This year 2023 marks the return with great fanfare of the prestigious Golden Globes ceremony. After two years of absence with first the covid crisis, then accusations of racism, corruption and sexism aimed at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) because of which the show had not been broadcast in 2022, this night from Tuesday 10 to Wednesday 11 January intended to restore the image of American cinema. After serious reforms put in place by the HFPA, the NBC chain agreed to broadcast this 80th ceremony, which was not surprising, but not scandalous.
Presented by comedian Jeffrey Carmichael, the evening was illustrated by the double coronation of Steven Spielberg for his film, “The Fabelmans”, largely autobiographical, for which he won the Golden Globe for best director and that of best dramatic film. A good signal before the Oscars! In this feature film, the 75-year-old director tells the story of a young American Jew who dreams of making films in the 1960s, while his parents watch their couple inexorably fall apart.
The other big success of the evening was for “The Banshees of Inisherin” by Martin McDonagh, victorious in three categories: best comedy or musical, best screenplay and best actor in a comedy for Colin Farrell.
For her part, Michell Yeoh won the Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy for “Everything everywhere all at once”, after 40 years of a rich career in Hollywood:
“When I came to Hollywood, it was a dream come true…until I got there. I came here and they told me “You are a minority” […] It is also for all the shoulders on which I stand, those who have come before me, who look like me, and all those who are on this path with me. »
One of the most memorable speeches of the evening was that of Jennifer Coolidge, awarded for her role in the mini-series “The White Lotus”, and which brought director Mike White to tears, thanking him deeply for having restored hope by granting him this role.
Despite tears and distinguished guests, some were conspicuous by their absence like Cate Blanchett who won the award for best actress in a dramatic film for “Tar”, or Kevin Costner (“Yellowstone”), Zendaya (“Euphoria” ) and Amanda Seyfried (“The Dropout”), all rewarded but also absent.
Austin Butler, on the contrary, came on stage to receive the prize for best actor in a dramatic film for “Elvis” with great emotion, paying a moving tribute to the king of rock’n’roll.
“I am here because I am black”
If the evening will not have known a scandal, some took the opportunity to recall the scandals which recently disturbed the American ceremonies of the cinematographic industry. Thus, Jeffrey Carmichael began his speech with a tirade recalling the setbacks of the HFPA:
“I’ll tell you why I’m here. I’m here because I’m black, […] the black face of a beleaguered white organization”.
Also in a teasing mood, Eddie Murphy, who came to receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award which rewards artists for their entire career in cinema, did not hesitate to make a small reference to the scandal between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
Even more surprising, the video intervention of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who came to speak to the “Free people of the free world. Those who have united in support of the free people of Ukraine and our common struggle for freedom. »
The Golden Globes therefore seem to have recovered well from their past setbacks, but was this 2023 edition enough to forget the scandals and pave the way for its winners to the Oscars, as is usually the case? Answer on March 12, 2023 for the fifteenth Academy Awards.
