Awards season officially kicks off at the very start of the year with the annual Golden Globe Awards this year slated for Sunday, January 7, and it's quite a doozy.
Several critically acclaimed films have made their way to cinemas this year, many of which are in contention for the 81st formerly Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA)-led ceremony's top prizes.
Ahead of the star-studded affair this weekend, here are HELLO!'s predictions for who will take home the top prizes in the film categories (because TV's a whole other gamble, and our money's on Succession and Ted Lasso/The Bear)…
Best Director
Despite all the hype surrounding this illustrious group, Christopher Nolan has felt like the frontrunner heading into this season, particularly with his "it's time" narrative. Surprisingly, he's never actually won a Globe, despite years of prestige (pun intended), and with the success of Oppenheimer, this feels like the perfect film to reward him for his career as a whole, even if it's not his best (shoulda been 2010's Inception). With that in mind…
Winner Pick: Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer
Potential Spoilers: Greta Gerwig for Barbie, Celine Song for Past Lives
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Best Supporting Actor
While I would love to see Riverdale star Charles Melton pull away from his CW beginnings to lift a trophy for his jarring turn in May December, this seems like the tightest race between Robert Downey Jr. and Ryan Gosling. Ultimately, the fanfare surrounding Ken might prove too difficult to overcome for Iron Man, who showed his dramatic chops to aplomb in Oppenheimer, albeit not for the first time, which might also lose him the novelty factor.
Winner Pick: Ryan Gosling for Barbie
Potential Spoilers: Robert Downey Jr. for Oppenheimer, Charles Melton for May December
Best Supporting Actress
Through this excellent crop, none stands out taller and more effectively than Da'Vine Joy Randolph's deeply bittersweet and raw turn in The Holdovers as grieving mom and cafeteria administrator Mary Lamb. Her performance effectively serves as a third and most significant breakout in her long career, and it is hopefully the kind that cements her place in the industry.
Winner Pick: Da'Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers
Potential Spoilers: Julianne Moore for May December, Danielle Brooks for The Color Purple
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Best Actor (Musical or Comedy)
It's really Paul Giamatti's layered and biting role in The Holdovers that should prove most effective. For someone who's been in the industry for nearly three decades, he possesses less of the name recognition that his fellow nominees do, but his comedic turn in Alexander Payne's instant holiday classic is the perfect temptation for the Globes to change that in a jiff, just like it should for co-star Da'Vine Joy Randolph.
Winner Pick: Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers
Potential Spoilers: Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction, Nicolas Cage for Dream Scenario
Best Actress (Musical or Comedy)
Ever since Emma Stone danced around a mad scientist's home in the first trailer for Poor Things, she immediately became the favorite (again, pun intended) for awards glory, and with the film's release, it's only heightened. The blend of imaginative, ingenious, and downright weird allows for the Globes to get in well with the "cool" crowd by making a pick that's not only accurate and justified but also, "omg, so quirky."
Winner Pick: Emma Stone for Poor Things
Potential Spoilers: Margot Robbie for Barbie, Natalie Portman for May December
Best Actress (Drama)
A film like Killers of the Flower Moon would not have worked without the masterful dramatic turn of one Lily Gladstone, turning in one of the most effective and personal performances of the entire year. This film is a star-making vehicle simply for Lily, and while she has a lot of tough competitors in this category, it's hard to imagine a world where her magnificence isn't rewarded.
Winner Pick: Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon
Potential Spoilers: Greta Lee for Past Lives, Cailee Spaeny for Priscilla
Best Actor (Drama)
Despite his prominence, and general aura, Cillian Murphy has never been much of an awards darling. A large part of his recognition comes through cult status for Peaky Blinders (with some prizes here and there), which makes his leading turn in the blockbuster Oppenheimer the perfect way to reward him, just like director Nolan, for his work and a singular career-highlight role.
Winner Pick: Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer
Potential Spoilers: Leonardo DiCaprio for Killers of the Flower Moon, Andrew Scott for All of Us Strangers
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
We had to mention the new "cinematic and box office achievement" category introduced this year that solely feels like the Globes' attempt to get in with the cool kids' table (again), and throw Taylor Swift a bone (who, to be fair, doesn't really need it?). Still, by virtue of including her in the category, there's very little chance she won't actually emerge victorious, whether it's deserved or not.
Winner Pick: Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Potential Spoilers: Barbie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie
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Best Film (Musical or Comedy)
(*hey siri, play Dua Lipa's "Dance the Night"!)
…I mean, don't you think?
Winner Pick: Barbie
Potential Spoilers: The Holdovers, American Fiction
Best Film (Drama)
This is the more interesting one, mainly because of how close it is. Ultimately, I'd give the edge to Oppenheimer, by only the slimmest of margins. I think the biggest ace in its corner is being a critically acclaimed film WITH the box office returns to prove it, unlike the rest of its competitors. Watch Killers of the Flower Moon or its non-English competitors prove to be the biggest underdogs, though.
Winner Pick: Oppenheimer
Potential Spoilers: Killers of the Flower Moon, Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall
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