Golden Globes to announce nominations as Oscars race heats up

The Golden Globe nominations are set to be announced on Monday, marking the first major ceremony of the award season. This event will offer a glimpse into how the race for the Oscars is shaping up. The Golden Globes, held on January 5, are always a significant milestone in the film awards season, often hinting at which films and performances may be in the running for the Academy Awards. As the Oscars approach in March, there is currently no clear frontrunner for Best Picture, making the Golden Globe nominations especially important this year.

The Golden Globe nominations will be announced by actors Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut, and the ceremony will reveal which films and actors are in the running for top honors. The Globes divide films into two categories: drama and comedy/musical. This allows more flexibility in nominations, with a total of 36 acting nominations compared to the 20 available at the Oscars. As such, the Golden Globes have the ability to spread the wealth and avoid snubbing deserving performers or films, giving them more room to recognize a wider array of talent.

The films expected to dominate this year’s Golden Globe nominations include Wicked, Conclave, Anora, and The Brutalist. The competition looks particularly exciting due to the number of strong contenders vying for top spots. Wicked, a highly anticipated musical adaptation, Dune: Part Two, and Gladiator II are all expected to make waves at the ceremony, owing to their major box office success. The action-packed blockbuster Wicked and the star-studded Gladiator II will certainly draw attention, but there are also smaller films like Anora, a drama about a New York stripper falling for the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, and The Brutalist, which follows a Hungarian architect trying to build a new life in post-World War II America, which could generate buzz as well.

Additionally, Conclave, based on Robert Harris’s 2016 novel, follows a group of cardinals who gather to select the new Pope, which promises to captivate audiences and critics alike. Other notable contenders include Sing Sing, a prison-set drama about inmates participating in a performing arts program, and Emilia Pérez, a musical about a Mexican drug lord who changes gender. These unique narratives are pushing boundaries and could also find their place in the nominations.

A few other films are generating significant attention. September 5, a retelling of the 1972 Munich Olympics terror attack, A Real Pain, which explores two cousins grappling with grief, and Nickel Boys, about two friends at a 1960s Florida reform school, all offer powerful emotional arcs that could resonate with voters. Films like Blitz, a World War II drama, and Nosferatu, a gothic vampire remake, could also surprise audiences and secure nods in various categories.

In the acting categories, several strong comeback performances are anticipated, especially in the Best Actress category. Veteran actresses like Demi Moore (The Substance), Angelina Jolie (Maria), and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) are expected to make a return to the awards race. They’ll face stiff competition from newcomers like Mikey Madison (Anora) and other seasoned performers, including Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez) and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked).

Best Actor is another hotly contested category, with frontrunners like Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) leading the charge. Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) and Daniel Craig (Queer) are also likely to make an appearance, with other possible nominations going to Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain) and John David Washington (The Piano Lesson).

The supporting actor and actress categories are similarly competitive, with performances from Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Denzel Washington (Gladiator II), and Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) among the top contenders. In the supporting actress race, Ariana Grande (Wicked), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), and Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson) could all secure nominations. The supporting categories are always crowded, and with strong performances from Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys) and Saoirse Ronan (Blitz), the race is wide open.

The Golden Globes also offer an opportunity to highlight standout TV performances in addition to film. Shows like Shogun, The Penguin, and Slow Horses are expected to make an impact in the TV drama categories, while comedies like The Bear and Abbott Elementary could get a nod.

While the Globes are not always a perfect predictor of Oscars success, they hold significant weight in shaping the conversation as the awards season heats up. The ceremony is known for its lively atmosphere, with celebrities mingling and enjoying a night of celebration. The addition of Nikki Glaser as host promises a fun, irreverent evening with plenty of memorable moments. Despite past controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization has made significant reforms, increasing diversity and implementing new rules to restore its credibility. The Golden Globes are once again a major part of the awards season conversation, with an exciting slate of films, performances, and television shows to be recognized.

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