Golden Globe Awards push ahead without red carpet, telecast

The Golden Globe Awards, Hollywood's so-called biggest party that regularly drew 18 million television viewers, was reduced to a live blog for its 79th edition on Sunday night.

The embattled Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) proceeded with its film awards without a telecast, nominees, a red carpet, a host, press or even a live stream.

Instead, members of the HFPA and some recipients of the group's philanthropic grants gathered at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for a 90-minute private event, announcing the names of the film and television winners on the organization's social media feeds.

Steven Spielberg's West Side Storywon several big awards, for best picture comedy or musical, best actress for Rachel Zegler and best supporting actress for Ariana DeBose.

Netflix's gothic western The Power of the Dogwas named best picture drama, along with other honours for Jane Campion's direction and Kodi Smit-McPhee's supporting performance.

Other film winners included Will Smith for King Richard,Nicole Kidman for Being the Ricardosand Andrew Garfield for tick, tick...BOOM!The Japanese film Drive My Car,also a critics' group darling, took the best non-English language motion picture, while Encantowon for animation.

Though announcing winners on social media might seem like a straightforward task, those following along on Twitter only might have been somewhat confused at times. The tweets often left out exactly which project a person had won for.

For example, to announce the winner for best actor, motion picture musical or comedy, the organization tweeted:"It takes 43 muscles to smile. Thanks for the workout Andrew Garfield and congratulations for taking home the #GoldenGlobe for Best ActorMotion PictureMusical/Comedy," failing to mention that the award was for his turn in tick, tick...BOOM!

Wins for Succession and Hacks

Other times, the tweets were just downright baffling. In announcing the West Side Storywin, the group initially wrote: "If laughter is the best medicine @WestSideMovie is the cure for what ails you" about the drama that's full of death and tragedy. They later deleted the tweet and wrote a new one about "music" being the best medicine.

Television winners included: Sarah Snook and Jeremy Strong for Succession,which won best television drama;Jean Smart for Hacks,which also won best television comedy;Jason Sudeikis for Ted Lasso;Kate Winslet for Mare of Easttown;O Yeong-su for Squid Game;and Michael Keaton for Dopesick.Barry Jenkins's The Underground Railroadtookbest limited series. The group said on its website that Posestar Michaela Jae Rodriguez became the first trans person to win a Golden Globe.

None of the winners appeared to be present at the event, nor did they immediately comment on their awards.

Jamie Lee Curtis, however, chimed in with a video message shared on the group's twitter, talking about the HFPA's charitable work.

"I just wanted to honour and stand with them in this continued advocacy," Curtis said. "I'm proud to be associated with them in this venture."

Lack of diversity in press group

That the organization proceeded with any kind of event came as a surprise to many in Hollywood.

The HFPA came under fire after a Los Angeles Times investigation revealed in February ethical lapses and a stunning lack of diversity there was not a single Black journalist in the 87-person group. Studios and PR firms threatened to boycott. Tom Cruise even returned his three Golden Globes, while other A-listers condemned the group on social media.

TheHFPApledged reform last year, but even after a public declaration during the 78th show, their longtime broadcast partner NBC announced in May that it would not air the 2022 Golden Globes because, "change of this magnitude takes time and work." The broadcaster typically pays some $60 million US for the rights to air the show, which ranks among the most-watched awards shows, behind the Oscars and the Grammys.

Though often ridiculed, Hollywood had come to accept the Golden Globes as a legitimate and helpful stop in a competitive awards season. And for audiences around the world, it was a reasonably lively night, with glamorous fashion, major stars, the promise of champagne-fuelled speeches, and hosts from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to Ricky Gervais that regularly poked fun at the HFPA.

After the NBC blow, it was widely expected that the HFPA would simply sit the year out. Hollywood studios and publicists also largely opted out from engaging with the group as they had in years past, with some declining to provide screeners of films for consideration. When nominees were announced last month, few celebrated publicly.

This year, Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical drama Belfast,about growing up during the Troubles, and Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog,a gothic western set in 1925 Montana with Kirsten Dunst and Benedict Cumberbatch, both received a leading seven nominations, including best picture. HBO's Successionled the TV side with five nominations, including nods for best drama.

The press association claims that in the months since its 2021 show, it has remade itself. The group has added a chief diversity officer; overhauled its board; inducted 21 new members, including six Black journalists; brought in the NAACP on a five-year partnership; and updated its code of conduct.