The 82nd annual Golden Globes nominations revealed exciting news for Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and the musical drama Emilia Perez. Among the notable names and titles announced, they stood out.
Leading the nominations with 10 nods was the surreal narco-thriller musical by Jacques Audiard. The film tells the story of a Mexican drug lord undergoing a significant life change to live as a woman, creating a buzz as the road to the Oscars unfolds.
Featuring transgender actress Karla Sofia Gascon in the lead role, the groundbreaking film also includes Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldana in supporting parts, pushing boundaries and defying traditional genres.
All three are up for prizes for the Golden Globes, set for January 5, which are widely seen as a bellwether for the Academy Awards.
Smash hit Wicked, the movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, earned four nominations, including for pop sensation Ariana Grande as the bubbly pink-clad Glinda and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo as the green-skinned Elphaba.
Grande – earning her first ever Golden Globe nomination – features in the category for Best Supporting Female Actor – Motion Picture nomination courtesy of her role as Galinda Upland in the fantasy drama.
The versatile star will compete alongside close friend Selena Gomez for her role in Emilia Perez, and Margaret Qualley, who won universally positive reviews for body shock horror The Substance.
Isabella Rossellini also features for her role in Concave, as does Zoe Saldana – again, for Emilia Perez.
Ahead of the nominations, Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis suggested organisers should save the last three categories of the night for comedy-musical honours, especially lead actress, which he called “the bloodbath category.”
He could be right, with Erivo, Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon and Anora star Mikey Madison battling for the lead actress prize with perennial awards favorite Amy Adams for Nightbitch. Demi Moore for The Substance and Challengers star Zendaya.
Wicked also receives a nod in the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement category with hit films including Gladiator II – overlooked in every other category on Monday – Deadpool & Wolverine, Twisters, Inside Out 2 and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist is among the contenders for best best motion picture drama, while Adam Brody and British star Felicity Jones scored acting nods alongside Guy Pearce for supporting.
The haul for Conclave includes British actor Ralph Fiennes, who leads the pack for Best Actor in a Drama for his portrayal of a conflicted priest overseeing a papal election.
The category also features two films starring Timothee Chalamet – his upcoming Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.
Chalamet is also up for best actor in a motion picture drama for his role as influential folk singer Dylan, alongside British star Daniel Craig in romance titled Queer, Sebastian Stan for his role as Donald Trump in The Apprentice and Colman Domingo for Sing Sing – about a man imprisoned for a crime he did not commit who finds purpose by acting in a theatre group.
British star Eddie Redmayne was also among the early contenders after being named in the category for Best Television Actor in a Drama Series for his starring role in Netflix hit The Day Of The Jackal.
The actor faces stiff competition from Jake Gyllenhaal for Presumed Innocent, while Donald Glover also wins a nomination for his role in Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
There’s another British face on the list, with Gary Oldman’s starring role in Disney+ series Slow Horses earning him a richly deserved nomination, while Hiroyuki Sanada and Billy Bob Thornton win respective nods for Shōgun and Landman.
British Netflix drama Baby Reindeer has also been acknowledged, with the Richard Gadd written show featuring in the category for Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture and its lead actress Jessica Gunning named as Best Supporting Female Actor – Television
The show will compete alongside the hugely popular Ripley, controversial biopic Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story, True Detective: Night Country, Ripley and The Penguin.
Baby Reindeer wins another acknowledgement in the opposing Male Actor in a Limited Series category, with Gadd featuring alongside Colin Farrell for The Penguin, Kevin Kline for Disclaimer, Andrew Scott for Ripley, Kevin Kline for Disclaimer and newcomer Cooper Koch for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Elsewhere Jon M. Chu and Ridley Scott were surprise omissions from Best Director – Motion Picture category, despite respective blockbusters Wicked and Gladiator II enjoying enormous box office success.
Instead, Emilia Perez director Jacques Audiard joins Sean Baker for Anora, Edward Berger for Concave, Bradley Corbet for The Brutalist, Coralie Fareget for The Substance and Payal Kapadia for All We Imagine Is Light in a hotly contested six strong group.
Australian actress Cate Blanchett has also been acknowledged, with the serial winner earning a nomination in the Best Female Actor in a Limited Series nomination for her role in Disclaimer.
She joins Jodie Foster for her triumphant turn in True Detective: Night Country, Naomi Watts for Feud Capote Vs The Swans, Cristin Miloto for The Penguin and British star Kate Winslet for The Regime.
Jeremy Allen White lands his latest nomination for The Bear, this time in the category for Best Television Male Actor in a Musical/Comedy series.
The actor joins Adam Brody for Nobody Wants This, Ted Danson for A Man On The Inside, and Steve Martin and Martin Short for Only Murders In The Building.
Hollywood legend Kathy Bates also features among this years nominees, with her role in Matlock earning a place in the category for Best Television Female Actor in a Drama Series.
Last year, the Golden Globes proved a successful night for Oppenheimer, which scored five major awards during the ceremony.
British film-maker Sir Christopher Nolan was named best director for the first time after six nominations, while Irish actor Cillian Murphy took home best actor in a drama for his work as the father of the atomic bomb.
The 82nd Golden Globes will take place at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on January 5, hosted by Nikki Glaser – the first woman to solo host the awards.
During the event, Cheers legend Ted Danson will receive the Carol Burnett Award for those who have “made outstanding contributions to television on or off screen” and Viola Davis will be handed the Cecil B. DeMille Award for achievement in film.
