Hollywood’s biggest night just served up plot twists nobody predicted.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s radical revolution film swept the comedy categories. A Netflix limited series about a teen murder case took home four trophies. Nikki Glaser roasted A listers so hard the room forgot to breathe. And the movie everyone expected to dominate? It won just two awards despite leading all nominations.
The 83rd Golden Globes unfolded Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton with enough shocking victories, emotional speeches, and jaw dropping fashion moments to fuel entertainment headlines for weeks. One Battle After Another, Anderson’s politically charged action thriller, emerged as the night’s biggest winner in a ceremony that proved Hollywood still loves risk taking cinema over safe franchise fare.
But the real story? How a harrowing British drama called Adolescence stole the television categories. How Warner Bros Discovery dominated despite its CEO sitting in the room with competitors bidding to buy his company. How Nikki Glaser proved she’s the only host who can actually roast celebrities without tanking the vibe.
Ready to dive into the most unpredictable Golden Globes in recent memory? Every winner, every snub, every moment that made this ceremony unforgettable starts now.
One Battle After Another Rewrote The Playbook
Credits: THR
Paul Thomas Anderson spent two decades writing One Battle After Another. Twenty years crafting a story about revolutionaries, racism, immigration, and systemic corruption wrapped in explosive action sequences and backed by a $100 million budget.
Sunday night, that patience paid off spectacularly.
The film won Best Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy category, a designation that feels almost satirical given the movie’s heavy themes. Anderson took home Best Director and Best Screenplay. Teyana Taylor earned Best Supporting Actress for her performance as revolutionary fighter Perfidia. Four total wins for a film that’s equal parts Molotov cocktail and masterclass.
One Battle After Another follows Bob Ferguson, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, an explosives expert loyal to a revolutionary cause led by Perfidia. Together they’re unstoppable until facing Colonel Steven Lockjaw, a white supremacist played by Sean Penn who wants them eliminated. The film integrates clips from The Battle of Algiers and Gil Scott Heron needle drops, making it Anderson’s most explicitly political work ever.
Critics called it Anderson at his best. The Ringer wrote that a director who never misses returned with his most urgent film about the messed up world being passed to future generations. The movie doesn’t just entertain. It confronts. It challenges. It demands audiences reckon with uncomfortable truths about power, violence, and who gets labeled terrorist versus freedom fighter.
The Golden Globe wins position One Battle After Another as a serious Oscar contender despite its genre classification. Anderson now has momentum heading into Academy Awards voting. That matters enormously because Oscar voters historically favor dramas over comedies or action films. These Globe wins prove the movie transcends categories.
What makes the sweep more impressive? DiCaprio didn’t win Best Actor in a Comedy despite being the lead. That award went to Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme. The film succeeded on merit of direction, writing, and ensemble rather than star power alone.
Share this with anyone who said smart political films can’t succeed commercially.
How Hamnet Became The Drama Champion
Credits: THR
While One Battle After Another dominated comedy categories, Hamnet claimed the drama crown in an upset victory.
Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel about William Shakespeare’s son won Best Motion Picture Drama. Star Jessie Buckley took home Best Actress in a Drama for her performance. Paul Mescal earned a supporting actor nomination. The film’s win shocked observers who expected It Was Just an Accident or Sentimental Value to prevail.
Hamnet tells the story of Shakespeare’s family, focusing on his wife Anne and their son Hamnet who died at age 11. The novel reimagined Shakespeare as background character while centering the women in his life. Zhao’s adaptation maintained that perspective, creating intimate family drama within historical context.
Buckley’s performance reportedly delivers devastating emotional depth. Her portrayal of grief, love, and the complexities of marriage to a man history remembers but who may have been difficult to live with resonated with voters. The Golden Globe win positions her as Best Actress frontrunner heading into Oscar nominations.
The film also won for its score by Max Richter, whose compositions elevated the period piece with modern emotional resonance. Zhao and O’Farrell received screenplay nominations though they didn’t win that category.
Hamnet’s success demonstrates Golden Globe voters’ willingness to reward literary adaptations and female centered stories. In a year dominated by big budget spectacles and action films, a quiet drama about historical family dynamics claiming top honors feels significant.
The win also validates Zhao’s artistic vision. After Eternals received mixed reception, some questioned whether her Marvel detour damaged her auteur credibility. Hamnet proves she remains one of cinema’s most skilled visual storytellers when given proper material and creative freedom.
Tag someone who needs to add this to their watchlist immediately.
Adolescence Dominated Television Like Nothing Else
Credits: Variety
If One Battle After Another owned film categories, Adolescence absolutely demolished television.
The Netflix limited series took home four Golden Globes: Best Limited Series, Best Actor for Stephen Graham, Best Supporting Actor for Owen Cooper, and Best Supporting Actress for Erin Doherty. That’s a clean sweep of every category it competed in. Total domination.
Adolescence tells the story of 13 year old Jamie Miller, arrested for murdering a classmate. The four episode series explores consequences of violence on family, school, and community. Graham plays Eddie Miller, Jamie’s father trying to comprehend how his son could commit such horrific crime.
What makes the show remarkable beyond its subject matter is its technical execution. Each episode is filmed in one continuous shot. No cuts. No edits. Just sustained tension building across entire episode runtimes. That approach combines theater and television disciplines, creating visceral immediacy that makes viewers feel present for every devastating moment.
Graham’s performance showcases why he’s considered one of Britain’s finest actors. His portrayal of a father confronting impossible questions about parenting, responsibility, and whether someone can still love a child who’s done something unforgivable hits with crushing emotional weight. The Golden Globe win marks deserved recognition for an actor who’s delivered excellence for decades.
Owen Cooper, a newcomer playing Jamie, matched Graham’s intensity. His supporting actor win at such a young age for such difficult material signals a major talent emerging. The role required portraying a child capable of murder without making him simply monstrous or sympathetic. That balance demands skill beyond Cooper’s years.
Erin Doherty as Lisa, Jamie’s sister, completed the family portrait with her supporting actress win. Her character embodies the forgotten victims in these situations: siblings who did nothing wrong but carry their family member’s crimes forever.
The series was inspired by troubling incidents in Great Britain involving teenage boys attacking teenage girls. But it transcends true crime exploitation by focusing on systemic failures, generational disconnects, and how communities process unthinkable violence. The show asks hard questions without providing easy answers.
Adolescence’s Golden Globe sweep positions it as Emmy favorite when those nominations arrive. The series demonstrates Netflix’s commitment to prestige limited series that push creative boundaries. In an era of endless streaming content, Adolescence cuts through noise by being genuinely exceptional.
Don’t miss out on the show everyone will be discussing for months.
Nikki Glaser Roasted Everyone And They Loved It
Credits: THR
Nikki Glaser returned as Golden Globes host for the second consecutive year, cementing her status as the only comedian who can roast Hollywood’s biggest stars without creating awkward tension.
Her opening monologue came loaded. “There’s so many A listers,” she began. “And by A listers I mean people on a list that’s been heavily redacted.” The Epstein files reference landed immediately, setting the tone for an evening of no holds barred comedy.
She hit Leonardo DiCaprio, naturally, despite claiming beforehand she’d avoid predictable Leo jokes. She jabbed at podcasters being nominated, saying “I probably shouldn’t be this close to Julia Roberts,” referencing the protective sense of humor people have about America’s sweetheart. She compared herself to Wicked (“I’m here for a sequel”), to Frankenstein (“I’ve been assembled by an unlicensed surgeon from Europe”), and to basically every nominee in ways that felt sharp but never mean spirited.
The balance Glaser strikes is remarkable. She roasts celebrities hard enough to get laughs but maintains respect that keeps the room on her side. Previous hosts either went too soft and bored audiences or too hard and alienated the room. Glaser found the sweet spot.
Her performance last year made history as the first solo female Golden Globes host. Returning and delivering another stellar set validates that the gig isn’t a novelty or diversity checkbox. Glaser is simply the best person for this specific job right now.
Social media praised her monologue extensively. Clips went viral within hours. Entertainment journalists called it the best hosting performance in recent Golden Globes memory. The show’s producers already face pressure to bring her back for a third year.
Comedy at awards shows has become increasingly difficult. Cancel culture, social media scrutiny, and celebrity sensitivity create minefields where one wrong joke can dominate headlines more than the actual awards. Glaser navigates this landscape expertly because her comedy comes from genuine affection for her targets rather than cruelty.
The Golden Globes needed Glaser. After years of corruption scandals, credibility issues, and questions about relevance, having a host who makes the ceremony fun again matters enormously for the show’s reputation and ratings.
The Television Winners That Made Perfect Sense
Beyond Adolescence’s sweep, television categories delivered wins that felt both expected and deserved.
Noah Wyle won Best Actor in a Drama for The Pitt, the HBO Max medical drama. The show marks Wyle’s return to medical television after ER made him famous decades ago. His win demonstrates that talent and good material trump novelty.
Jean Smart took Best Actress in a Comedy for Hacks, her third consecutive Golden Globe in the category. Smart’s dominance in this role reflects both her performance excellence and Hacks’ continued quality across multiple seasons. The show proves network style comedy can still compete with prestige streaming programming.
Seth Rogen won Best Actor in a Comedy for The Studio, Apple TV’s Hollywood satire. The win validates Rogen’s dramatic range beyond stoner comedies. His performance as an anxious studio executive trying to balance art and commerce resonated with voters who understand entertainment industry pressures firsthand.
Rhea Seehorn finally won for Pluribus after years of being overlooked for Better Call Saul. Her Best Actress in a Drama win felt like the television academy collectively apologizing for past snubs. Seehorn’s one woman show performance as potentially the last separate human consciousness on Earth showcased range that’s impossible to ignore.
The Studio won Best Comedy Series, beating Abbott Elementary, Hacks, and The Bear. The victory reflects Golden Globe voters’ preference for industry insider stories and validates Apple TV’s prestige programming strategy.
The Pitt won Best Drama Series over heavy competition including Severance, The Diplomat, Pluribus, and Slow Horses. The win demonstrates medical dramas still resonate when executed with intelligence and emotional authenticity.
Michelle Williams won Best Actress in a Limited Series for Dying for Sex, adding another trophy to her already impressive collection. Stephen Graham’s Adolescence win means he beat Jacob Elordi, Paul Giamatti, Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, and Matthew Rhys in a stacked category.
These television wins across multiple platforms (Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV, Amazon) prove that streaming wars benefit viewers by forcing every platform to produce exceptional content. Competition elevates quality.
Share with your friend who’s still deciding which streaming services are worth keeping.
The Animated And International Film Victories
KPop Demon Hunters took Best Animated Feature, a surprise win for the Korean musical that blended demon slaying action with K pop aesthetics. The film’s original song “Golden” also won, marking rare double victory for an animated feature.
The movie demonstrates growing global influence of Korean entertainment beyond Parasite and Squid Game. Animation provides another avenue for Korean creators to showcase their distinctive storytelling and visual styles to worldwide audiences.
The Secret Agent won Best Non English Language Film for its Brazilian story about a professor forced into hiding during 1970s military dictatorship. Star Wagner Moura also won Best Actor in a Drama, becoming one of few actors to win for non English performances.
The Secret Agent’s victories highlight Golden Globe voters’ international awareness and willingness to recognize films beyond English language cinema. The wins position the film as potential Oscar nominee in International Feature category.
These victories matter for representation and industry evolution. When international and animated films win major awards, studios greenlight more diverse projects. Success breeds investment breeds more success. The cycle benefits audiences who get access to varied storytelling beyond standard Hollywood formulas.
The Supporting Actor Categories Delivered Surprises
Teyana Taylor’s win for One Battle After Another marked her first major acting award despite years in entertainment as singer and dancer. Her performance as revolutionary Perfidia showcased dramatic range that many didn’t know she possessed. The win transforms her career trajectory from multi hyphenate entertainer to serious actress.
Stellan Skarsgård won Best Supporting Actor for Sentimental Value, beating Paul Mescal in Hamnet, Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein, and Sean Penn in One Battle After Another. Skarsgård’s victory demonstrates voters’ appreciation for veteran character actors delivering nuanced work in quieter films.
Owen Cooper’s supporting actor television win at age 13 for Adolescence makes him one of the youngest Golden Globe acting winners ever. The achievement is extraordinary given the role’s difficulty and competition he faced.
Erin Doherty’s supporting actress television win for Adolescence beat Catherine O’Hara in The Studio, Carrie Coon in The White Lotus, and Hannah Einbinder in Hacks. The victory proves dramatic performances edge comedy in voters’ minds when both are executed well.
These supporting categories often produce the most interesting wins because they recognize actors who might not lead films but elevate every scene they inhabit. Supporting performers build the foundation that allows lead actors to shine.
What The Globes Mean For Oscar Season
Golden Globes function as the official Oscar race starting gun. While Globes don’t predict Oscars perfectly, they create momentum that influences Academy voters’ perceptions and industry buzz.
One Battle After Another’s four wins make it a serious Best Picture contender despite being categorized as comedy. The Oscars don’t split comedy and drama categories, meaning Anderson’s film could compete directly against Hamnet, Sinners, and other dramas.
Hamnet’s drama wins position Jessie Buckley as Best Actress frontrunner. Wagner Moura becomes a dark horse Best Actor possibility. Chloé Zhao likely secures Best Director nomination.
Adolescence’s television dominance guarantees Emmy nominations across acting and technical categories. The Pitt, The Studio, and Hacks solidify their positions as presumptive Emmy nominees.
The wins also influence which films studios push in Oscar campaigns. Marketing budgets shift toward Globe winners. Screeners get sent to Academy voters with “Golden Globe Winner” emblazoned on covers. Press tours ramp up for victorious films and performances.
Some surprises at Globes create Oscar intrigue. Timothée Chalamet winning for Marty Supreme over Leonardo DiCaprio suggests a potential Best Actor upset. Rose Byrne’s comedy actress win for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You introduces a contender many overlooked.
The next six weeks before Oscar nominations announce will see intense campaigning. Golden Globe winners have targets on their backs. Films that didn’t win will argue they were snubbed. The entertainment industry loves narratives, and awards season provides endless storyline possibilities.
Comment below with your Oscar predictions now that Globes results are in.
The Warner Bros Discovery Dominance Nobody Discussed
Here’s the subplot nobody mentioned during the ceremony: Warner Bros Discovery absolutely dominated the Golden Globes while the company’s future hangs in uncertainty.
One Battle After Another, Sinners, The Pitt, and Hacks all won major awards. All are Warner Bros Discovery properties. The company’s CEO sat in the Beverly Hilton ballroom alongside Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and Paramount CEO David Ellison, both bidding to acquire WBD.
Not a single winner mentioned this corporate drama during acceptance speeches. Presenters didn’t reference it. The tension existed entirely beneath the surface, visible only to industry insiders aware of ongoing merger discussions.
The awkwardness is profound. Warner Bros Discovery proves its content produces awards worthy programming while simultaneously being shopped to competitors. The wins demonstrate the company’s value, potentially driving up acquisition price. But they also showcase what buyers would get: a studio that still produces quality content people want to watch and award voters want to recognize.
For Warner Bros Discovery employees, the wins carry bittersweet undertones. Pride in their work mixes with uncertainty about who will own the company and whether jobs are secure. Hollywood understands this anxiety intimately as consolidation reshapes the industry.
The Golden Globes became inadvertent demonstration of Warner Bros Discovery’s worth at the exact moment that worth is being negotiated and assessed by potential buyers. That’s not subtext. That’s the entire plot playing out in real time.
The Fashion Moments That Stopped Conversations
Credits: InStyle
Awards shows are as much fashion exhibitions as achievement celebrations. The 2026 Golden Globes delivered memorable red carpet moments that will influence style for months.
Details about specific looks require more space than this article allows, but several trends emerged. Metallics dominated. Plunging necklines made comebacks. Classic Hollywood glamour competed with avant garde experimentation. Gender fluid fashion continued normalizing as more male attendees wore traditionally feminine elements.
The red carpet also showcased jewelry worth more than most people earn in lifetimes. Designers competed to dress biggest stars, knowing Golden Globes exposure translates to brand recognition and sales. Celebrity stylists pulled favors and called in connections to secure perfect looks.
Fashion critics spent hours analyzing every outfit, accessory, and styling choice. Best dressed lists circulated across social media and entertainment websites. The cultural fascination with what celebrities wear to awards shows remains powerful despite some arguing it’s superficial distraction from actual achievements being honored.
But fashion is art. The designers, stylists, makeup artists, and hairstylists creating these looks deserve recognition for their creativity and technical skill. Awards show fashion pushes boundaries and influences mainstream trends that eventually trickle to everyday consumers.
The Golden Globes red carpet functions as global runway where A listers become models showcasing couture. That spectacle is part of the event’s appeal and shouldn’t be dismissed as mere vanity.
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The Speeches That Made Everyone Emotional
Credits: THR
Acceptance speeches provide awards shows their most memorable moments. The 2026 Golden Globes delivered several that resonated beyond typical thank yous.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s directing speech reportedly referenced the political urgency driving One Battle After Another. He spoke about responsibility artists have to engage with their moment rather than retreating into escapism. The comments drew applause and will likely be quoted extensively in critical analyses of his film.
Stephen Graham’s speech for Adolescence addressed the real violence inspiring the series. He thanked families affected by similar tragedies and expressed hope the show contributes to meaningful conversations about youth violence, systemic failures, and community responsibility.
Teyana Taylor’s supporting actress speech marked breakthrough moment for an artist who spent years being underestimated as actress. She thanked Paul Thomas Anderson for seeing her potential and giving her the role that changed her career trajectory.
Sarah Jessica Parker received the Carol Burnett Award for television achievement. Her speech reflected on 52 years in television from child actress to Sex and the City icon. She discussed saying goodbye to Carrie Bradshaw, the character who defined her career, and embracing new creative challenges.
These speeches elevated the ceremony beyond simple award distribution. They provided context, emotion, and meaning that transform statues into symbols of artistic achievement and cultural impact.
Why This Year’s Globes Actually Mattered
The Golden Globes spent recent years fighting credibility crises. Corruption allegations, lack of diversity, questionable voting practices, and general skepticism about whether the awards meant anything damaged the show’s reputation.
The 2026 ceremony felt different. The wins mostly made sense. Worthy performances and productions got recognized. The host entertained without embarrassing anyone. The show moved at reasonable pace. No major scandals erupted.
This matters because awards need credibility to remain relevant. If Golden Globes become pure publicity stunts with zero connection to actual quality, audiences stop caring. But if the awards generally recognize excellence even when some questionable decisions happen, people stay invested.
The 2026 results suggest Golden Globe voting reformed enough to produce legitimate outcomes. One Battle After Another winning multiple awards for a genuinely adventurous film. Adolescence sweeping television categories for boundary pushing limited series. These wins validate the awards as meaningful rather than bought or politically motivated.
The Globes also benefit from happening first in awards season. They set narratives and create momentum even when Oscar voters ignore them. Being first grants power that later awards don’t possess.
For one night, the Golden Globes felt important again. Whether that credibility sustains depends on future ceremonies maintaining similar quality and judgment.
The Snubs Everyone’s Still Processing
Awards shows create snubs by definition. Limited slots mean many deserving nominees and potential winners go home empty handed. The 2026 Golden Globes produced several notable oversights.
Leonardo DiCaprio lost Best Actor in a Comedy despite leading One Battle After Another. Timothée Chalamet’s win for Marty Supreme surprised many who expected DiCaprio’s name to be called.
Severance, the Apple TV sci fi masterpiece, got shut out despite multiple nominations. Adam Scott and Britt Lower lost acting categories. The show didn’t win drama series. After such an acclaimed second season, going home empty stings.
The Bear didn’t win any awards despite being nominated. The show’s continued dominance at Emmys didn’t translate to Golden Globe success.
Wicked: For Good, the highly anticipated musical sequel, failed to win despite several nominations including for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The film’s songs didn’t win either.
These snubs will fuel conversation and potentially create sympathetic narratives that help snubbed films and shows at other awards. “They were robbed at the Globes” becomes rallying cry that sometimes leads to Oscar wins as voters correct perceived injustices.
Your Awards Season Journey Starts Here
The Golden Globes opened the 2026 awards season with ceremony that delivered surprises, validated favorites, and set up fascinating Oscar race dynamics.
One Battle After Another versus Hamnet for Best Picture. Paul Thomas Anderson challenging for Director. Jessie Buckley leading Best Actress. Wagner Moura as dark horse Best Actor. Adolescence dominating television. These storylines will develop over coming weeks as more award shows announce nominations and winners.
For entertainment fans, awards season provides sports style competition combined with artistic celebration. Rooting for favorites, debating snubs, predicting outcomes, analyzing campaigns creates engagement that lasts months.
The Golden Globes served their purpose perfectly. They honored excellence, created buzz, generated headlines, and made audiences excited about films and shows they might have overlooked.
Now comes the fun part. Watching how Oscar voters respond to Globe results. Seeing whether momentum from these wins translates to Academy Awards. Discovering which surprise winners become season mainstays versus one night anomalies.
Which Golden Globe winner shocked you most? Who got robbed? What should win at the Oscars?
Drop your hottest take in the comments. Share this with your whole group chat. Follow for updates as awards season heats up over the next six weeks.
The 83rd Golden Globes crowned its champions. Now the real battle for Oscar gold begins. And after Sunday night’s surprises, anything feels possible.
