78th Golden Globes Officially Announce Nominations
Image Courtesy of Time Bulletin
With awards season commencing, film fanatics everywhere welcome, though some scrutinize, the release of this year’s Golden Globes nominations. From the big screen to television, this year’s ceremonies are going to be interesting to viewers across the country.
Set to take place on February 28, this year’s Golden Globes will be hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, after the pair previously hosted the awards in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In contrast to years prior, this year’s hosts will be emceeing from separate locations, marking this as the very first bicoastal awards ceremony, with Fey at New York City’s Rainbow Room and Poehler at the Beverly Hilton.
Soon after this announcement early Wednesday morning, the nominees were unveiled. Films like Mank and The Trial of the Chicago 7 near the top of the list for film nominations, and shows like The Crown (2016 - ) and the popular sitcom Schitt’s Creek (2015 - ) led the pack in nominations.
“Nominees were announced across 25 categories encompassing film and TV. Overall, Netflix leads all networks and streamers with a total of 42 noms — 22 in film (followed by Amazon Studios with seven) and 20 in TV (followed by HBO with seven)” stated The Hollywood Reporter.
This year’s nominees also made history, with three women nominated for awards in the directing category—the first time that more than one has been shortlisted in a single year. Emerald Fennell, most known for her acting on The Crown, was nominated for her first feature film as a director for Promising Young Woman. Regina King, who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for acting in 2018’s If Beale Street Could Talk, has expanded her many talents to directing One Night in Miami. Additionally, Chinese director Chloe Zhao has become the first woman of Asian descent to be up for the Golden Globes’ best director prize, for Nomadland.
But with awards season comes controversy, with many focusing on pop star Sia and her directorial debut with her film Music, starring popular dancer Maddie Ziegler as a young girl on the autism spectrum.
Actress Ruth Madeley, who has spina bifida, expressed solidarity with “every #ActuallyAutistic person who is rightly devastated to see #Sia’s Music nominated”.
While the creation of this role creates a better understanding of autism and benefits autistic representation, the fact that Maddie Ziegler, an actress without autism, was offered and accepted the role completely destroys the opportunity that was created for children on the spectrum to see someone like themselves represented on the big screen.
“Disabled people are needed in the industry now more than ever to help change the narrative we’re all so sick of,” Madeley wrote on Twitter.
Along with Music, another notable controversy arose surrounding the creator of the nominated Netflix series, Emily in Paris (2020 - ). With one of the show’s writers, Deborah Copaken, penned an op-ed on how her colleague Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You was snubbed.
“Now, am I excited that Emily in Paris was nominated?” she wrote. “Of course. I’ve never been remotely close to seeing a Golden Globe statue up close, let alone being nominated for one. But that excitement is now unfortunately tempered by my rage over [Michaela] Coel’s snub. That I May Destroy You did not get one Golden Globe nod is not only wrong, it’s what is wrong with everything.”
Audiences will be watching this year’s Golden Globes with bated breath and anxious fans will have to wait and see who wins. The Golden Globes are set to air February 28 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
