Golden Globe Nominations - The Movies
Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 9:20AM by Nathaniel R
Hollywood was up early for the Globe nominations. They were read this time by Sarah Jessica Parker and Taraji P Henson. As per usual it was absolute chaos with nonsensical snubs, controversies, and weird inclusions (everyone surely googling "Kate Hudson Music"), and happy news too like Michelle Pfeiffer snagging her 8th Globe nomination. The full list of movie nominations is after the jump...
Drama
- The Father
- Mank
- Nomadland
- Promising Young Woman
- Trial of the Chicago 7
Surprise ratio: Not much. This reads like a very Globe list.
What was left out: The most noticeable omission is that none of the three black dramas that have garnered so much awards press (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Da 5 Bloods, and One Night in Miami) were included. Also missing which might have happened are Minari and News of the World
Musical or Comedy
- Borat
- Hamilton
- Music
- Palm Springs
- The Prom
Surprise Ratio: A little. Music is the obvious... what's that? Whenever the Globes throw in a "what's that" it's something that hasn't opened yet but screened for them. This film opens February 12th and stars Kate Hudson as the new guardian of her half sister "Music" who is austistic.
Who was left out: Would have been nice to Emma. here, don't you think?
Actress, Drama
- Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Andra Day, United States vs Billie Holliday
- Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
- Frances McDormand, Nomadland
- Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Surprise ratio: Andra Day gives a traditional strong biopic performance so it's absolutely not a surprise though the movie's low profile (to date) made it not a sure thing
Who was left out: Winslet, Loren, Zendaya, Coon, Beharie, Adams (who would have been a very Globe choice)... These five might actually transfer all the way to Oscar night.
Actress, Musical or Comedy
- Maria Bakalova, Subsequent Moviefilm
- Kate Hudson, Music
- Michelle Pfeiffer, French Exit
- Rosamund Pike, I Care A Lot
- Anya Taylor-Joy, Emma.
Surprise Ratio: OFF THE CHARTS. No Meryl Streep who the Globes love twice as much as the Oscars. Kate Hudson in Music? We'll have to look it up. Pike for a movie that only just barely started to screen. We expected to see Pfeiffer, Taylor-Joy, and Bakalova. This is Pfeiffer's 8th career nomination. Her first six were consecutive and all in Best Actress. How awesome is that?
Who was left out: Sad to not see Cristin Milioti here for Palm Springs. And again it's very strange and atypical to see the Globes leave Meryl Streep out, not once but twice: The Prom and Let Them All Talk.
Actor, Drama
- Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
- Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Anthony Hopkins, The Father
- Gary Oldman, Mank
- Tahar Rahim, The Mauritanian
Surprise Ratio: Tahar Rahim is a shock. He's a fine actor but usually when the Globes throw a surprise in its someone who is a mainstream US or UK star (like, oh, Kate Hudson)
Who was left out: Delroy Lindo, Mads Mikkelsen, Steven Yeun, Ben Affleck and Tom Hanks (either of whom woulda been a very Globe choice)
Actor, Musical or Comedy
- Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
- James Corden, The Prom
- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
- Dev Patel, Personal History of David Copperfield
- Andy Samberg, Palm Springs
Surprise Ratio: The Corden nod, while atrocious, would not have been a shock save for the fact that they DIDN'T nominate Meryl Streep who is 1,000 times better in the same movie. Bizarre. The rest is unsurprising and kind of lovely.
Who was left out: We're drawing a blank. Surely there's someone.
Supporting Actor
- Sacha Baron Cohen, Trial of the Chicago 7
- Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
- Jared Leto, The Little Things
- Bill Murray, On the Rocks
- Leslie Odom Jr, One Night in Miami
Surprise Ratio: LOL. Leto. This is as embarassing as the Corden nomination. On the other hand it's not so unGlobe like. Isn't this rather like the Aaron Taylor Johnson nod for Nocturnal Animals that one year. AND HE WON.
Who was left out: Actual Supporting Actors (sigh) as three of the five are leads.
Supporting Actress
- Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
- Olivia Colman, The Father
- Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian
- Amanda Seyfried, Mank
- Helena Zengel, News of the World
Surprise ratio: Helena Zengel is a teensy tiny bit of a surprise but not much since...
Who was left out: ...the Globes were never going to go for Youn Yuh-jung in Minari. That's not the way the play the awards game (sigh). The big "snub" is surely Ellen Burstyn since they obviously watched Pieces of a Woman.
Director
- Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
- David Fincher, Mank
- Regina King, One Night in Miami
- Aaron Sorkin, the Trial of the Chicago 7
- Chloe Zhao, Nomadland
Surprise ratio: none. The Globes LOVE directors who are either very famous or are big buzzy names that season (sometimes that makes their list better than Oscars list and sometimes that makes it worse). This is the first time women have dominated the Best Director category.
Who was left out: Given the Best Picture backing, Florian Zeller in The Father but he doesn't fit the Globe standard criteria for this category as they probably didn't know who he was.
Screenplay
- Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
- Jack Fincher, Mank
- Aaron Sorkin, Trial of the Chicago 7
- Florian Zeller and Christopher Hampton, The Father
- Chloe Zhao, Nomadland
Surprise ratio: none.
Who was left out: who wasn't? The Globes only have one category for screenplay so a bunch gets left out every season. The biggest miss in terms of Oscar appeal is probably One Night in Miami.
Foreign Language Film
- Another Round (Denmark)
- La Llorona (Guatemala)
- The Life Ahead (Italy)
- Minari (US)
- Two of Us (France)
Surprise Ratio: None as we are never surprised by their foreign choices which are impossible to forsee
What was left out: Too much to mention!
Note: The Life Ahead and Minari are not eligible in the parallel category at the Oscars but the other three could turn up... though we suspect the only transfer will be Another Round. The Globes and the Oscars RARELY see eye to eye in this category
Score
- Alexandre Desplat - Midnight Sky
- Ludwig Goransson - Tenet
- James Newton Howard - News of the World
- Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - Mank
- Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste - Soul
Surprise ratio: None
What was left out: The buzz on scores this year has been next to non-existent since Reznor & Ross have hogged all the attention but it's sad not to see Emile Mosseri's work in Minari.
Songs
- "Fight For You" -Judas and the Black Messiah
- "Hear My Voice" -Trial of the Chicago 7
- "Io Si (Seen)" -The Life Ahead
- "Speak Now" -One Night in Miami
- "Tigress & Tweed" - United States vs Billie Holliday
Surprise ratio: very minor as we never know what to expect in Song other than celebrities and we ggot that heer with Diane Warren, Leslie Odom Jr, and Andra Day. But it's sad that all of these are end credits songs. Nothing that's really part of the movie.
Who was left out: It's worth noting that no musicals were nominated. Nothing from Over the Moon or The Prom or even Music (which has Sia behind it and which they obviously liked... but maybe none of it is new songs?)
Animated Feature
- The Croods
- Onward
- Over the Moon
- Soul
- Wolfwalkers
Surprise Ratio: none. The Globes like it very mainstream in animated feature so this is exactly as expected. The Oscar list will not be the same.
What was left out: Anything unusual or from overseas (Wolfwalkers is from Ireland it has a high US profile)
What do you make of the Globe Movie nominations this year? (Abe will be covering the TV nods in a separate post)
Reader Comments (99)
I could never announce the Globes. I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face when reading some of these nominations.
Random Thoughts:
Manny: One million percent agree with you on Jones and Mescal. His snub stings the most as he gave THE performance of last year, movie, TV or otherwise.
I think I'm in a major minority, but I loved "The Prom" and, even as a gay man, was not offended by James Corden in the least.
I thought Carey Mulligan's chances were at risk when she criticized (erroneously in my opinion) a critic. But sometimes a performance is so good, it defies the conversation happening in the real world.
Had to Google the movie, "Music." It's wrong to hate a movie going in, but the lead character's name is actually Music. It looks like a fascinating train wreck.
Happy Thoughts: Tahir Rahim, Anya Taylor-Joy, Daniel Kaluuya, Dev Patel, and best of all, the luminous Michelle Pfeiffer.
Thats very bad news for zendaya
@Mike J.: Absolutely. I can't stop thinking about how expressive Mescal was in those episodes just with his eyes and nose and the slightest, almost imperceptible movement of his lips or mouth. Immediately in my all-time list.
Sigh.
I suppose Taylor-Joy's ascension and Pfeiffer's nomination will have to do.
One Comedy Actress (and Comedy Picture) contender that you're not considering and, personally, kind of stings, is Birds of Prey. That would have been cool.
Hillbilly Elegy is not a good movie. But Glenn is the best thing about it by far. I think it's some of her better recent work. I'm glad to see her nominated here. But it's such a shame that the movie couldn't have been better.
Overall, I can live with these nominations. The GGs have always kind of been star f*ckers. So, I'm not surprised to see some silly nominations like Leto, Foster and Samberg. The love for Mank is a little baffling (Seyfried is MVP, but not Oscar worthy - and Oldman is back to his scenery chewing). Wish Minari had gotten more noms. Wish Paul Raci and Ellen Burstyn were in the mix. But, overall, I can live with it.
Charlie G -- agreed on Hillbilly. I can also live with these because there's enough good to be happy about it although i've rarely been as embarrassed for them as I am with the Leto & Corden nominations, both of whom are ideal Razzie candidates.
Manny & Mike -- totally agree on Mescal. instant legend but my god that's going to be hard for him to live up to. Like Chalamet walking away from Call Me By Your Name.
Cash -- LOLOLOL. good one. i agree.
How does that sentence make sense "Instant Legend".
Not to be reductive, but as far as film titles and character names go, Music=Radio.
And I May Destroy You is the best thing on television since "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency."
Dan - agreed. She needs SAG tomorrow.
@NathanielR: I honestly think Mescal will be just fine. Chalamet wishes he had the movement of expression on his body/face that Mescal does, but let’s not compare tomatoes and oranges as that’s unfair to both.
Holy moly: Mescal as Oliver?! Can you IMAGINE?!?!
Glenn lives another day. Looks like Seyfried & Colman are the ones to beat there, with Youn not translating her golden critics run into a Globes nom. She should still be Oscar-nommed though. Really wonder what the Oscars are going to do with Bakalova, I can't see her winning one though.
I'm really starting to think it's Carey Mulligan's time. Granted, it's not the kind of film or role Oscar typically goes for, but she's fantastic in it, she's paid her dues, and neither McDormand (a third?) nor Davis (relatively little screen time, Boseman really dominates) feel quite right to me. Also, I think the controversy and the outrage over the Variety review only help Mulligan's cause - a vote for her would also be a statement against perceived sexism in journalism. There are plenty of members of The Actors Branch who are none too fond of critics...
Mulligan’s win would be fantastic. Hers is my favorite female performance of the year by a wide, wide margin. Electric on the screen in a way none of the other contenders were for me. Terrific if it comes to be true.
Oh, Globes. So often you're ridiculous, but at least you are never dull.
Cristin Milioti really should have gotten in for lead actress in a comedy. What's I Care a Lot?
Happy for Helena Zengel - she was terrific in News of the World.
It's always exciting to see the Globe nominations.
It makes me wonder if Italy should have submitted The Life Ahead for the Oscars instead of Notturno. We'll see.
A surprise to see a "lone director" nomination for Regina King. With 10 Best Picture slots, the Globes rarely have lone directors. And it's surprising she got in but the film didn't. But maybe it was close. Anyway, good for her - an award-winning actor and an acclaimed director.
And it's so nice to see Jodie Foster's name back on a nominations list - even though I haven't seen the film and don't know what she's like in it!.
Disappointed for Ben Affleck and Seth Rogen, but Congratulations to the Nominees!
Is Jamie OK?
@Unknown I don't think that Golden Globes care about being racist. Look at how they screwed over Minari (which clearly ain't winning FF Film) or I May Destroy You(don't mention Small Axe - we all know it has no chance).
Also pour out libations for the follow quality films that lost out to star screwing.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
First Cow
40 Year Old Version
The White Tiger
Sound of Metal
These are so bad.
I’m so sad no one seemed to like or even watch Sylvie's Love. I guess there’s no audience for old fashioned romances anymore.
Brad -- it probably didn't help that people didn't know if sylvie's love was a TV thing or a movie thing.
I don't understand the lack of love for Radha Blank and The 40 Year Old Version this season. Here's a writer/director/actress who made a very well received film that won at Sundance and was distributed by Netflix. In a year that's been rightfully praising the work of female filmmakers, I don't get why she has been cast aside.
She would've made a worthy Golden Globe nominee, but not even the Independent Spirits really embraced her.
And this is why the Golden Globes are bullshit. The fact that they nominated a movie about autism with an actress going full-retard to play a young woman while Kate Hudson gets a nomination is proof that it's all bullshit. Might as well throw those awards into the garbage can. It's like having a writer/booker for a wrestling company to book himself winning its world championship in order to boost that person's ego... oh wait... that did happen.
Vince Russo booked himself to win the world championship even though he's not a wrestler but a writer yet it was during a horrific period for WCW who would then be bought by the WWE for $3 million a year later.
Glenn Close getting in is all that matters. Seethe, haters! Film Twitter tried it, and their agenda-fueled biases blew up in their pompous, arrogant, useless faces. SAG and Oscars next!
James Corden. Ha ha ha Jared Leto ha ha ha
Ugh
Really pleased for michelle pfeiffer Glenn close and jpdie foster. The fellow nominees Kate Hudson and Rosamund Pike were such surprises. Maria baklava may win but pfeiffer may also win here after 8 nominations and 1 win.
Peggy Sue- LOL. Just absolutely shocked. It’s the GLOBES!!! But she’ll be back.
Sometimes the globes have favorites and keep nominating them. Pike has picked up her second nomination since Gone Girl. Kind of surprised she didn't get another one for Radioactive. This also explains Foster and her surprise nomination. She also got in for Carnage a few years ago. And she won the honorary award not too long ago either.
Also is Sasha Baron Cohen the front runner of both his categories?
Tom G: Probably in Supporting Actor (I can easily imagine Baron Cohen winning the Globe and Odom Jr. taking the Oscar), probably not either of the frontrunners for Musical/Comedy Lead Actor. There, I think the title fight is probably Lin-Manuel Miranda vs. Andy Samberg.
It's crazy that Kate Hudson came so close to becoming an Oscar winner. Since then she's seemed so disinterested in proving herself as an actress.
Seeing her back on a list like this is shocking to me, I would have bet against it ever happening—ever. Good for her but also, hmmm.
Some really perplexing nominations, but I honestly can't get as upset as everybody else because it's the kind of chaos I expect from the Globes. The one awards contender I care about the most (Nicole Beharie - Miss Juneteenth) never really had a chance with the HFPA, so while there are certainly folks I hope to see acknowledged by SAG and The Academy down the line, I'm not outraged.
Tom G - Rosamund already got her second Globe nod two years ago for A Private War. Favorite indeed.
I can't believe we're letting Sacha Baron Cohen get nominated for that performance, in that movie. If that movie had come out last year he wouldn't have stood a chance.
It makes me wonder, if THE IRISHMAN had waited a year, would Pesci be walking away with this?
Am I the only one who knew Music and has a big hype for it?
No Meryl, what’s the point?
Jumping for joy! Meryl is OUT!
L:ove me some Pfeiffer!
Was SEX EDUCATION not eligible in the television categories?
Big fan of Dangerous Liaisons here and I want both Michelle and Glenn to be nominated and WIN for French Exit and Hillbilly Elegy. They both almost got nominated for The Wife and mother!. It would be thrilling to see the Merteuil and Tourvel get their dues after being snubbed in the Oscars in 1989.
At this point, Spike Lee's kids agreed before today to tote the trophies on stage throughout the Golden Globe ceremony and now the Hollywood Foreign Press has snubbed Da 5 Bloods in all eligible categories. You know the man is fuming tonight.
I do love some mess. Super happy for CLOSE, FENNELL, KIRBY, PIKE & MULLIGAN ( she's gonna win it ). Really don't understand all the love for Mank; Such a shame they've left out Burstyn. The Prom deserves a Razzie (and everyone in it) easily one of the worst films of the year, not sorry for Meryl ....Leto is a surprise but I really loved the Aaron Taylor-Johnson win for NA and would've put him on the Oscar line-up that year.
Honestly, it's the Globes. I'm not mad and I'm not really surprised by the wtf?! nominations.
Absolutely thrilled for Promising Young Woman.
Shocked for Music/Kate Hudson. I know very little about it except that it's gotten lots of negative media attention from disability activists.
Gag for James Corden and Jared Leto. I also rolled my eyes at Close's nomination (sorry not sorry).
Thrilled for Tahar Rahim, even though I haven't seen the film. He's such a fantastic actor and deserves more mainstream attention. Have been a fan since A Prophet.
Awards watchers seemed to have been counting Mank out the past few weeks. I had a feeling it would always be a big player, even though the internet isn't obsessed with it. It's a great movie, expertly directed, and Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried are sensational in it.
Will be interesting to see what SAG does tomorrow. Best Actress is particularly interesting, outside of McDormand/Davis/Mulligan being locks and Kirby being very likely, that fifth spot is a complete toss-up. Maybe Pfeiffer can pull it off?
I actually didn’t think Leto wasn’t that bad. Some of the dialogue — yes. But he was restrained in a way that he wasn’t in Suicide Squad or Blade Runner.
Really happy about this outcome in general !! (Pfeiffer, Close, The Father and all female directors - this will help a lot !)
Pretty sure wins:
Chadwick Boseman - as posthumous
Lin-Manuel Miranda - as tribute to closed theatres
Amanda Seyfried - as weird as it is
Interesting as theres no real frontrunner for best actress anymore - Mulligan might be lucky at the Oscars !!!
@James... Spike Lee already got two Oscars, he probably doesn't care that much, if the film wins any awards beyond the point that awards attract attention to the film... he made this and BKKKMan for the people to see his message and hear his voice, both are pure activism with the heart in the right place (plus, they're both masterpieces). Awards are a vanity thing and I also think he has zero interest on winning Director any day, beyond the point that it is high time that some black director wins, and he's the most logical - because of his legend status - to be the best bet.
Because let's be honest, Spike Lee should have one already for Do the Right Thing, Steve McQueen another one for 12 Years a Slave, and Barry Jenkins another one for Moonlight. And probably I am missing a lot of them... I could argue that Jordan Peele could be a perfectly believable winner for both Get Out and Us.
Marion -- Nick was fine last time I talked to him but i wouldn't hold your breath for site updates. He's busy offline.
Lucky -- re: Radha Blank... i think it's a case of abundance of riches. Awards voters had so many great female options to choose from and would you really place her in a top five for her direction? When Fennell, Zhao, King, Ewing, Hittman, not to mention all the male directors were all out there. I think she did pretty well in precursors given that it's a comedy (and those already struggle with awards) and there was so much competition from other female directors.
Jesus -- while I share your love for Spike Lee I am confused by people calling DA 5 BLOODS a masterpiece. Yes, he's been mistreated by Oscar (as he should have multiple Best Director nominations by now and one actual trophy) but I wouldn't even place Da 5 Bloods in his top five let alone the best of this year.. To me its like Fincher on Mank. Yes, you're an amazing fabulous director but... this year other peopl did much stronger more focused work.
Aaron -- agreed on Mank which is why Oldman and the movie never left my predictions. The internet has this collective trouble every year assuming the industry (which skews older and less diverse though that's changing) loves and obsesses over the exact same movies as twitter and awards sites. Every year come nomination time wee see that play out. It's also why i never dropped Glenn Close from my predictions.
Wish the real musicals got attention here when there is a musical category. And while Eurovision wasn’t good enough for that category, Husavik would have been for song.
I'm a busy little bee, but always buzzing in the background if you listen hard enough.
@Chinoiserie
Euovision is a 100 times better film than The Prom. There, I said it.
(and both Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens gave Awards worthy performances, something I can't say from any The Prom performer... and there is Corden, lol)