Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi drama “Oppenheimer” was the big winner at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night, picking up four awards including Best Motion Picture – Drama. Meanwhile, in a surprise upset, Martin McDonagh’s meta comedy “Poor Things” beat out awards season favorite “Barbie” for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical.
Oppenheimer Wins Big With Four Globes
“Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan’s biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb, was both the critical and popular frontrunner heading into awards seasons. On Sunday night it cemented that status by picking up the most Golden Globes with four wins, including the top prizes of Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director for Christopher Nolan.
Cillian Murphy, who plays the titular physicist who led the Manhattan Project, also won Best Actor in a Drama for his haunting performance. And Ludwig Göransson took home the award for Best Original Score for his work on the film.
Full list of Oppenheimer’s Golden Globe wins:
- Best Motion Picture – Drama
- Best Director – Christopher Nolan
- Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama – Cillian Murphy
- Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson
Oppenheimer’s dominance sets it up as the film to beat heading into the Oscars next month, where it’s nominated for 12 awards including Best Picture.
Poor Things Upsets Barbie for Best Comedy
In one of the night’s biggest surprises, Martin McDonagh’s comedy “Poor Things” upset awards season favorite “Barbie” to take home the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical.
Starring Emma Thompson and Adam Driver, “Poor Things” is a highly stylized, meta comedy telling the story of a woman brought back to life with the brain of an infant. While it earned strong reviews, most expected Greta Gerwig’s vibrant “Barbie” film to win the top comedy prize.
Many critics even had Barbie winning Best Picture outright, but it seems voters were drawn more towards McDonagh’s quirky dark humor. Regardless, Gerwig landed a nice consolation prize by winning Best Actress in a Comedy for her performance as the titular doll.
2024 Golden Globes Best Picture Winners
| Category | Film |
|---|---|
| Best Motion Picture – Drama | Oppenheimer |
| Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical | Poor Things |
Succession and The Bear Also Have Big Nights
On the TV side of things, HBO’s hit show “Succession” was the dominant force, nabbing three acting awards including Best TV Series – Drama.
Jeremy Strong won his second straight Golden Globe for playing troubled heir Kendall Roy. And co-stars Matthew Macfadyen and J. Smith-Cameron also earned trophies for their roles as patriarch Logan Roy and his advisor Gerri, respectively.
FX’s breakout workplace comedy “The Bear” also had success in the comedy category. In his first ever acting role, show creator Christopher Storer won Best Actor in a Comedy for portraying struggling chef Carmy. And the show also took home the prize for Best Comedy Series.
Host Jo Koy Delivers Uneven Monologue
In his debut as Golden Globes host, comedian Jo Koy delivered an awkward and uneven opening monologue that never quite found its footing. He made ill-advised jokes about female celebrities like Jennifer Coolidge and Claire Danes that fell flat in the room and on social media. Although Koy eventually seemed to hit his stride when roasting the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
“I’ll tell you why I’m here. I’m here ’cause I’m Asian,” joked Koy. “For once, the Golden Globes wanted someone who wasn’t Black to host.”
The first-time host received middling praise from critics, with many noting the challenging circumstances Koy faced trying to revive an award show still recovering from scandal and controversy after the HFPA’s past ethics violations.
Ambassadors Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez Reunite
Although she wasn’t nominated for any awards this year, Taylor Swift still made her presence known in a message of support for victims of the recent Nashville floods. Swift brought country star Brad Paisley on stage to highlight recovery efforts in Tennessee and announce an upcoming benefit concert.
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The pop star also shared a sweet moment with her friend Selena Gomez, as the two singers embraced during a commercial break in a show of support. Swift congratulated Gomez on her Best Actress nomination for playing a young Fran Drescher in “Only Murders in the Building.”
What’s Next in Awards Season?
With Oscar voting already underway, these Golden Globe results offer key insights into how Hollywood may vote for the final and most prestigious awards next month.
Oppenheimer now looks to be the film to beat for Best Picture, with its main competition coming from indie hits like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical “The Fabelmans.” It leads all films with 12 Oscar nominations.
On the TV side, Emmy winners “Succession” and “The Bear” should continue their award show momentum heading towards the SAG Awards and Emmys later this year.
But of course, as Poor Things surprise victory shows, anything can happen on Hollywood’s big nights. So be sure to tune into the Oscars on March 12th to see how it all plays out!
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