Golden Globes cohost Sandra Oh got choked up seeing the diverse sea of faces in the Beverly Hilton’s ballroom. A Netflix movie won a Golden Globe for the first time. And Christian Bale thanked Satan in his acceptance speech.
So, yes, the 76th Golden Globes on Sunday night proved to be an evening of inclusion, a night of historic firsts and a largely enjoyable mix of the boozy humor and star power that have helped it lap the Oscars in recent years as an evening of entertaining, watchable television.
With Oscar balloting beginning Monday, it provided the night’s winners a podium to make their case to film academy members, and several of those honored by the HFPA — Glenn Close, Regina King and the aforementioned Bale, who comically hailed Satan for inspiration in playing former Vice President Dick Cheney in “Vice” — took that opportunity and ran with it.
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Jeff Bridges, who won the Cecil B. DeMille Award, in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Sunday.
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“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s” Rachel Brosnahan.
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Alfonso Cuaron, holds his two statuettes for best director - motion picture and foreign language film for “Roma.”
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“Escape at Dannemora’s” Patricia Arquette.
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“The Americans” cast and crew in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes.
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“Bodyguard’s” Richard Madden.
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The team behind “Spiderman - Into the Spider Verse.”
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Carol Burnett receives the inaugural Carol Burnett Award at the 76th Golden Globes.
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Justin Hurwitz for “First Man.”
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Tyler Perry in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
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Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt, Lady Gaga and Mark Ronson celebrate their “Shallow” victory in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes.
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Lady Gaga in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes.
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“A Very English Scandal’s” Ben Whishaw.
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“Sharp Object’s” Patricia Clarkson.
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“The Kominsky Method’s” Michael Douglas.
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“Green Book’s” Mahershala Ali.
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Saoirse Ronan in the Trophy Room.
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“Sharp Object’s” Patricia Clarkson.
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Michael Douglas, left, Al Higgins, Alan Arkin and Chuck Lorre of “The Kominsky Method” in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Ryan Murpphy (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace”) in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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“The Assassination of Gianni Versace’s” team in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Darren Criss (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace”) in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Michael Douglas, left, and Alan Arkin of “The Kominsky Methold” in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Octavia Spencer, executive producer of “Green Book,” in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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“Green Book’s” team in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Viggo Mortensen, left, Peter Farrelly, Linda Cardellini and Mahershala Ali in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”) with his wife, Amatus Sami-Karim, in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Olivia Colman from “The Favourite” in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Glenn Close (“The Wife”) in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Glenn Close (“The Wife”) in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Sandra Oh of “Killing Eve” in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton.
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Sandra Oh of “Killing Eve” in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
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Rami Malek and Brian May in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
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Queen guitarist Brian May, Rami Malek (who played late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody”) and Queen drummer Roger Taylor in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
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Graham King in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
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Rami Malek in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
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Jim Beach, left, Roger Taylor, Brian May, motion picture drama actor winner Rami Malek, Graham King and Mike Myers in the Trophy Room at the 76th Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
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“Bohemain Rhapsody” producer and longtime Queen manager Jim Beach, left, with Queen members Roger Taylor and Brian May and producer Graham King, celebrate the film’s victory.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) FULL GOLDEN GLOBES COVERAGE: Live updates | Winners list | Show highlights
Voted on by the 88 active members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., the Golden Globes often diverge from the Oscars in many key categories, including best picture. Last year, for example, eventual Oscar winner “The Shape of Water” lost the Globe for best drama picture to “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” “Birdman” stands as another recent movie that came up short with the HFPA but went on to win the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ top prize.
That history could provide a measure of solace to “A Star Is Born,” Bradley Cooper’s update of the often-told story of show business mythmaking. Nominated for five Globes, including best picture drama and nods for Cooper as an actor and director, the commercial hit won only for its ubiquitous song, “Shallow,” co-written by Lady Gaga, who stars with Cooper in the film.
The night’s big winners — “Roma,” “Green Book” and, improbably, the critically reviled box office hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” — received definite momentum boosts from Sunday’s ceremony, winning multiple Globes and further splintering a best picture Oscar race that has no front-runner, a situation unlikely to change before the Academy Awards are handed out on Feb. 24.
An upset victory for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and three awards for ‘Green Book’ define an unpredictable Golden Globes »
Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma,” a glorious, intimate drama that combines the filmmaker’s gift for visual poetry with a story that is delicate, mysterious and full of surprises, won for foreign-language film as well as a prize for its director. Distributed by Netflix, “Roma” provided the streamer with its first Globe victories.
Now with the Globes, a bevy of critics group prizes and a Producers Guild picture nomination, “Roma” seems assured of bringing Netflix its first-ever Oscar nomination in the best picture category.
“Green Book,” Peter Farrelly’s tear-jerking road-trip movie about a crude, resourceful hustler (Viggo Mortensen) hired to drive Don Shirley, a cultured, black pianist (Mahershala Ali), on a concert tour through the Deep South in 1962, earned Globes for picture, comedy/musical, Ali for his supporting turn and for motion picture screenplay.
The feel-good film won the People’s Choice prize at the Toronto Film Festival, establishing its crowd-pleasing bona fides, which have been slow to translate at the box office — though the Globes wins could help boost its commercial prospects. “Green Book” has also been dogged by criticism from Shirley’s family over the way he was depicted in the movie.
“My job is always the same,” Ali told reporters, responding to the family’s complaints. “I have to look at what I’m responsible for doing. All the prayers and energy … I’m not one who is going to necessarily throw that all away over things I have no control over. I have a job to do and I have to continue doing it. I respect the family. I wish them well.”
“The story … gave me hope, and I wanted to share that hope with you,” Farrelly said, accepting the award, “because we’re living in divided times, maybe more so than ever.”
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Danai Gurira was on fire in our style book at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. For the awards show, she wore an orange and red gown with an orange statement bow by Rodarte coupled with a bejeweled hairpiece.
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Could we expect anything less from uber-statement maker Lady Gaga? She arrived on the carpet at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills wearing an ice blue Valentino Couture gown with an extra long train that was said to evoke Judy Garland in the previous version of “A Star Is Born.” Gaga even added the color to her hair.
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Lupita Nyong’o is a regular on the best-dressed lists. On the 76th Golden Globes red carpet, she was resplendent in a Calvin Klein by Appointment cobalt-blue chain fringed dress with silver drop beads and a Calvin Klein 205W39NYC Collection metallic silver box clutch.
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Mahershala Ali, a winner for “Green Book,” was living la dolce vita in Etro on the 76th Golden Globes red carpet in Beverly Hills. We couldn’t agree more, which is why he’s on our best dressed list.
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The legendary Carol Burnett wore a long gold-sequined jacket paired with a floor-length black slit skirt by the equally iconic Bob Mackie, making her one of our top picks at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills.
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Instead of going with Queen-style flash or the colorful styles that many male stars have worn on red carpets of late, Rami Malek, the star of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” went classic Hollywood by wearing a dark fall/winter 2018 Givenchy tuxedo by designer Clare Waight Keller.
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Stephan James knows that the devil is truly in the details. That’s why he earned his place among our favorites with his velvet Ralph Lauren Purple Label tuxedo, Christian Louboutin shoes and a stunning lapel pin by Chopard at the 76th Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills.
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With his fresh dark hairdo, Troye Sivan looks regal in a shawl-collar, Prussian blue Calvin Klein tuxedo at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills.
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Taraji P. Henson brings classic elegance to the 76th Golden Globes red carpet in a green velvet Vera Wang gown with a plunging neckline and a simple long choker of diamonds. Because she brought sexy back to the red carpet is why she’s on our best-dressed list.
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Idris Elba brings his best sexiest-man-alive vibes to the red carpet in a green velvet tuxedo jacket and vest combo by British fashion designer Ozwald Boateng at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. James Bond would be jealous of his stylish look.
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Golden Globes co-host Sandra Oh is white hot in her Atelier Versace gown with ruche detailing and an asymmetrical shoulder on the carpet at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. Oh captures old Hollywood glamour that’s perfect for a host, a nominee or a winner.
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Regina King, who often brings tons of style to awards season, is an early red-carpet favorite in a gorgeous dusty plum sequined gown by Alberta Ferretti at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. She brings a dose of va va voom to the carpet.
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Jamie Lee Curtis brings new meaning to “color-blocking” at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills in this stunning white gown with silver detailing down the center and a front slit, a look that not-so-subtly matches her hair.
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We’re torn. At first glance, we loved the top of Amber Heard’s black-and-white Monique Lhuillier gown for the 76th Golden Globes, but the bottom – a full skirt -- was a real dud. It looked like two different dresses were combined into one at the last minute. It was too jarring for our eyes, and that’s why it’s on our worst list.
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Constance Wu is typically a delight but misses the mark in this whipped-up gown by Vera Wang at the 76th Golden Globes. The fancy orange fashion bow can’t save the look, which puts her square on our miss list.
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Anne Hathaway appears to have gotten lost on the way to a safari party instead of an awards show in this animal-print number by Elie Saab. It’s a look that unfortunately lands her on our worst list for the 76th Golden Globes.
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What can we say about America’s sweetheart Julia Roberts, who usually inspires on the carpet? This time she misses the mark in this Stella McCartney look, which includes black pants that look fit for the office (with a tulle train?) and a fancier asymmetrical tan-colored top, at the 76th Golden Globes. Somebody need a Band-Aid?
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We love a good gender-bending look, but Cody Fern seems lost somewhere between Aesop’s fables and a French perfume advertisement in this number complete with cloven hoof shoes by Maison Margiela at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills.
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Kate Mara throws caution to the wind with a bedazzled brassiere at the top of the chiffon floor-length Miu Miu gown for the 76th Golden Globes. Unfortunately, it reminds us a little of a fancy shower curtain.
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Timothée Chalamet looks as if he’s auditioning for a trapeze troupe in a new Cirque du Soleil show. For the Golden Globes, he wore a black button-up shirt with a mandarin collar under a shiny embellished harness from Louis Vuitton by Virgil Abloh.
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Usually a red-carpet standout, Debra Messing looks as if she’s glued to the 76th Golden Globes red carpet despite the light feathers worked into this overly heavy gown by Pamella Roland.
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Erin Lim attempts to add a sweet note to this Easter egg-colored, trifle-inspired look at the 76th Golden Globe in Beverly Hills. However, trifle isn’t a dessert that’s on our menu this season.
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Allison Brie is sending confusing sartorial messages in this embellished bra and too-busy gown by Vera Wang at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. And who needs that on a red carpet when you can make a major fashion statement in front of the world?
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Who doesn’t love Lucy Liu’s style? Often we do, but this time we don’t. If only someone had told her to lose the sheer pink cape over her pink and multicolor-detailed Galia Lahav gown before she left the house for the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. The lesson here: Not all superheroes or fashionable actresses should wear capes.
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Although she’s on trend for the night wearing green, Our Lady J, a fan favorite from “Pose” and “Transparent,” is wearing one of our least favorite looks -- a busy mermaid gown -- at the 76th Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. A simpler green gown would have worked marvelously.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Review: Sandra Oh’s ‘I see you’ at the Golden Globes marks a real change in representation on film and TV »
The night’s biggest upset came at the very end, when the Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” won best picture, drama over “A Star Is Born,” “Black Panther,” “BlacKkKlansman” and “If Beale Street Could Talk.” Moments earlier, its star, Rami Malek, who portrays Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury, won the Globe for lead actor, drama, putting him, along with comedy/musical lead actor winner Bale, as Oscar favorites.
It might be the first time a movie has won top prizes at the Globes without a single mention made of its director — in this case Bryan Singer, who was fired from the film before its completion. Singer retained sole directorial credit. Neither Malek nor the movie’s producers cited Singer from the stage.
The long-gestating “Bohemian Rhapsody” has grossed nearly $750 million worldwide, while earning generally negative reviews for its formulaic and, at times, fictional storytelling. If it managed to earn an Oscar nomination for best picture, it would make some dubious history — and not just because it was directed by Singer, who was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy in a recent lawsuit. (Singer has denied the allegations.) With a 49 score on movie review aggregation website Metacritic, it would be one of the lowest-rated films to ever earn a best picture nod.
Of the evening’s winners, no one may have boosted their cause more than Close, who seemed shocked when she took lead actress, drama for her nuanced turn in “The Wife.” Through tears, Close, 71, delivered a rousing speech, paying tribute to her mother, speaking to gender inequity and moving the audience to a standing ovation.
“I’m thinking of my mom, who really sublimated herself to my father her whole life, and in her 80s she said to me, ‘I feel I haven’t accomplished anything,’ and it was so not right,” Close said. “What I’ve learned through this whole experience is that women, we’re nurturers, that’s what’s expected of us. We have our children and we have our husbands, if we’re lucky enough, and we have our partners. But we have to find personal fulfillment. We have to follow our dreams. We have to say ‘I can do that and I should be allowed to do that.’”
With six nods — “The World According to Garp” (1982), “The Big Chill” (1983), “The Natural” (1984), “Fatal Attraction” (1987), “Dangerous Liaisons” (1988) and, most recently, “Albert Nobbs” (2011) — Close stands as the most nominated living actor to have never won an Oscar. Her work in “The Wife” should earn her a seventh nomination and, possibly, her first trophy.
One other Globe win seems to point toward eventual Oscar glory. Taking animated feature, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” continued a remarkable run for the hit Sony Pictures Animation movie, a joyful, inventive and inclusive renewal of the superhero movie genre. “Spider-Man” earlier won prestigious prizes from critics groups in Los Angeles and New York, and the Globe gives it a decided leg up over the early favorite, Pixar’s sequel “Incredibles 2.”
“Anyone can be behind the mask,” said co-director Peter Ramsey, who grew up in the Crenshaw District, referring to, among other things, the movie’s central Spidey, a black-Latino teen.
In a night full of surprises and inclusion, it served as a fitting sentiment.
Times staff writer Yvonne Villarreal contributed to this report.
FULL COVERAGE: Get the latest on awards season from The Envelope »
glenn.whipp@latimes.com
Twitter: @glennwhipp
