BEVERLY HILLS, Jan 6 — Pose star Billy Porter wowed the Golden Globes red carpet today with an all-white outfit trailed by a long, feathered white train as celebrities including Hustlers actress Jennifer Lopez, sporting a giant green and gold bow on a classic white gown, arrived for 2020’s first big Hollywood awards ceremony.
British actress Olivia Colman, star of The Crown, singer Elton John, and Little Women director Greta Gerwig and her partner Noah Baumbach, who directed leading movie contender Marriage Story, were also among the first to arrive for the informal dinner.
Jennifer Aniston and her ex-husband Brad Pitt, both nominated for their roles in The Morning Show and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood respectively, are among dozens of other A-list invitees on a night where there are few safe bets on the eventual winners.
The awards, handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), have shown a knack for rewarding movies that go on to do well at the Oscars in February.
Netflix’s wrenching Marriage Story and costly gangster epic The Irishman lead a field of dramatic movie contenders for Golden Globes. Immersive World War One movie 1917 and religious biography The Two Popes round out the movie drama contenders.
“The winners are not that predictable. There are four legitimate contenders for top movie drama,” Matthew Belloni, editorial director of the Hollywood Reporter, said ahead of today’s live televised ceremony.
With acerbic British comedian Ricky Gervais hosting for the first time in four years, anything could happen at the informal, often boozy dinner in Beverly Hills.
One of the closest contests is for best movie drama actor between publicity-averse stars Joaquin Phoenix and Adam Driver.
Phoenix’s terrifying Joker performance has made him a force to be reckoned with this year, while Driver’s heart-wrenching role as a father resisting divorce and its consequences follows acclaimed turns as villain Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and political tale The Report.
A win in the best movie drama or comedy/musical fields by Netflix would mark the biggest Hollywood breakthrough so far by streaming services that have revolutionized the entertainment industry. Netflix leads the pack with a total of 34 nominations across film and television.
One of the few actor shoo-ins today appears to be Renee Zellweger for her role as the legendary entertainer Judy Garland in Judy.
“She gave a universally admired performance, and the HFPA has a history of honouring her,” said Belloni.
Lopez, who wowed audiences as a feisty pole dancer in Hustlers, which she also produced, appears to be the favourite for the supporting actress statuette, while Pitt is the presumed front-runner for his supporting role as a 1960s stunt man in the nostalgic Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, awards watchers say.
On the television side, Aniston crowned her return to the small screen with an acting nomination for The Morning Show, one of the first offerings from Apple TV+. The show also is in the running for best TV drama series. — Reuters
