After a controversial couple of years that resulted in the cancellation of the 2022 Golden Globe Awards ceremony, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced their winners for the 79th annual Golden Globes. The announcement was a rather unceremonious affair conducted via Twitter, providing a bleak beginning for the 2022 awards season.
Even under such conditions, the HFPA provided some pleasant surprises for the occasion. From first-time winners to somewhat shocking upsets, these wins made pundits and fans cheer, frown and scratch their heads, even if none was surprising enough to send jaws to the floor.
Rachel Zegler Won The Golden Globe For Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy Or Musical
The 2022 Best Actress category at the Oscars has a slew of contenders vying for a nomination, including two actresses who made their big-screen debut this year: Alana Haim in Licorice Pizza and Rachel Zegler in West Side Story. Both movies are Best Picture contenders, and both actresses are uncertain to even crack the top five. However, Zegler received a boost yesterday with her victory at the Globes.
Zegler was the favorite to win thanks to her performance as the doomed Maria in Steven Spielberg's retelling of the classic musical, but some expected Haim to prevail. Zegler's chances for an Oscar nomination are looking better after the Globes win.
Michael Keaton Won The Golden Globe For Best Actor – Miniseries Or Television Film
Michael Keaton's career received a much-needed boost from his starring and Oscar-nominated turn in Alejandro González Iñarritu's Birdman. Last year, Keaton took a starring television role, leading an ensemble cast of familiar faces in Hulu's miniseries Dopesick.
Compared to its female counterpart, the Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film category this year wasn't nearly as competitive. Still, some expected Ewan McGregor's Emmy-winning turn in Netflix's Halston to also win at the Globes. Keaton came out on top, claiming his second Golden Globe and increasing his chances to claim the Emmy come September.
The Underground Railroad Won The Golden Globe For Best Miniseries Or Television Film
Amazon's The Underground Railroad premiered last year to universal critical acclaim. Barry Jenkins' raw and powerful adaptation of the 2016 novel of the same name follows a group of people attempting to escape slavery in 1800s America.
Despite overwhelming acclaim, The Underground Railroad underperformed at the Emmys, receiving a sole directing nod and one for Outstanding Miniseries, losing both. The Globes thought more highly of it, crowning it Best Miniseries or Television Film. Its lack of nominations in the acting categories led some to believe it would go home empty-handed, in favor of HBO's juggernaut, Mare of Easttown or even Hulu's Dopesick.
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Won The Golden Globe For Best Actress – Television Series Drama
After making history last year with her nomination at the Emmys, trailblazer Michaela Jaé Rodriguez won the Golden Globe for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. The actress received critical acclaim for her role as Blanca Evangelista in FX's Pose, but it wasn't until the last season that award shows took notice.
Rodriguez faced tough competition, including seasoned pros like Jennifer Aniston and Christine Baranski. Yet Rodriguez came out on top, providing the perfect finishing note, considering Pose ended its three-season run last June. Furthermore, her win is a huge step forward for transgender actors and the trans community.
Kodi Smit-McPhee Won The Golden Globe For Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
The Supporting Actor category has been somewhat of a question mark so far, but fans think they have a clear frontrunner now in Kodi Smit-McPhee. The Australian actor claimed the Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Globe for his haunting performance in Netflix's The Power of the Dog, one of Jane Campion's best directorial efforts.
Smit-McPhee has split the critics' awards with CODA's Troy Kutsur, who many pundits thought would win at the Globes. However, the love for Jane Campion's western was strong — it also won Best Picture - Drama and Best Director — propelling Smit-McPhee to the front of the Supporting Actor race.
Sarah Snook Won The Golden Globe For Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries Or Television Film
Succession is one of the best shows on television, but its cast remains largely unrecognized. Save for Jeremy Strong, who won the Emmy last year, and Brian Cox, who claimed the Golden Globe two years ago, the show's ensemble is a case of always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
This year finally changed that. Strong prevailed in the Drama Actor category, as many expected, but Sarah Snook also found victory in the Supporting Actress category. Snook faced very tough competition, including Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham and Jennifer Coolidge, whose scene-stealing turn in HBO's The White Lotus made her the presumed favorite. However, Snook had the last laugh, winning the Globe for her efforts.
O Yeong-su Won The Golden Globe For Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries Or Television Film
Squid Game was an unexpected hit for Netflix in 2021, to the point that it became the biggest show of the year. Its influence spread like wildfire, quickly earning a place in pop culture. The show received acclaim from critics, and the HFPA recognized it by naming O Yeong-su the Best Supporting Actor.
Arguably the most inspired win of the night, the actor favored from being in a category without a clear favorite. Above all, his performance provided Squid Game with one of its biggest twists, contributing to the show's overall impact. The Globe was a perfect recognition for his work, and hopefully, it won't be the last time his name appears this awards season.
Nicole Kidman Won The Golden Globe For Best Actress In A Motion Picture – Drama
For months, Kristen Stewart was the presumed frontrunner in the Leading Actress category. Her role as Diana, Princess of Wales in Pablo Larraín's psychological drama Spencer received critical acclaim, with many anointing her the likely winner since the film's first picture debuted.
Alas, Nicole Kidman rained on Stewart's parade by claiming the Globe for her work in Aaron Sorkin's biographical Being the Ricardos. Kidman's victory cements the HFPA's love for movie stars and their affinity for Sorkin's work. Above all, it puts an intriguing spin on the category, and while Stewart remains a Best Actress favorite, Kidman's Globes win introduces some variety and perhaps even a little chaos into awards season.