The Golden Globe Awards® will take place for the 81st time on January 7, 2024, but some changes have been made since last year’s ceremony.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which started the Golden Globe Awards® in the 1940s, disbanded on June 12, 2023. It handed the awards over to Golden Globes, LLC, a new company jointly owned by Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions.
The HFPA’s 90+ members remained part of the new organization, but the voting body has been expanded. It now includes around 300 members from over 70 different countries.
Dick Clark will continue to produce the televised awards ceremony. This year, the showrunners are Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kershner, winners of multiple Emmys®. The event can be watched live on CBS or streamed on Paramount+.
Here’s everything you need to know as you prepare for the 81st Golden Globes®. Although we have many opinions, we won’t try to predict winners … except in the case of the two new award categories.
In Memoriam
Two recently deceased members of the creative community are certain to be missed at the 81st Golden Globe Awards® ceremony.
Judy Solomon, a past president of the HFPA, passed away on July 14, 2023. She joined the HFPA in 1956, served as its president for six terms, and remained a member of the organization for 67 years. As current Golden Globes® President Helen Hoehne explained, Solomon was responsible for such defining features of the modern Golden Globes® as its partnership with Dick Clark Productions and the relocation of the awards ceremony from the Ambassador Hotel to the Beverly Hilton. Solomon’s legacy lives on.
Norman Lear, the legendary television writer/producer, passed away on December 6, 2023. His most famous show, All in the Family, won the Golden Globe® for Best Television Show (Comedy or Musical) in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1978. For his extraordinary works, which include Maude and The Jeffersons, Lear won the National Medal of Arts in 1999 and numerous lifetime achievement awards, including the Carol Burnett Golden Globe® Award in 2019. To honor Lear’s life and work, the Golden Globes® republished its 2022 article about Lear’s 100th birthday. His memory will continue to inspire television makers for many decades.
New Awards
In 2024, Golden Globes® will be given in two new categories.
The award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement in Motion Pictures will go to a film that made at least $150 million at the world’s movie theaters or reached a comparably large audience on streaming platforms. We wonder if this year’s award might go to Barbie, which made $1.4 BILLION worldwide.
The award for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television will go to an act of 30 minutes or longer that appeared on broadcast/cable television or a streaming platform. Reading over the list of nominees, we have a hunch the award might go to Chris Rock for “Selective Outrage.”
The Films
Golden Globes® will be awarded in a total of 27 categories (not counting the two lifetime achievement awards). Each award has six nominees, except for the new Golden Globe® for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement in Motion Pictures, which has eight nominees.
Nominations were announced on Monday, December 11, 2023, by comedian Cedric “The Entertainer” and actor Wilmer Valderrama.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie received the most nominations (10), tying Cabaret (1972) for second place in the history of Golden Globe® nominations. Only one film has ever received more (11): Robert Altman’s Nashville (1975).
After Barbie, the most nominated titles for the 2024 Golden Globes® were season 4 of Succession (9 nominations), Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (8 nominations), Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon (7 nominations), Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things (7 nominations), season 2 of The Bear (5 nominations), season 3 of Only Murders in the Building (5 nominations), and Celine Song’s Past Lives (5 nominations).
We were delighted to see Only Murders in the Building recognized. Previously, we brought creatives from the show to Washington, D.C., for a panel discussion with the Congressional Creative Rights Caucus (CRC).
Only Murders received nominations for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television (Meryl Streep), Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy (Selena Gomez), Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy (Steve Martin and Martin Short), and Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
We were also delighted by the success of films featured in our recent blogs or arts roundups.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which we praised in our Thanksgiving blog,earned nominations for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, Best Original Score – Motion Picture, and Best Motion Picture – Animated.
Featured in our indie film roundup, as well as in our Thanksgiving blog, Past Lives earned nominations for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama (Greta Lee), Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, and Best Director – Motion Picture (Celine Song).
Other films from our indie roundup that earned nominations were Poor Things (7 nominations), May December (4 nominations), The Boy and the Heron (2 nominations), and Priscilla (1 nomination).
Both Poor Things and May December were nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. The Boy and the Heron will compete against Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for Best Motion Picture – Animated.
Enjoy the Awards Show!
We hope you are looking forward to the 81st Golden Globes®! Once you review the full list of nominations, we’re sure you will agree that there are many excellent candidates in every award category.
Please join us in wishing good luck to all contenders for Golden Globe Awards® in 2024!