2023, “Barbie” had previously lost in the Best Comedy category, making this win a consolation prize.
“Anatomy of a Fall” Beats “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” for Screenplay In a surprising turn, the French courtroom thriller “Anatomy of a Fall” won the Best Screenplay award over heavyweight contenders like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” The unexpected win added an element of unpredictability to the evening.
Elizabeth Debicki Beats Meryl Streep in TV Supporting Actress Elizabeth Debicki’s win for TV Supporting Actress, portraying Princess Diana in the final season of “The Crown,” defied odds that favored Meryl Streep or Hannah Waddingham. This victory marked the second time an actor won a Globe for portraying Princess Diana in “The Crown.”
Ricky Gervais Wins New Stand-Up Award Ricky Gervais secured a win for his Netflix special “Armageddon” in the new Stand-Up category, proving his enduring mainstream appeal. Despite his controversial reputation, Gervais emerged victorious, defeating Chris Rock.
“The Boy and the Heron” Beats “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” for Animated Film In a somewhat expected yet notable turn, “The Boy and the Heron” directed by animation legend Hayao Miyazaki, beat out the acclaimed “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” for the Animated Film award. Both films were recognized as among the best of the year.
Despite the few surprises, the revamped Golden Globes largely followed anticipated outcomes, maintaining a level of predictability throughout the event.
