Golden Globes 2020: The Biggest Snubs and Surprises
The 2020 Golden Globes nominations are out! And as per usual, people (or perhaps just the terminally online) are reacting with a mix of anger and elation. The Globes serve as both a predictor for the Oscars and a wacky ceremony entirely unto itself, with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association regularly throwing out at least a few curveballs. And while widely seen and praised films like Marriage Story, The Irishman, Parasite, and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood got their expected nods, some big talent was left out in the cold. Here are the biggest snubs and surprises.
Snubs
Female Directors, Again
Two years after Natalie Portman famously called out the Golden Globes for ignoring female directors, they’ve done it again. That year, Greta Gerwig was famously snubbed for Lady Bird. And for the 2020 awards, her already critically heralded work on Little Women didn’t crack the category. Many of the year’s best-received films were directed by women–consider Mati Diop’s gorgeous Atlantics, Alma Ha’rel’s entirely unique, moving Honey Boy, and Lorene Scafaria’s rollicking Hustlers–and none of them scored noms.
When They See Us
Ava DuVernay’s moving and meticulously crafted miniseries on the Central Park Five was completely shut out from the limited series or TV movie category. It didn’t get any love in the acting categories, either: Moonlight’s Jharrel Jerome, who already won an Emmy for his role, wasn’t nominated for best actor.
Lupita N’yongo
Lupita N’yongo delivered one of the most spine-tingling, terrifying, and fun performances of the year in Jordan Peele’s Us. Her work was so inventive. And yet the Hollywood Foreign Press ignored her for best actress in a drama. The film came out early in the year, which could be hurting her awards season chances, but come on: how could anyone who saw that creepy smile ever forget it?
Robert De Niro
What? How? Why? The Irishman received five nominations, including well-deserved supporting actor nods for Al Pacino and rapper-slash-actor Joe Pesci. But its leading man was shut out! What gives, Hollywood Foreign Press? The de-aging technology looked pretty good! The man wore so many lift shoes for you!
Uncut Gems
The Safdie Brothers’ heart-pounding, leather-clad look into New York’s diamond district didn’t get any nominations–the lack of Adam Sandler recognition feels particularly egregious, but we also hope costume designer Miyako Bellizzi gets some awards season love for crafting the most stylish film of the year.
Regina King and Watchmen
Damon Lindelof’s Watchmen has surpassed all expectations for what a superhero show could be, and rightly comes up in conversations for best show of the year, or even one of the best of the decade. But the series, along with its excellent lead actress Regina King, didn’t receive any nominations.
The Biggest Surprises
Todd Phillips
It wasn’t surprising to see Joaquin Phoenix get an acting nomination for all his dancing and back twisting in Joker, but Hangover director Todd Phillips also managed to score a nod–even though film twitter didn’t shut up about how he ripped off Scorsese for months.
Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett is obviously in a league of her own. But her film Where’d You Go, Bernadette? was not well-reviewed, making her acting nomination something of a surprise.
Ramy Youssef
Ramy Youssef’s Hulu show, Ramy, about a Muslim twenty-something navigating dating in New Jersey, was a great watch, and it’s nice to see the actor honored alongside heavyweights like Ted Danson in the best actor in a comedy series category.
