Skip to main content

The 2022 Golden Globe Nominees Are Out, and with Controversy

Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank and Jesse Plemons as George Burbank in The Power of the Dog.
Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank and Jesse Plemons as George Burbank in “The Power Of The Dog.” Kirst Griffin/Netflix

In an odd, ostentatious ceremony at the Beverly Hilton on December 16, the announcement for 2021 Golden Globe nominations came not from an actor, but from Snoop Dogg sporting a ‘Murder’ beanie. If anything, it was an interesting attempt to heal burned relations with Hollywood’s elite and television stations. (Last year’s scandal led NBC to drop televising the awards ceremony on January 9.)

Amid what’s supposed to be the coronation of awards season, celebrating the best in television and film, was continued controversy and criticism towards the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the notoriously insular, insider group who submits votes for the Golden Globe Award.

Earlier this year, the HFPA drew widespread criticism for excluding all Black-led potential Oscar best picture contenders, including Da 5 Bloods, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, as contenders for the Globe’s top film prize.

Adding to the drama, an L.A. Times investigation revealed that none of HFPA’s 87 members were Black. The same article suggested voters could be swayed by promotions and freebies from production companies.

The news outlet noted that Netflix flew HFPA members to Paris in support of the streaming service’s comedy series, Emily in Paris. Many observers were surprised when the show received two nominations after lukewarm reviews. Even more damning, the critically acclaimed I May Destroy You was left out of the nominations.

The revelations led Tom Cruise to hand back his three Golden Globes in protest and Scarlett Johansson to call for “fundamental reform.”

In response, the HFPA took several positive steps including recruiting 21 new and “predominantly diverse” critics to the organization, appointing a chief diversity officer, and requiring its members to undertake diversity, equality, and inclusion training. HFPA also instituted a new oversight committee and joined into a five-year partnership with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Related Guides

Several Black-led series received 2021 nods, including Amazon Prime’s The Underground Railroad for best-limited series and Netflix’s Lupin and FX’s Pose for best drama. If anything, criticism seems to have pushed Globe voters towards paying attention to shows it should already have been behind. As a collection of international critics and journalists working for non-U.S. outlets, South Korea’s blockbuster Netflix hit Squid Games and France’s ultra-popular Lupin seem like easy choices.

Last January, no Black woman was among the Globes’ 20 slots for television nominations. Now, Uzo Aduba and Michaela Jae Rodriguez are the best actresses in drama nominees for their work on HBO’s In Treatment and FX’s Pose, respectively. For best actress in a comedy genre, Issa Rae from HBO’s Insecure and Tracee Ellis Ross from ABC’s Black-ish both earned nods.

The Golden Globe show is traditionally the first major ceremony of the awards season and is seen as a good precursor for what to expect at the Oscars. To that end, Sir Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical film Belfast and the Jane Campion-directed The Power of the Dog, a brutal Western starring Benedict Cumberbatch, led all Golden Globe nominations.

Aside from a few token picks like Lupin and FX’s Native American-led comedy Reservation Dogs, however, there wasn’t much evidence that HFPA voters were elevating new voices or shows into the awards season conversation. The most nominated TV shows — HBO’s Succession, Apple TV+’s The Morning Show and Ted Lasso, Hulu’s Dopesick, and The Great — are all easy choices that feature big stars and industry buzz.

Golden Globe winners will still be announced on January 9, but with the event already controversial and untelevised, most big-name nominees will likely steer clear.

For the Globes to ascend again, the HFPA has a long way to go to rebuild trust in its process. Given this year’s batch, the foreign critics are making an effort, but they’ve still got a long way to go.

Read More: Affable Benedict Cumberbatch Is an Awesome Cowboy Monster

Editors' Recommendations

Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
The 10 best Timothee Chalamet movies ever, ranked
He's definitely been in some incredible films
Timothee Chalamet in Call Me By Your Name.

 

During a time when Hollywood has tried to grasp onto older stars like Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise, other young men from a new generation have attempted to carve out their path to stardom and take the movie world by storm. In this regard, not many male actors working today have experienced the success of Timothée Chalamet. With a boyish grin and a sculpted jawline, Chalamet's raw charisma allows him to play characters in a variety of genres, from wounded teenagers in LGBTQ+ dramas to heroic protagonists in sci-fi flicks. Still under 30 years old, Chalamet's career is just getting started, but he already has a grand portfolio of award-winning performances. These are the 10 best Timothée Chalamet movies ever, ranked.

Read more
Ranked: The 11 best Tom Hanks movies ever
From a toy cowboy to Mr. Rogers, Tom Hanks has played it all. Here are our favorite performances
Tom Hanks in The Post

When it comes to beloved actors in Hollywood, there are several names that come to mind. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are legends of dramatic film. Jim Carrey is a comedy icon like no other. Still, when you take into account both funny and serious work, Tom Hanks is probably America's most relatable actor. Appearing in nearly 100 films since the 1980s, Hanks has lent his talents to directors like Stephen Spielberg and Ron Howard, earning himself multiple Academy Awards along the way.

It's always a good time to appreciate the greatness of Tom Hanks. We'll go over the 10 best performances of his career, a list that is both diverse and focused. Any cinema fan is sure to find something they can enjoy when they take a look at a list of the best Tom Hanks movies, and they can look forward to more as he continues to pursue new and interesting projects today in his mid-60s.

Read more
A Bob Ross original from his first show heads to auction, bids start at $9.8 million
This may be the most expensive '80s hotel art we've ever seen
A close up of the first painting Bob Ross painted on his TV show.

If there are any '80s and '90s kids who grew up watching Bob Ross paint his way into your heart, the holy grail of items is up for sale. The only problem is you have to be a really rich Bob Ross fan to afford it. The iconic painter oozed charm and positivity, using his calming voice to make us feel safe and cozy no matter what was going on. Watching him churn out paintings of stunning landscapes made everyone fall in love with art, and if you have the bank account, you could fall in love with a unique Bob Ross painting.

The never-ending obsession with Bob Ross 
There was a show that raised us right, teaching us anyone could be an artist while bringing us unconditional happiness. The Joy of Painting was that gem, and Bob Ross led us on a journey in each episode, taking us from a blank canvas to a happy little creation with trees, clouds, mountains, and all kinds of beautiful scenery found in nature.

Read more