The 2024 Golden Globe awards unfolded in Beverly Hills, California, with all its customary sparkle and celebrity sheen, proving once again that Hollywood's attraction to a glamorous night out is seemingly unbreakable. The ceremony, now under the ownership of Penske Media, pressed ahead despite the controversial legacy of its former organisers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).
A Ceremony Moving Past Its Scandal-Hit History
The shadow of the HFPA, famously described by comedian Tina Fey in 2019 as operating from the "back booth of a French McDonalds," still lingers. The group was disbanded in 2023 following serious allegations of racism, yet 95 of its former members retained their voting rights for this year's event. The show, as it always does, went on.
This year introduced notable commercial and categorical changes. A partnership with the betting platform Polymarket aimed to boost audience engagement. A new award for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television was presented, alongside the inaugural prize for Best Podcast. The latter was claimed by Amy Poehler's Good Hang, which triumphed over popular contenders like Call Her Daddy and The Mel Robbins Podcast.
Celebrating Television's Finest
The television categories delivered well-received wins. Actor Stephen Graham earned recognition for his Netflix series Boiling Point, a drama exploring intense professional pressures. HBO's medical drama The Pitt secured the award for Best Drama Series, a win somewhat bittersweet for UK audiences who currently need a VPN to access it. Another standout victory was Michelle Williams for her role in the critically praised but under-watched FX series Dying for Sex.
The evening was kicked off by stand-up comedian Nikki Glaser, who delivered an affable opening monologue. As cameras panned across the audience of lavishly dressed A-listers, a perennial question resurfaced: what, if anything, would ever keep this crowd away? The HFPA's history was a joke, and the awards' credibility is often questioned, yet short of a cataclysmic event, the industry's turnout in full finery appears guaranteed.
Cultural Footnotes Beyond the Globes
The week's cultural digest extended far beyond the Globes. In London, the uproarious Broadway transfer Oh, Mary! opened at the Trafalgar Theatre. The play, starring Cole Escola as a deeply unconventional Mary Todd Lincoln, has been a smash hit, though some reports suggest its absurdist take on American history has left a handful of unsuspecting audiences baffled.
Meanwhile, the AARP's Movies for Grownups awards provided a more niche spotlight, with George Clooney making an appearance to collect an honour. The event highlighted the surprising media might of the AARP, an organisation whose publications boast a colossal circulation of 38 million in the US, making it a shrewd platform for any actor.
Looking ahead, London's Barbican Centre generated buzz by announcing a 2027 production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, starring pop icon Ariana Grande and actor Jonathan Bailey—a booking set to trigger a ticket frenzy.
Finally, tributes flowed for the late Alan Rickman on the tenth anniversary of his passing, reminding fans of the actor's sharp wit and enduring legacy, famously captured in his published diaries which included a memorable anecdote about a particularly raucous Guardian party in the 1990s.
