The 81st Golden Globe Awards will be presented live Sunday, Jan. 7 on CBS and Paramount+.
The Golden Globes are known for eyebrow-raising choices, and with such an unprecedented year in TV and film, it's no surprise that this year's nominations feature some shockers. And with two new categories, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television, there's even more room for surprises!
On Monday, the Globes unveiled its nominations for the 2024 edition of their awards show. Unsurprisingly, some of the most notable films of 2023 received recognition, including Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Killers of the Flower Moon, with performances from May December, The Color Purple and Poor Things scoring nominations. On the television side, returning favorites like The Crown, Succession and Ted Lasso, as well as newcomers like Daisy Jones & The Six, Lessons in Chemistry and Jury Duty were among the hit TV series to be recognized.
As always, there were just as many surprise nominees and even more surprising omissions. Below, ET runs down the biggest surprises and snubs from the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards nominations.
FILM
Snub: While The Color Purple got love for its leading ladies, it didn't land a Best Picture (Musical/Comedy) nomination. The Blitz Bazawule-directed reimagining of the classic story adapted from the 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker seems like a shoo-in for a Best Picture nod -- it's a splashy, star-studded musical based on a classic cultural property. But somehow, the film only landed two acting nominations, leaving stars Taraji P. Henson and Colman Domingo in the cold. It does lend hope to further recognition for stars Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks, but not so much for the film.
Surprise: Despite being an American film with both English and Korean dialogue, A24's Past Lives landed a nod for Best Non-English-Language Film. Arguably one of the most beloved projects to come out in 2023, it's no surprise that the film was recognized for its brilliance, but the placement continues the Globes' confusing trend of miscategorizing projects in its international film category.
Snub: Ridley Scott's Napoleon was snubbed across the board, which isn't too surprising considering its mixed reviews. But the director did score a nomination for All the Money in the World.
Snub: America Ferrera was not included in the Barbie love from the Globes. Despite being the emotional center of the film and her character making a speech that instantly went viral for its reliability, the Ugly Betty star was overlooked when it came to a nomination.
Snub: Ferrari doesn't cross the finish line, receiving zero nominations. Although star Adam Driver has been making his rounds in the press circuit, he couldn't push this sports drama into the spotlight. Neither he nor his co-star, Penélope Cruz, scored recognition among this year's nominations.
Snub: Despite being well-received, The Iron Claw was down for the count and scored no nominations. The sports drama, which tells the tragic real-life story of the Von Erich family wrestling dynasty, was overlooked in all Globes categories, including Best Actor.
Surprise: A new category gave voters a way to invite Taylor Swift to the ceremony. The singer scored a nomination for her Eras Tour concert film in the category of Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.
TV
Snub: Harrison Ford was seemingly on everything this year, but the leading man received no individual nods. While Helen Mirren and 1923 scored some love, Ford missed out on recognition for both the Taylor Sheridan Yellowstone prequel series and AppleTV+’s Shrinking.
Surprise: Despite being one of the worst-reviewed limited series of the year, All the Light We Cannot See scored a nomination to squeeze into the limited series category. Its cast, however, didn't get the same love.
Surprise: Apple TV+'s Slow Horses has flown under the radar for three seasons despite being one of the best-reviewed dramas streaming. But the spy thriller scored a breakthrough nomination this awards season, landing Gary Oldman a nomination against the heavy-hitting favorites of Succession and The Crown.
Snub: Reservation Dogs was left out in the cold for its widely acclaimed third and final season. The groundbreaking Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi-created series was absent from all categories despite the critical acclaim for its final installment. A sorely missed opportunity to give the genre-busting series some love after its final bow.
Snub: While Succession predictably swept in nominations, star Nicolas Braun was notably absent. The actor was the only major member of the cast not to get an individual Globes nomination for the show's final season.
Surprise: Fans were crushed by the cancellation of Hulu's The Great but should rejoice in leading star Elle Fanning scoring her third Golden Globe nomination for the role.
Snub: While Abbott Elementary scored nods for Best TV Series and Best Female TV Actor, it was noticeably absent in the supporting roles categories. Despite critical acclaim for its ensemble cast, the Globes neglected to recognize the beloved ABC comedy's supporting stars, including Sheryl Lee Ralph, Janelle James, Tyler James Williams, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti and William Stanford Davis.
The 81st Golden Globe Awards will be presented live Sunday, Jan. 7 starting at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming live on Paramount+. Until then, keep checking ETonline.com for complete Golden Globes coverage.
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