The 2018 Golden Globe Awards – Winners and Observations

The annual A-list gathering known as the Golden Globe Awards was a sea of women in black on Sunday night in Beverly Hills.  Late-night’s Seth Meyers hosted and set the tone by blastng Harvey Weinstein.  Oprah Winfrey gave a speech that has people talking about her as a serious candidate for the U.S. presidential race in 2020.

Some may think that the awards themselves took a back seat to the strident statements in support of #MeToo and #TimesUp.  This was a night when Natalie Portman introduced the nominees for Best Director – Motion Picture by saying, “And here are the all-male nominees.”  Soon afterward, Barbra Streisand reminded the audience that in the 75 year history of the Golden Globe Awards she remains the only woman to have won that award.  However, in examining the lack of diversity it should be noted that the nominations were made by less than 100 people.  The limited membership of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has an outsized influence in the industry for a very good reason.

The awards do not generate a lot of additional money for the various actors, writers, directors and others who win individual awards.  But those who bank the films do very well when their picture brings home a Golden Globe award.  A statistical analysis done back in 2013 showed that a Golden Globe win was worth $14.2 million in additional box office business, while an Academy Award win generates only $3 million more in receipts.

Here is a list of the winners in the motion picture categories:

Best Director – Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water

Best Motion Picture: Animated – Coco

Best Motion Picture: Drama – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Motion Picture: Foreign Language – In The Fade

Best Motion Picture:  Comedy or Musical – Lady Bird

Best Original Score: Motion Picture – Alexandre Desplat for The Shape of Water

Best Original Song: Motion Picture – This is Me from The Greatest Showman

Best Actor Motion Picture Drama – Gary Oldman for Darkest Hour

Best Actor Motion Picture Comedy or Musical – James Franco for The Disaster Artist

Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture – Sam Rockwell for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Actress Motion Picture Drama – Frances McDormand for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Actress Motion Picture Comedy or Musical – Saoirse Ronan for Lady Bird

Best Supporting Actress Motion Picture – Allison Janney for I, Tonya

Best Screenplay Motion Picture – Martin McDonagh for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri