A Los Angeles Times report had revealed that the Globes’ main body, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, did not have any Black members.
After courting controversy and being subsequently boycotted by production houses and several Hollywood celebrities, the Golden Globes returned on 11 January 2023, after seemingly making changes to make the organisation more inclusive.
Here are some of the moments from the 80th Golden Globes that you shouldn’t miss:
1. Team RRR Celebrates Historic Win
The Telugu film RRR won an award for ‘Best Original Song’ for ‘Naatu Naatu’, making this the first Indian film and song to win a Golden Globe. The team broke into celebration as Wednesday star Jenna Ortega made the announcement.
RRR, directed by SS Rajamouli, stars Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead. ‘Naatu Naatu’ was competing with Carolina (Where The Crawdads Sing), Ciao Papa (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio), Hold My Hand (Top Gun: Maverick), Lift Me Up (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever).
2. Jerrod Carmichael Takes a Dig at the HFPA
Golden Globes host, comedian Jerrod Carmichael took digs at HFPA’s controversy, and even Tom Cruise and scientology. “I'm here because I'm Black,” Carmichael said, “I'll catch everyone in the room up.”
“This show, the Golden Globe Awards, did not air last year because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which — I won’t say they were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single Black member until George Floyd died. So do with that information what you will.”Jerrod Carmichael
He added, “One minute you're making mint tea at home, the next you're invited to be the Black face of an embattled white organization.”
3. Ryan Murphy’s Speech of ‘Hope’ for LGBTQIA+ Kids
In his acceptance speech for the Carol Burnett Award, Ryan Murphy drew attention to the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth across the world and cited examples of actors he has worked with as ‘North stars’.
“I’ve dedicated most of my lifetime achievement speech here tonight to these wonderful actors I’ve worked with to make a point of hope and progress,” Murphy said.
He further said, “When I was a young person at home in the ’70s watching The Carol Burnett Show, I never ever saw a person like me getting an award or even being a character on a TV show. It’s hard being an LGBTQ kid in America. In fact, all over the world, then and now. And I have one word for you: Florida.”
In 2022, Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed the controversial "Parental Rights in Education" (‘Don’t Say Gay’) bill for Florida.
“You are often told you will never become anything. You have to hide your life to survive. But for those kids watching tonight, I offer up MJ and Billy and Niecy and Matt and Jeremy as examples of possibility. There is a way forward, use them as your North stars.”Ryan Murphy
4. Regina Hall Couldn’t Stop Laughing
Golden Globe 2023 award winners Zendaya, Amanda Seyfried, and Cate Blanchett, were all not present at the show. And neither was Yellowstone star Kevin Costner. However, he gave a reason behind his absence but presented Regina Hall couldn’t get through it without laughing.
Hall explained that Costner was absent due to the storms in Southern California. She read that Costner “so much” wanted to be part of the ceremony before cracking up and adding, “I always like how they write this. ‘He so much…’ No, I’m sure he did.”
“He’s stuck in Santa Barbara — let’s pray, everyone,” she continued, “No, that’s awful.” She did add that her thoughts were with those affected by the storms.
5. Niecy Nash and Billy Porter's Love for Rihanna
Presenter Niecy Nash was tasked with presenting the award for ‘Best TV Actress in a Musical or Comedy’ (Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary). However, before she could do that, she had to take the chance to give a shout out to someone special - Rihanna.
“Rihanna, I love you and I dressed up as you for Halloween. I just had to say that. Had to take my moment,” Nash said. Billy Porter later added that he, too, would’ve dressed up as Rihanna if he took part in Halloween.
6. Ke Huy Quan’s Trip Down Memory Lane
Everything Everywhere All At Once star Ke Huy Quan, who won the award for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ gave a heartfelt acceptance speech. Quan, who played Short Round in Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom thanked the director for the shot.
Ke Huy Quan in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.`
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @The Academy)
“I was raised to never forget where I came from, and to always remember who gave me my first opportunity. I am so happy to see Steven Spielberg here tonight,” Quan said. After stints in The Goonies and Head of the Class, he had purportedly stopped acting due to a lack of opportunities.
This Golden Globe marks his first nomination and win.
"When I started my career as a child actor in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, I felt so very lucky to have been chosen. As I grew older, I started to wonder if that was it, if that was just luck.”Ke Huy Quan
"For so many years, I was afraid I had nothing more to offer — that no matter what I did, I would never surpass what I did as a kid. Thankfully, more than 30 years later, two guys thought of me. They remembered that kid. And they gave me an opportunity to try again,” the actor said.
7. Jennifer Coolidge: What’s Not to Love?
After her iconic dance at the Emmys 2022, Jennifer Coolidge won hearts with not one, but two endearing and hilarious speeches at the 80th Golden Globes. From talking about someone named Cara Bishop who invited her to present at the awards to the possibility of wearing white Crocs with her Dolce and Gabbana dress, every moment was picture-perfect.
While talking about being nervous, Coolidge said, “I said, 'Cara I'm so touched that you'd want me to do this, but there's no way I'm gonna make it from behind the curtain all the way to the podium without breaking my skull... I just can't do it.'”
She also went on to call a Globe an Oscar, and made The White Lotus creator Mike White tear up with her acceptance speech.
Thanking White for giving her the opportunity to be on the show and a “new beginning,” she said, “My neighbors are speaking to me and things like that. I mean it. I was never invited to one party on my hill, and now everyone’s inviting me. I just – you know, it’s to you, Mike White.”
8. Eddie Murphy and the Will Smith Joke
Eddie Murphy was presented with the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes ceremony by the iconic Jamie Lee Curtis. During his speech, Murphy talked about how the award was a long time coming and then made a joke about the infamous Will Smith-Chris Rock ‘Oscars slap’.
Speaking to new up-and-coming artistes, Murphy said that the blueprint to success was following three simple rules: “Just do these three things: Pay your taxes, mind your business….and keep Will Smith’s wife's name out your f*****g mouth!”
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)