Cate Blanchett has won a best actress Golden Globe for Tar, becoming Australia’s sole trophy winner at the 80th annual awards show on its return to television after a diversity and ethics scandal.
The actress was unable to accept the award in person because she is filming in the UK.
Her win on Tuesday followed losses for fellow Aussies Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, Baz Luhrman and Elizabeth Debicki at the Beverly Hills ceremony.
Luhrmann was up for best director for Elvis but lost to Steven Spielberg for his coming-of-age movie The Fabelmans, which along with Elvis was vying with sci-fi blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water for the evening’s top honour.
However, Elvis claimed a best actor win for star Austin Butler. “I’m in this room with all my heroes,” Butler said while accepting the award. “I can’t believe I’m here.
“Brad (Pitt), I love you. Quentin (Tarantino), I printed out the script of ‘Pulp Fiction’ when I was 12 years old.”
Veteran actor Michelle Yeoh also took a top movie award for Everything Everywhere All at Once, beating Robbie for her role in Babylon.
“Hollywood was a dream come true until I came here,” said the actor of Malaysian descent, noting that she was called a “minority” and asked if she could speak English early in her career.
Forty years later, “it’s been an amazing journey and incredible fight to be here today, but I think it’s been worth it”, she said.
Colin Farrell won lead actor in a movie musical or comedy for his work in the dark Irish comedy The Banshees of Inisherin.
Farrell thanked his fellow cast members, including “Jenny the Donkey”.
In TV categories, Julia Garner won best supporting actress in a TV series for Ozark, beating Debicki for her portrayal of Princess Diana in the fifth season of The Crown.
Celebrities and broadcaster NBC abandoned the 2022 Globes because of ethical lapses at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the group that hands out the awards.
A larger, more diverse membership and other changes by the HFPA persuaded many of the biggest movie and TV stars to support this year’s ceremony, which provides publicity for winners and nominees and often boosts their chances at the Oscars.
The show unfolded largely as it had in years past, except for a biting monologue from comedian and host Jerrod Carmichael who opened the show joking, “I’m here because I’m black”.
“One day you’re making mint tea at home. The next day you’re invited to be the Black face of an embattled white organisation,” he said at the ceremony.
Other honorees included Black Panther actress Angela Bassett, who won a supporting actress award for playing Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
“We showed the world what Black unity, leadership and love looks like beyond, behind and in front of the camera,” Bassett said as she held her trophy.
The flashy Elvis biopic and sci-fi blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water were vying for the top honour of best drama film against The Fabelmans and Tar.
Top Gun: Maverick also was in the mix, though the military action film’s chances were likely hurt by star Tom Cruise returning his Globe statues in protest in 2021, awards experts said.
In TV, Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson was honoured as best actress in a musical or comedy.
Actor Sean Penn introduced a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and paid tribute to those struggling in conflict around the world.
“I’m privileged to be here tonight and proud that the leadership of the Hollywood Foreign Press has seen fit to encourage those highest aspirations of film should share this stage tonight with a very real world example of that which inspires film’s creation,” he said.
LATEST WINNERS AT THE 80TH GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS
Actress, drama: Cate Blanchett, Tár.
Actor, drama: Austin Butler, Elvis.
Actress, musical or comedy: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Actor, musical or comedy: Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin.
Supporting actor: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Supporting actress: Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Director: Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans.
Screenplay: Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin.
Non-English language: Argentina, 1985.
Original score: Justin Hurwitz, Babylon.
Original song: Naatu Naatu, from RRR, by composer M.M. Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose.
Animated film: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
TELEVISION
Actress, drama series: Zendaya, Euphoria.
Actress, musical or comedy: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Supporting actress, musical, comedy or drama: Julia Garner, Ozark.
Supporting actress, limited series: Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus.
Supporting actor, limited series: Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird.
Actor, comedy or musical series: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear.
Actress, comedy or musical series: Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary.
Supporting actor, musical, comedy or drama: Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary.
