The show must go on: Back-to-back bittersweet and awkward moments rule the night at the half-virtual 78th Golden Globes

BY CAMILA FERNANDEZ

Hollywood’s biggest stars made an appearance on the night of Sunday, February 28 for the annual Golden Globe Awards, an exclusive evening of recognition hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association that was quite out of the ordinary this year. All the nominees marked their presence through Zoom, calling in live from their own living rooms. Most of them were left to accept the award by themselves or with their partner and families. 

The primetime telecast was co-hosted by actresses and comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who were on opposite sides of the country and joined in a split-screen broadcast. Throughout the night, there was plenty of technical chaos, with the first acceptance speech from Best Supporting Actor winner Daniel Kaluuya for his work in “Judas and the Black Messiah” being entirely cut off. After he was given time to finish, it was clear that the show must go on despite the occasional hiccups.   

Most of the classic pillars of an award show, including the red carpet and the packed audiences, were half-remote this year. Instead of the usual A-listers, this year’s physical auditorium audience was made up of first responders and essential workers joined by foodbank workers from Feeding America. All attendees, besides the presenters, were required to wear a mask.

“Thank you for being here so the celebrities can be at home,” Tina Fey joked.

“Thank you for being here so the celebrities can be at home.”

Actress and comedian Tina Fey

As the evening continued, it became clear that it was going to be another triumphant year for Netflix, with its royal family drama series “The Crown” taking one of the biggest sweeps of the night. Those playing Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor), Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) and Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) in the series all won the acting prizes in their respective categories. 

Additionally, actress Anya Taylor-Joy won big for her role in “The Queen’s Gambit,” Netflix’s most streamed limited series to date. The show itself won Best Miniseries as well, to no surprise, as it has been critically acclaimed worldwide as one of “the most satisfying shows on television.” 

On the comedy side, the final season of “Schitt’s Creek” added to its stack of awards at the Golden Globes following their Emmys sweeps, winning for Best Series and Best Actress for Catherine O’Hara. Rosamund Pike had a major win as best actress in a comedy for “I Care A Lot.” 

Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” truly ruled the category, receiving both Best Motion Picture – Comedy and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy awards for Cohen’s performance. The outlandish and controversial film was a sequel to his 2006 hit “Borat” about a Kazakh journalist traveling the United States.

One of the most memorable moments of the night was a short skit where TikTok star La’Ron Hines asked kids various questions about the Golden Globes, as well as television and award shows in general.

One of the most memorable moments of the night was a short skit where TikTok star La’Ron Hines asked kids various questions about the Golden Globes, as well as television and award shows in general. Their ridiculous answers made for a lighthearted and funny bit that unexpectedly turned bittersweet when Hines asked them if they knew who the late Chadwick Boseman was. 

In contrast with the past silly answers, the kids all immediately recognized him as the Black Panther, with one of the children saying he is “the good guy.” The emotional segment shed light on Boseman’s lasting legacy. He later received a posthumous Best Actor award for his role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Ma Rainey’s was the last movie filmed before his death and critics have called it the actor’s best performance of his career. Boseman’s wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, accepted the prize with a tearful speech on his behalf. 

“He would say something beautiful,” Ledward said. “Something inspiring. Something that would amplify that little voice inside all of us that tells you you can. That tells you to keep going. That calls you back to what you are meant to be doing at this moment.”

The winner of the evening’s final and most anticipated top prize, Best Picture – Drama, went to “Nomadland,” which stars Frances McDormand as a travelling van-dwelling woman in a generous, observational film about displaced Americans. 

For the first time in Golden Globes history, women made up a majority of the Best Director nominations…

For the first time in Golden Globes history, women made up a majority of the Best Director nominations, with Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman,” Regina King for “One Night in Miami” and winner Chloe Zhao for “Nomadland.” Zhao also made history as the first Asian woman and the second woman ever to win Best Director. 

“Now this is why I fell in love with making movies and telling stories, because it gives us a chance to laugh and cry together and it gives us a chance to learn from each other and to have more compassion for each other,” Zhao said in her acceptance speech. “So thank you everyone who made it possible to do what I love.”

See a full list of nominees and winners here.

Photo courtesy of USA Today