From Nikki Glaser to Julia Roberts, all the best and worst moments of Globes night.
The ceremony, which saw “One Battle After Another” and “Hamnet” take top film awards, got dopamine boosts from the buoyant return of host Nikki Glaser, as well as buzzy reunions between “Heated Rivalry” stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, and “The Secret Life of Bees” favorites Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning.
Julia Roberts, a best actress nominee for “After the Hunt,” was greeted with a surprise standing ovation for her long-awaited return to Globes, using her time at the podium to celebrate Eva Victor’s “Sorry, Baby.” And Snoop Dogg was admittedly, comically “high” as he presented podcast of the year to Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang.”
But at nearly 3½ hours, the overlong show did overstay its welcome, with groanworthy bits and brand-ties that fell flat. (Gambling predictions on-screen? The announcers’ distracting running commentary?)
Here are some of the highs and lows of this year’s Golden Globes:
The comedian made a dazzling return to the Golden Globes stage with a razor-sharp opening monologue, ribbing everything from “Wicked: For Good” to Jennifer Lawrence to Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros.
“Let’s get down to business,” Glaser said at the top of the show. “We’ll start the bidding for Warner Bros. at $5. Do I hear $5?”
The two-time Globes host then took shots at CBS News and the infamous Jeffrey Epstein list.
“So many A-listers – and by A-listers, I mean people who are on a ‘a list’ that has been heavily redacted,” Glaser joked, referencing the Epstein files. “And the Golden Globe for best editing goes to the Justice Department. … And the award for most editing goes to CBS News. Yes, CBS News: America’s newest place to see BS news.”
Glaser proceeded to take playful shots at megastars including Timothée Chalamet, George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio, quipping that the latter has accomplished so much “before your girlfriend turned 30.”
“Leo, I’m sorry I made that joke,” Glaser said. “It is cheap. I tried not to, but, like, we don’t know anything else about you, man. There’s nothing else. Open up! I’m serious! I looked! I searched! The most in-depth interview you’ve ever given was for ‘Teen Beat’ magazine in 1991. Is your favorite food still ‘Pasta, pasta and more pasta?’” DiCaprio nodded, as if to say, yes indeed it is.
BEST: Teyana Taylor shows ‘party in the back’ and tearfully honors ‘little Brown girls’ in acceptance speech
In the first big upset of the night, Taylor took the best supporting actress trophy over Amy Madigan (“Weapons”) for her astonishing performance as dauntless vigilante Perfidia Beverly Hills in “One Battle After Another.”
“Wait, see my party in the back,” Taylor said through tears as she walked onstage, turning to show off the diamond-encrusted thong with a bow revealed by her very-low-back dress The actress and singer urged her kids at home to tune in to the awards show: “Y’all better be off those damn phones and watching me right now.”
She thanked the movie’s director, “Paul ‘let ’em cook’ Thomas Anderson,” for “your vision, your trust and your brilliance,” Taylor said. “My gratitude is endless. I love you, we love you and thank you so much for holding space for me and our entire cast.”
She ended her speech with a tribute to “my Brown sisters and little Brown girls watching tonight”: “Our softness is not a liability. Our depth is not too much. Our light does not need permission to shine. We belong in every room we walk into. Our voices matter and our dreams deserve space.”
Listen, we love that the Globes wanted to retire the standard incidental music in between speeches. But some orchestral tunes might’ve been a touch classier than the abrasive DJ set that blared throughout the show: “Sentimental Value” star Stellan Skarsgård accepting best supporting actor to the tune of Usher’s “Yeah?” “One Battle After Another” filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson walking onstage to LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem?” This is a Hollywood awards show, not a frat party – let’s save the Top 40 for the after-party. The one exception: Macaulay Culkin walking on to present to “Return of the Mack,” which felt appropriate for his first Globes appearance in 35 years.
Early in the show, Glaser returned to the stage to sing an extremely off-key tribute to “Marty Supreme” before one of the film’s stars, Fran Drescher, exasperatedly cut her off.
“You have to stop singing,” the “Nanny” icon said. “Your voice is so annoying!”
“That means a lot coming from you,” Glaser deadpanned.
Drescher proceeded to introduce the telecast’s next presenter, Macauley Culkin, or as she put it: “a boy who famously had no nanny.”
“It’s been 35 years since I’ve been to the Globes,” the “Home Alone” star said to thunderous applause. “Thanks for welcoming me back. That’s really nice of you guys. I know it’s weird seeing me outside the holiday season. Shockingly, I do exist all year around.”
The “Bridesmaids” and “Spy” funnywoman appeared to be genuinely stunned as she accepted the award for best actress in a musical or comedy for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” a pitch-black motherhood dramedy.
“Of course I didn’t prepare anything,” Byrne said as she got onstage. “I didn’t sing in this movie. This is such a shock!”
She continued to thank writer and director Mary Bronstein for making the low-budget film, which was shot “in 25 days for, like, $8.50.” She also shouted out her two young sons and husband, actor Bobby Cannavale.
“I want to thank my husband, Bobby, who couldn’t be here because we’re getting a bearded dragon and he went to a reptile expo in New Jersey,” Byrne said, garnering laughs. “So, thank you. Thank you, baby.”
WORST: Pin-dropping this year’s nominees
Sure, it’s fun to imagine that we’re all wining and dining at the Beverly Hilton with the Hollywood elite. But for the second year in a row, the Globes made the bizarre decision to mark where the actors are sitting with a smattering of Google Maps-type pins around the ballroom. The bird’s-eye view is neither illuminating nor appealing to look at, and it actually makes you feel more like an outsider rather than less. Folks at home would likely be much happier if producers parked the camera on Jacob Elordi and Ariana Grande instead.
BEST: Don Cheadle surprises ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ co-star George Clooney
Clooney began to present the final award of the night for best motion-picture drama when Cheadle sidled up alongside him. The actors costarred in the ”Ocean’s” trilogy, as well as Steven Soderbergh’s ”Out of Sight.”
Cheadle assured Clooney that he was just there for ”moral support,” only to rib the ”Jay Kelly” star for not receiving a standing ovation or winning best actor like their friend and costar Julia Roberts did.
”We’re all winners here,” Clooney said dryly, before Cheadle pointed out that Timothée Chalamet was just 3 years old the last time Clooney won. (In fairness, Clooney has earned three acting Globes, the last for ”The Descendants” in 2012.)
”Knock ’em dead, Batman!” Cheadle cracked, drawing applause as he ended the bit with a playful spank on Clooney’s derrière.