The 76th Golden Globe Award Nominations have been unveiled and just like every year, there are clear frontrunners but even more notable snubs and surprises. Here is my breakdown of some of the more notable omissions and surprises:
First Man: Heading into award’s season, First Man was an early frontrunner for many many major categories, especially since director Damien Chazelle was following up his other award darling, La La Land, with this ambitious biopic about Neil Armstrong. The film began to lose steam when it underperformed at the box office and suddenly it looked like it was losing footing in some of the major categories. The film was mentioned at the Golden Globe nominations today but only for Best Supporting Actress for Claire Foy and Best Original Score, which were largely seen as its best chances for nominations once the film lost momentum. Will Oscar follow suit? Only time will tell.
This Is Us: NBC’s This Is Us has been the lone network series to make the cut at most of the major awards honoring TV but it was completely shut out for Golden Globe nominations. No nominations for Globe favorites Sterling K. Brown or Chrissy Metz and the series, which many critics are saying is having a strong season, didn’t land a Best Television Drama nomination. It’s one of the highest rated shows on network TV but that doesn’t always translate to nominations, even at the Golden Globes.
First Reformed: The indie drama has been making a splash in various circuits (The National Board of Review, The Gotham Awards, NYFCC) but it didn’t make the cut for the Globes. I’m thinking it’s not big and splashy enough for the likes of the Hollywood Foreign Press and that’s why it was left out so I wouldn’t dash its Oscar chances just yet but it was a notable omission.
Atlanta: Donald Glover pulled off a nomination for Atlanta but the series didn’t land a Best Television Comedy nomination, which is very surprising considering how well-received the new season was from critics. There are two or three series’ that may have taken its spot this morning which could just go to show you how strong and crowded the field was for comedic television.
A Quiet Place: The critically-acclaimed horror film earned one nomination today (Best Original Score) but it didn’t make a sound in any of the other major categories. It had a shot at Best Picture Drama or even a Best Director nod for John Krasinski but it didn’t make the cut. I think a Best Picture nomination is still a possibility at the Oscars but considering how often the Globes likes to nominate mainstream fare, it’s surprising that A Quiet Place was neglected.
Issa Rae: The Insecure co-creator and star didn’t get her third Globes nomination this morning and the series itself was left out of the bunch. The Globes likes honoring past nominees so a third nomination for Rae seemed like a lock but perhaps the somewhat surprise nomination for Debra Messing (Will & Grace) is what shut Rae out.
Toni Collette: This is a personal snub for me but I thought Toni Collette gave one of the best performances of the year in Hereditary and she garnered some buzz when the film was released during the summer but I think too much time has gone by since its release and that’s why she didn’t make the cut. Some films are big enough to be released earlier in the year and still get attention (Black Panther) but in most cases, the passage of time doesn’t bode well for your chances.
Black-ish: Anthony Anderson and the series itself has been a Globes favorite but the show was completely left out this morning. The series is still viable and on top of its game but, once again, I think it shows just how strong the field is this year. Black-ish is similar to Issa Rae and Insecure in the sense that the Globes have loved the shows in the past but clearly they are looking for new blood.
The Hate U Give: It’s my favorite movie of the year and one of the best-reviewed movies of the year but it came up empty handed during today’s nominations. It definitely had a shot at Best Screenplay and even Best Picture Drama (sorry, I liked Bohemian Rhapsody but The Hate U Give could’ve easily taken its spot). I hope the Oscars doesn’t pass up the chance to honor this very powerful and topical drama when they announce their nominations.
Freddie Highmore: The Globes honored him last year with a nomination for Best Actor Television Drama for The Good Doctor but he didn’t make the cut this year. Say what you will about the show but Highmore brings his A-game consistently every episode and he definitely deserved a nomination. After being on Bates Motel for five seasons and getting snubbed on the regular for his great work I’m sure he’s used to it but it would’ve been nice to see his name mentioned today.
Black Panther: Yes, a comic book film finally earned a Best Picture Drama nomination and that’s awesome for many reasons, one being that it seems like Black Panther is likely to get a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars (if it doesn’t, I predict many chairs will be thrown) but it’s notable that film’s director, Ryan Coogler, didn’t receive a nomination today. Also absent was a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Michael B. Jordan which I considered more wishful thinking but others really thought he had a chance since his name popped up in a lot of early predictions. I am happy to see Black Panther represented and I guess that’s bigger than any snub the film could receive.
The Connors: The re-tooled version of the Roseanne revival minus its namesake has weathered a lot of storms but being mostly well-received and performing decently in the ratings but the show didn’t make the cut at the Globes. Many thought Sara Gilbert, John Goodman or Laurie Metcalf could’ve earned nominations but it’s a crowded field and The Connors should probably just count its blessing and be thankful it’s thriving on the air.
Sam Elliott: A Star is Born was represented in several major categories including Best Picture Drama, Best Actor and Director for Bradley Cooper and Best Actress (along with a nom for Best Original Song) for Lady Gaga. Missing from this bunch was Sam Elliott who makes a strong impression in only a few scenes playing Cooper’s brother in the film. He was touted as a favorite in the category and this doesn’t mean his Oscar chances are dashed but I was surprised to not see him mentioned. I’m assuming Timothee Chalamet took his spot for his well-received role in Beautiful Boy, a film that has garnered mixed reviews but high accolades for its performances. This will make the Supporting Actor race very interesting moving forward.
The Good Place: This isn’t a snub, it’s more of a surprise and a pleasant one. The Good Place has been on three seasons and has been considered by many to be one of the best comedies on television and it finally got a Best Television Comedy nomination. At this point, I’m not even sure it will win but at least it’s finally invited to the party. Kristen Bell also secured a nomination for Best Actress Television comedy and it’s well-deserved kudos.
Bohemian Rhapsody: Speaking of surprises, I’m more than happy that Rami Malek got a nomination for his transformative performance in Bohemian Rhapsody but I’m more than a bit surprised that the film earned a Best Picture Drama nomination. It’s a good movie but it’s not a great one and a few other more deserving films lost that spot because of its inclusion.
Maniac: The well-received limited series from Netflix seemed like the kind of series that the Globes would honor but it was snubbed completely. Emma Stone was a name floating around for a possible nomination but she didn’t make the cut (Although she did earn a Best Supporting Actress nom for her role in The Favourite). I’m guessing when it came to buzzy limited series, the Globes chose to honor Homecoming because the Globes absolutely LOVES Julia Roberts.
Ben Is Back: Speaking of Julia Roberts, she’s earning some of the best raves of her career for her role in Ben Is Back she didn’t receive a nomination for her role. Also left out was Lucas Hedges, who is also earning high praise but he did receive a Best Actor Drama nomination for Boy Erased and Roberts got a nomination for her work on Homecoming so they’ll still be in attendance.
House of Cards: I guess this one was a long shot but some thought that final Kevin Spacey-less season of the series could earn a nomination, at least for Robin Wright, but maybe the show itself is just too tainted at this point to throw accolades its way.
Natalie Portman: Vox Lux is receiving good reviews and a lions share of that praise has been going to Natalie Portman’s commanding portrayal as a pop star in the film but the Globes didn’t take notice. It’s a pretty crowded Best Actress race so she wasn’t a guarantee but some people thought they would hear her name this morning.
