Two extremely daring films — Brady Corbet’s 215-minute post-war epic, “The Brutalist,” and Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language trans musical, “Emilia Perez,” won top honors at the 82nd Golden Globes on Sunday.
The Globes, which are still finding their footing after years of scandals and transformations, have handed out awards to a number of films. But the awards group gave its strongest support to two films that sought to defy easy categorization.
“The Brutalist” was crowned best drama film, putting one of the most ambitious films of 2024 on track to become a major Oscar contender. The film, shot in VistaVision and released with intermission, also won best director for Corbet and best actor for Adrien Brody. In his acceptance speech, Corbet talked about the filmmakers needing final cut approval.
“I was told that this film was not available for distribution,” Corbet explained. “No one was asking for a three-and-a-half hour 70mm film about a mid-century designer. But it works.
“Emilia Pérez” won best motion picture, comedy or musical, boosting Netflix’s leading contender’s Oscar chances. It also won Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña, Best Song (“El Mal”) and Best Non-English Film. Audiard, the French director, gave way to Karla Sofia Gasconthe film’s transgender star who plays a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender-affirming surgery, to speak for the film.
“Light always triumphs over darkness,” Gascón said, gesturing to her bright orange dress. “Maybe you can put us in prison. You can beat us. But you can never take away our soul, our existence, or our identity.”
“I am who I am. Not who you want.
Demi wins her first Globe
Although the Globes audience was particularly star-studded, including nominees Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Angelina Jolie and Daniel Craig, most of the winners were from smaller, less seen films.
This had a few surprises. One of them was Demi Moore’s win for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. His return in “The Substance”, on a Hollywood star who uses an experimental process To recapture his youth, Moore, 62, picked up his first Globe – a win over the heavily favored Mikey Madison of “Anora.”
“I’m just in shock right now. I’ve been doing this for a long time, about 45 years, and this is the first thing I’ve ever won as an actor,” said Moore, who was nominated for the last time by the Globes for a film role in 1991 for “Ghost”. “Thirty years ago a producer told me I was a popcorn actress.”
Best Actress in a Drama was an even bigger surprise. Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres won for her performance in “I’m Still Here.” a drama based on a true story about a family experiencing the disappearance of political dissident Rubens Paiva in the 1970s in Rio de Janeiro. Torres dedicated the award to his mother, the great actress Fernanda Montenegro, who also appears in “I’m Still Here.”
“She was here 25 years ago,” Torres said. “And it’s like proof that art can endure throughout life, even in difficult times.”
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical or Comedy went to Sebastian Stan for “A different man” in which Stan plays a man with a deformed and healed face. Stan, who was also nominated for playing Donald Trump in “The Apprentice”, noted that both films were difficult to make.
“These are difficult topics, but these films are real and necessary,” Stan said. “But we cannot be afraid and look away.”
Glaser lightly roasts the Globes
Comedian Nikki Glaser kicked off the Globes with a promise: “I’m not here to roast you.”
But Glaser, a stand-up whose breakthrough occurred in a withering roast of Tom Brady, roamed the ballroom of the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, picking many targets in an opening monologue she had worked extensively on before at comedy clubs.
While Glaser may not have reached Tina Fey and Amy Poehler levels of laughter, the monologue was a winner and a dramatic improvement over last year’s host Jo Koy. Last year’s Globes, following a diversity and ethics scandal that led to the dissolution of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, were widely criticized. But they delivered where it counted: Ratings have rebounded to about 10 million viewers, according to Nielsen. CBS, which stepped in after NBC dropped the Globes, signed on for five more years.
Presenting the Globes two weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration, Glaser saved perhaps his most memorable line for the entire room of Hollywood stars.
“You can really do anything … except tell the country who to vote for,” Glaser said. “But it doesn’t matter, you’ll get them next time…if there is one. I’m scared.”
The Globes are now owned by Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, which acquired the awards show from the now-defunct Hollywood Foreign Press Association. However, more than a dozen former HFPA members are currently seeking to overturn the sale to Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions.
A victory for “Wicked”
Unlike last year’s Oscar race, where “Oppenheimer” tanked, this year’s season proved more uncertain, with a field of contenders. Most of the films considered to have a chance — “Conclave,” “Emilia Perez,” “The Brutalist,” “Wicked” and “Anora” — won at least one award Sunday. The exception was “Anora” by Sean Baker, winner of the Palme d’Or who left empty-handed despite five nominations.
The Globes Award for Achievement in Cinematography and Box Office went to “Bad Guy” by Jon M. Chu which grossed nearly $700 million in theaters. In a heavily arthouse Oscar field, “Wicked” is by far the biggest hit in best picture mix. In accepting the award, Chu advocated for a “radical act of optimism” in art.
Although few awards were predictable this season, Kieran Culkin clearly emerges as the favorite for Best Supporting Actor. Culkin won on Sunday for his performance in “A Real Pain” by Jesse Eisenberg his second Globe in the past year after a win for the HBO series “Succession.” He called the Globes “basically the best date night my wife and I have ever had,” then thanked her for “setting up what you call my mania.”
The papal thriller “Conclave” won best screenplay, for Peter Straughan’s screenplay. “Flow,” the wordless Latvian animated parable about a cat in a flooded world, won best animated film, beating studio blockbusters like “Inside Out 2” and “The Wild Robot.” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross won Best Music for their impactful music for “Challengers.”
TV awards
Most of the TV winners were oft-awarded series, including Emmy champion “Shōgun.” It won four awards, including best drama series and acting wins for Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and Tadanobu Asano. Other repeat winners were: “Hacks” (best comedy series, actress for Jean Smart), “The Bear” (Jeremy Allen White for best actor) and “Baby Reindeer” (best limited series).
Ali Wong won for best stand-up performance, Jodie Foster for “True Detective” and Colin Farrell for his physical transformation in “The Penguin.”
“I guess they’re prosthetics from now on,” Farrell said.
For more details on the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awards