Rami Malek won his first Golden Globe Award for his Freddie Mercury portrayal (Photo: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)
Bohemian Rhapsody won best film
The biopic about Queen singer Freddie Mercury won both Golden Globe Awards it was nominated for on Sunday: Best motion picture for drama and best performance by an actor in a motion picture. Rami Malek won his first Golden Globe Award for his Freddie Mercury portrayal. The film beat out A Star is Born, which was seen as the front-runner in the drama category.
Glenn Close’s reaction to her win for The Wife
Most people probably thought Lady Gaga was going to win for her role in A Star is Born but Close emerged victorious, who delivered a heartfelt speech about her own, oft-overlooked mother who inspired her character.
“I’m thinking of my mum, who really subjugated herself to my dad… We have to find personal fulfilment, we have to follow our dreams, we have to say ‘I can do that’ and ‘I should be allowed to do that,” Close said as she questioned what she had accomplished in her life.
Regina King voiced her support for Time’s Up X2
King won best supporting actress for If Beale Street Could Talk and took the opportunity to use “her platform” and made a powerful vow to support women in Hollywood. She challenged Hollywood to make films that are 50% women, and that everyone out there who is in a position of power to stand with the acting community in solidarity.
She continued: ‘The reason we do this is that we understand that our microphones are big and we are speaking for everyone.”
Sandra Oh hosted and also won at the Golden Globes
This is her second win at the awards – this time for best actress in a TV drama as the star of the BBC series, Killing Eve (Ed: She won best supporting actress in 2006 for her role as Dr Yang in Grey’s Anatomy). Her triumph was especially momentous as she’s the first actress of Asian descent in 39 years to win the Globe for best leading TV actress.
Oh and co-host Andy Samberg took jabs at celebrities during their monologue but she took a moment to get serious to recognise the entertainment industry’s significant strides in representation during the past year.
“If I could take a moment here in all honesty, I said ‘Yes’ to the fear of being on this stage tonight because I wanted to be here to look out into this audience and witness this moment of change… And I’m not fooling myself. I’m not fooling myself. Next year could be different. It probably will be. But right now, this moment is real.”
PS: Also this zinger by our hosts: “We’re the only two people left in Hollywood who haven’t said anything offensive.” Hah.
Emma Stone apologised for Aloha (again)
After Oh quipped about the film’s lack of Asian-American representation, Stone yelled out an apology from the audience for playing a woman of Asian heritage in the 2015 Cameron Crowe drama. Stone said “Sorry!!!” after Oh joked that Crazy Rich Asians was the first studio film with an Asian-American lead since Ghost in the Shell and Aloha.
Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance
Swift, who might just win Best Song one day (for Cats, maybe?), presented two awards on stage – Best Original Score and Best Original Song – with actor Idris Elba. Justin Hurwitz won an award for his score on First Man, and Lady Gaga topped the Original Song category for The Shallows.
Jeff Bridges won the Cecil B. deMille Award
Bridges, whose Hollywood career stretches over 60 years, was awarded for his vast and impressive body of work. A Golden Globe winner himself for Crazy Heart in 2009, Bridges noted in his acceptance speech the importance of each individual and how each person can make a difference in improving their community.
Other recipients of the prestigious award include Audrey Hepburn, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, George Clooney, Robin Williams and Oprah Winfrey.
The 76th Golden Globe Awards took place on January 6 at Beverly Hills. See all the winners here.
