A movie buff’s take on the 2026 Golden Globes
- Peter Howell
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Carol J. Bream
Night Vision
Glamour outshone shock value for a change at the 2026 Golden Globes, starting with the red carpet.
Compared to recent years, there was remarkably little skin on display — more elegance than exhibitionism. Nominee Jennifer Lawrence’s semi‑nude floral gown was a standout, paired with a matching shawl despite the heat, while presenter Jennifer Lopez turned heads in a vintage cut that showed just enough. Many women opted for classic looks, a surprising number in white, perhaps a quiet suffragette statement. Male fashion was mostly traditional, except for the bizarre outfit worn by one of the Avatar: Fire and Ash songwriters. Even Miley Cyrus went elegant.
Show host Nikki Glaser delivered a sharp, funny monologue. Highlights included giving “best editing” kudos to CBS News and the U.S. Justice Department for their timing on the Epstein files, saying Hamnet was apparently the original name for Spanx (“I’m wearing three Hamnets right now”) and joking that gangly Timothée Chalamet bulked up for Marty Supreme, a movie about ping-pong, by adding just 60 ounces of weight. Just one of Glaser’s sharp comical jabs drew metaphoric blood: her remark about how Sean Penn’s aging face now resembles “a sexy leather purse.” She wasn’t exactly wrong, and Penn was smiling. The “One Man Bun After Another” joke about Leonardo DiCaprio, star of political satire One Battle After Another, the night’s big film winner, landed perfectly. (On the TV side of the show, crime drama Adolescence was the top winner.)
The international range of the 83rd Golden Globes was striking. Actors, directors and crews from Hamnet, The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value all earned recognition, the latter two having won Cannes kudos in 2025. The top film trophies went to One Battle After Another, Hamnet and The Secret Agent, three wildly different but deserving films. A highlight came when producer Steven Spielberg paid tribute to Hamnet writer-director Chloé Zhao, saying he chose her to make the film because he knew she’d bring to it her “special feel about nature, love and loss.”
Some interesting wins and moments:
Political remarks surfaced but stayed measured. Jean Smart, collecting yet another trophy for Hacks, called current events “very concerning” but said she spoke “as a citizen,” noting how weary viewers are of celebrities’ political takes. She wore a tiny “Be Good” button (as did presenter Wanda Sykes) and closed with “Do the right thing.” I almost needed a magnifying glass to read it.
Kleber Mendonça Filho, director of The Secret Agent, winner of the Best Motion Picture (Non-English Language) prize, echoed that sense of global urgency. He said it’s an important time for filmmaking in Brazil and the U.S. One producer of The Pitt added that cinema “brings us together in a divided world.” Only Judd Apatow, an American director, went blunt during his time as presenter with “We’re in a dictatorship now.”
Teyana Taylor’s speech after winning the Best Supporting Actress prize for “One Battle After Another” gave a warm shoutout to “the brown girls,” while her blinged‑out bow stole focus, thanks to the cameraman’s shoulder shots.
Nice recognition for the buzzworthy Heated Rivalry, a Canadian TV show grabbing many U.S. viewers. When its stars Hudson Williams appeared as presenters for another prize, Williams tried to calm Connor Storrie’s nerves with the line, “Just picture everyone in the audience as … you know...” Since Heated Rivalry flips that dynamic onscreen, the role reversal worked nicely.
Timothée Chalamet earned his Best Actor (Comedy/Musical) win for his wild and energetic title role as a ping-pong prodigy in Marty Supreme. His shoutout to Kevin O’Leary, yes, that Mr. Wonderful from “Shark Tank," was delightfully unexpected. In Marty Supreme, O’Leary plays a ballpoint pen mogul and ping-pong promoter.
Erin Doherty’s Best Supporting Actress (TV) acceptance speech for Adolescence was heartfelt, thanking therapists everywhere before accidentally breaking her promise to her mom not to swear. (The F‑bomb was promptly bleeped, as were some of the words of Snoop Dogg, who presented the new award for podcasts.)
Canadian comedian Seth Rogen, co-creator and co-star of TV’s Hollywood satire The Studio, was true to form, lavishly praising his behind‑the‑scenes crew. A classy move.
Rose Byrne, winner of Best Actress (Comedy/Musical) for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, also won many laughs, by announcing she and her husband are adopting a bearded dragon.
Presenter Wanda Sykes cracked, “I’m a queer Black woman doing the job of two mediocre white guys!” She jokingly said she hoped former Globes host Ricky Gervais would win the prize for Best Performance in Stand-up Comedy on Television, because he wasn’t at the ceremony and she could thank God and trans people on his behalf, something Gervais might be disinclined to do.
Melissa McCarthy and Kathryn Hahn joked, while in the presentation spotlight, that “finally, men are getting recognized at the Globes.”
As a fan, I love how this year’s Globes mixed glamour, sincerity and a new spirit of global storytelling.
