The silly, the serious, and Taylor Swift, too

They won’t have had lukewarm chardonnay on the tables, as nominee Jennifer Lawrence had predicted. But the 81st Golden Globes had somewhat of the whole thing else: Some silliness, some seriousness, somewhat of historical past, a couple of excellent jokes and many unhealthy ones, quite a lot of stars — and one Taylor Swift, who didn’t ascend the podium however nonetheless made her presence referred to as possibly simplest Swift can.

One decisive development emerged: In the great “Barbenheimer” showdown of awards season 2024, spherical one went to the “heimer” section. Christopher Nolan’s sweeping biopic “Oppenheimer” ruled the night time, amongst its wins the prize for very best drama, very best director for Nolan, and very best actor ( Cillian Murphy ) and supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.). Greta Gerwig’s candy-colored “Barbie,” in the meantime, misplaced to disenchanted victor “Poor Things” in the comedy/musical class, however received the new cinematic and field workplace success award, in addition to very best tune for Billie Eilish’s wistful “What Was I Made For.”

It can be unwise to depend “Barbie” out, nevertheless it used to be a disappointing night time for her lovers, and additionally for some other fearsome pressure: Swifties. The pop celebrity, who spent 2023 smashing all records in sight, misplaced out on her 5th Globe nomination. But she stunned on the carpet in shimmering Gucci green, and later created a meme-worthy second when she reacted with a reputedly icy glare to a shaggy dog story about her via host Jo Koy.

Swift used to be no longer on my own in her displeasure; at one level the jokes had been falling flat sufficient for Koy to prevent and give an explanation for that he’d had simplest 10 days to arrange.

The crowd laughed more difficult at Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig, who made an a laugh little bit of pretending — insisting — that the rite used to be “a serious night.” The shaggy dog story used to be that few if truth be told take the rite significantly. Noted presenter Mark Hamill: “It’s the only awards show with an open bar.”

But it used to be certainly a significant notice that served as an emotional highpoint: Lily Gladstone, of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” became the first Indigenous winner of very best actress in a drama, talking in the Blackfeet language and reminding the crowd that there are nonetheless important advances to be celebrated.

Some notable moments of the night time:

A BUMPY START

Koy were given a couple of laughs with a shaggy dog story about the long “Oppenheimer,” pronouncing, “I needed another hour.” But as the monologue went on, it was clear that the comic needed something else: sharper jokes from the writers. Cameras caught negative reactions from celebs like Harrison Ford and Selena Gomez, and the “Barbie” staff didn’t seem amused when he famous that “Oppenheimer” used to be in keeping with severe subject matter however their very own movie used to be in keeping with “a plastic doll with large boobies.”

Koy sought to shield himself. “Yo, I got the gig 10 days ago. You want a perfect monologue?” He added: “I wrote some of these, and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.”

THEY’RE NOT CALLED THAT…

When Da’Vine Joy Randolph won for her acclaimed supporting actress performance in “The Holdovers,” she duly thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Only problem: The HFPA is now defunct, and many in the audience responded audibly: “They’re not called that.” After several years of turmoil that followed the revelation that the HFPA had no Black members, the Golden Globes were acquired last year by Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions and turned into a for-profit venture. Some 300 entertainment journalists now vote for the awards. Later, Randolph spoke about the vibe of the evening. “It’s a party in there,” she mentioned. “It’s a great time. We were given via the pandemic. We caught via our two moves. There’s a way of buzz in there.”

…AND HE WASN’T CALLED THAT

Winning an early award for very best supporting actor, Downey Jr. instructed the crowd he had taken a beta-blocker, so “this is going to be a breeze.” He then misspoke the name of his character, executive respectable Lewis Strauss. “Dozens of folks have come up to me since the summertime saying that I was, I quote, ‘unrecognizably subtle as Leonard Strauss,’” the actor mentioned. “To my fellow nominees, let’s not pretend this is a compliment.”

‘SUCCESSION’ SUCCEEDS SUCCESSFULLY

To no person’s wonder, “Succession,” the HBO drama about the Roy circle of relatives dynasty, had numerous good fortune, successful very best drama in addition to main performing awards for Kieran Culkin, Matthew Macfadyen and Sarah Snook. Macfadyen mentioned he’d loved each and every 2d of taking part in the “weird and wonderful human grease stain” that used to be Tom Wambsgans. Culkin, who performed son Roman Roy, instructed the crowd how he’d been nominated for a Golden Globe twenty years in the past and by no means idea he’d be again, and playfully taunted his co-nominee, Pedro Pascal of “The Last of Us,” quipping: “Suck it, Pedro. Mine!” And Snook, who performed Shiv Roy, ascended the level and mentioned: “Oh, wow. I was kind of hoping I didn’t have to get up. Kieran’s usually better at these speeches, right? Don’t you want to get up instead?”

DON’T BE MEAN

Also on the TV side, Hulu’s kitchen-based “The Bear” received large – taking very best comedy sequence. Jeremy Allen White received for the 2d time, and Ayo Edebiri received her first Globe for her personal lead efficiency, captivating the ballroom crowd when she thanked the assistants of her brokers and managers. “To the people who answer my emails, you’re the real ones,” she mentioned, She added: “If I forgot to thank you, I’m sorry. Unless you were mean or something. Okay, bye!”

IF LOOKS COULD KILL

When “Barbie” received the new award for cinematic and field workplace success, it beat out the nominee many idea would win: “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” Still, Swift, whose attendance was in question until her boyfriend, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, was ruled inactive for the day’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, was a glamorous addition to the evening (Bruce Springsteen was there, too) in her custom Gucci gown. The camera cut to her several times, but she was not happy when Koy joked that the difference between the Globes and the NFL was that the NFL had more reaction shots of Swift. She stared ahead and took a sip of her drink.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WORDS

It wasn’t far from anyone’s minds that Hollywood is emerging from historic actors and writers strikes, and one of the more clever presenter bits highlighted the importance of screenwriters. Daniel Kaluuya, Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld joked that they’d asked for their segment to be written not by writers but by studio executives. “What is up, Shameik,” Kaluuya mentioned, routinely. “Not much, Daniel. How are you, Hailee?” Moore mentioned. “I am relatable,” Steinfeld said. The screenplay award they presented had a surprise winner: Justine Triet, writer-director of “Anatomy of a Fall,” beating out each “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”

A HISTORIC WIN

The night time’s emotional highpoint got here with the penultimate award, when Gladstone won very best actress in a drama for Martin Scorsese’s epic “Killers of the Flower Moon,” changing into the first Indigenous winner in the class. She opened her speech in the Blackfeet language, explaining behind the scenes that “it was one of the more natural things I could do in the moment.” In her speech, Gladstone, who played Osage community member Mollie Burkhart, pronounced her win historic and said: “This is for every little rez kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid out there who has a dream, who is seeing themselves represented and our stories told — by ourselves, in our own words — with tremendous allies and tremendous trust from and with each other.”

—-

AP Entertainment Writers Maria Sherman and Jonathan Landrum Jr. contributed to this file.