The 2025 Golden Globe Awards kicked off in fine form as Zoe Saldana upset Ariana Grande to take home the first award of the night
The 46-year-old actress was emotional as she earned Best Supporting Female Actor for her transcendent work in Emilia Perez.
She triumphed over an impressive field which included the aforementioned Ariana for Wicked in addition to Selena Gomez for Emilia Pérez, Felicity Jones for The Brutalist, Margaret Qualley for The Substance, and Isabella Rossellini for Conclave.
Zoe had tears running down her face as she accepted the honor as she took to the podium and said: ‘I know I don’t have much time, and I have dyslexia, so I tend to forget when I’m really anxious, and I’m filled with adrenaline, but my heart is full of gratitude.
‘Thank you so much to the Golden Globes for celebrating our film, and honoring the women of Emilia Perez. Thank you so much. Oh, my god!’
The 2025 Golden Globe Awards kicked off in fine form as Zoe Saldana upset Ariana Grande to take home the first award of the night
She went on to thank her fellow nominees as she continued: ‘This is a first time for me, and I’m just so blessed that I’m sharing this moment with Selena and Carla and Jack and all of my fellow nominees. I am in all of you.
‘Your strength, your complexity, your undeniable talent. I know it’s a competition, but all I have witnessed is just us showing up for each other and celebrating each other, and it is just so beautiful.
‘Selena, Ariana, Margaret, Felicity, Isabella, I had lunch one time in your house and I thought I had made it already. You are magic. You’re all magic.’
In Emilia Perez, Zoe plays Rita Mora Castro who is a lawyer as the film is centered around four remarkable women pursuing their individual happiness in Mexico.
Cartel leader Emilia (played by Karla Sofia Gascon) enlists Rita, an unappreciated lawyer, to help fake her death so that she can finally live authentically as her true self.
The annual event, which was hosted by Emmy-nominated comedian Nikki Glaser, are taking place at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles on January 5.
The 40-year-old comedian hilariously kicked off the night with hilarious jokes about the election, Diddy, Timothee Chalamet, Wicked, Nicole Kidman, Glen Powell, film, and television.
Wicked’s Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo and musical drama Emilia Perez lead the nominations.
Jacques Audiard’s surreal narco-thriller musical about a Mexican drug lord who transitions to life as a woman led the nominations with 10, as the race to the Oscars heats up.
The genre-defying film stars transgender actress Karla Sofia Gascon as the title character, along with actress-singer Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldana in supporting roles.
In Emilia Perez, Zoe (pictured left) plays Rita Mora Castro who is a lawyer as the film is centered around four remarkable women pursuing their individual happiness in Mexico; she is shown alongside Karla Sofia Gascon
All three are up for prizes for the Golden Globes, set for January 5, which are widely seen as a bellwether for the Academy Awards.
Smash hit Wicked, the movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, earned four nominations, including one apiece for pop sensation Grande and Tony award winner Erivo.
Wicked’s Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have landed nominations at the 2025 Golden Globes
Selena Gomez has been nominated for her role in Emilia Perez
Grande – earning her first ever Golden Globe nomination – features in the category for Best Supporting Female Actor – Motion Picture, courtesy of her role as Galinda Upland in the fantasy drama.
The versatile star will compete alongside close friend Selena Gomez for her role in Emilia Perez, and Margaret Qualley, who won universally positive reviews for body shock horror The Substance.
Isabella Rossellini also features for her role in Concave, as does Zoe Saldana – again, for Emilia Perez.
Ahead of the nominations, Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis suggested organisers should save the last three categories of the night for comedy-musical honours, especially lead actress, which he called “the bloodbath category.”
He could be right, with Erivo, Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon and Anora star Mikey Madison battling for the lead actress prize with perennial awards favorite Amy Adams for Nightb***h. Demi Moore for The Substance and Challengers star Zendaya.
Wicked also receives a nod for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement with hit films Deadpool & Wolverine, Twisters, Inside Out 2, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and the surprisingly overlooked Gladiator II.
Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist is among the contenders for Best Motion Picture Drama, while Adam Brody and British star Felicity Jones scored acting nods alongside Guy Pearce for supporting.
Elsewhere Demi Moore as been acknowledged for her starring role in The Substance, earning herself nomination for Best Female Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy
Australian actress Cate Blanchett has also been acknowledged, with the serial winner earning a nomination in the Best Female Actor in a Limited Series nomination for her role in Disclaimer
British star Eddie Redmayne was among early contenders after being named in the category for Best Television Actor in a Drama Series for his starring role in The Day Of The Jackal
British Netflix drama Baby Reindeer has also been acknowledged, with the Richard Gadd written show featuring in the category for Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture
Jessica Gunning starred as Richard Gadd’s stalker Martha Scott in the series – she has been nominated in the category for Best Supporting Female Actor – Television
The category also features two films starring Timothee Chalamet – his upcoming Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.
Chalamet is also up for best actor in a motion picture drama for his role as influential folk singer Dylan, alongside British star Daniel Craig in Queer, Sebastian Stan for his role as Donald Trump in The Apprentice and Colman Domingo for Sing Sing – a film about a man imprisoned for a crime he did not commit who finds purpose by acting in a theatre group.
The nominations haul for Conclave includes British actor Ralph Fiennes, who leads the pack for Best Actor in a Drama for his portrayal of a conflicted priest overseeing a papal election.
British star Eddie Redmayne was among the early contenders after being named in the category for Best Television Actor in a Drama Series for his starring role in Sky Original series The Day Of The Jackal.
The actor faces stiff competition from Jake Gyllenhaal for Presumed Innocent, while Donald Glover also wins a nomination for his role in Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Gary Oldman’s starring role in Disney+ series Slow Horses has earned him a richly deserved nomination, while Hiroyuki Sanada and Billy Bob Thornton win respective nods for Shōgun and Landman.
Netflix drama Baby Reindeer has also been acknowledged, with the Richard Gadd written show featuring in the category for Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture and its lead actress Jessica Gunning getting a nod in the Best Supporting Female Actor category.
The show will compete alongside the hugely popular Ripley, controversial biopic Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story, True Detective: Night Country, Ripley and The Penguin.
Baby Reindeer wins another acknowledgement in the opposing Male Actor in a Limited Series category, with Gadd featuring alongside Colin Farrell for The Penguin, Kevin Kline for Disclaimer, Andrew Scott for Ripley, Kevin Kline for Disclaimer and newcomer Cooper Koch for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Elsewhere Jon M. Chu and Ridley Scott were surprise omissions from Best Director – Motion Picture category, despite respective blockbusters Wicked and Gladiator II enjoying enormous box office success.
Instead, Emilia Perez director Jacques Audiard joins Sean Baker for Anora, Edward Berger for Concave, Bradley Corbet for The Brutalist, Coralie Fareget for The Substance and Payal Kapadia for All We Imagine Is Light in a hotly contested six strong group.
Australian actress Cate Blanchett has also been acknowledged, with the serial winner earning a nomination in the Best Female Actor in a Limited Series nomination for her role in Disclaimer.
She joins Jodie Foster for her triumphant turn in True Detective: Night Country, Naomi Watts for Feud Capote Vs The Swans, Cristin Miloto for The Penguin and British star Kate Winslet for The Regime.
Jeremy Allen White lands his latest nomination for The Bear, this time in the category for Best Television Male Actor in a Musical/Comedy series
Hollywood legend Kathy Bates also features among this years nominees, with her role in Matlock earning a place in the category for Best Television Female Actor in a Drama Series
Jodie Foster’s triumphant turn in True Detective: Night Country has earned her a nomination in the category for Best Female Actor in a Limited Series
Jeremy Allen White lands his latest nomination for The Bear, this time in the category for Best Television Male Actor in a Musical/Comedy series.
The actor joins Adam Brody for Nobody Wants This, Ted Danson for A Man On The Inside, and Steve Martin and Martin Short for Only Murders In The Building.
Hollywood legend Kathy Bates also features among this years nominees, with her role in Matlock earning a place in the category for Best Television Female Actor in a Drama Series.
Last year, the Golden Globes proved a successful night for Oppenheimer, which scored five major awards during the ceremony.
British film-maker Sir Christopher Nolan was named best director for the first time after six nominations, while Irish actor Cillian Murphy took home best actor in a drama for his work as the father of the atomic bomb.
During the event, Cheers legend Ted Danson will receive the Carol Burnett Award for those who have “made outstanding contributions to television on or off screen” and Viola Davis will be handed the Cecil B. DeMille Award for achievement in film.
GOLDEN GLOBES 2025 WINNERS
FILM
Best Film – Drama
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nickel Boys
September 5
Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, Dune: Part Two
Best Film – Musical or Comedy
Anora
Challengers
Emilia Pérez
A Real Pain
The Substance
Wicked
Best Non-English Language Film
All We Imagine as Light
Emilia Pérez
The Girl with the Needle
I’m Still Here
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Vermiglio
Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez
Best Animated Film
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Moana 2
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Cinematic And Box Office Achievement
Alien: Romulus
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Deadpool & Wolverine
Gladiator II
Inside Out 2
Twisters
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Paul Mescal, Gladiator II
Best Actress – Drama
Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl
Angelina Jolie, Maria
Nicole Kidman, Babygirl
Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door
Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here
Kate Winslet, Lee
Best Actor – Drama
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Daniel Craig, Queer
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
Best Actress – Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams, Nightbitch
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison, Anora
Demi Moore, The Substance
Zendaya, Challengers
Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey, Queer
Best Actor – Musical or Comedy
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Hugh Grant, Heretic
Gabriel LaBelle, Saturday Night
Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness
Glen Powell, Hit Man
Sebastian Stan, A Different Man
Best Supporting Actress – Musical or Comedy
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez
Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Margaret Qualley, The Substance
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez – WINNER
Best supporting Actor – Musical or Comedy
Yura Borisov, Anora
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain – WINNER
Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Denzel Washington, Gladiator II
Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
Best director
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker, Anora
Edward Berger, Conclave
Brady Corbet, The Brutalist
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light
Best screenplay
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker, Anora
Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Peter Straughan, Conclave
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Best Original Song
Beautiful That Way, The Last Showgirl
Compress/Repress, Challengers
El Mal, Emilia Pérez
Forbidden Road, Better Man
Kiss The Sky, The Wild Robot
Mi Camino, Emilia Pérez
Best Original Film Score
Conclave
The Brutalist
The Wild Robot
Emilia Pérez
Challengers
Dune: Part Two
TV
Best TV Series – Drama
The Diplomat
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Shōgun
Squid Game
Slow Horses
The Day of the Jackal
Best TV Series – Comedy or Musical
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
The Gentlemen
Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Kaya Scodelario and Theo James, The Gentlemen
Best Limited TV Series
Baby Reindeer
Disclaimer
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
The Penguin
Ripley
True Detective: Night Country
Best TV Actress – Drama
Kathy Bates, Matlock
Emma D’Arcy, House of the Dragon
Maya Erskine, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Keira Knightley, Black Doves
Anna Sawai, Shōgun
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Keira Knightley, Black Doves
Best TV Actor – Drama
Donald Glover, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Jake Gyllenhaal, Presumed Innocent
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Eddie Redmayne, The Day of the Jackal
Hiroyuki Sanada, Shōgun – WINNER
Billy Bob Thornton, Landman (Paramount+)
Best TV Actress – Comedy or Musical
Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along
Jean Smart, Hacks – WINNER
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Best TV Actor – Comedy or Musical
Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This
Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Best TV Actress – Limited Series
Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer
Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin
Sofía Vergara, Griselda
Naomi Watts, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
Kate Winslet, The Regime
Best TV Actor – LImited Series
Colin Farrell, The Penguin
Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Kevin Kline, Disclaimer
Cooper Koch, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Ewan McGregor, A Gentleman in Moscow
Andrew Scott, Ripley
Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
Best Supporting Actress – TV
Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Dakota Fanning, Ripley
Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
Allison Janney, The Diplomat
Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country
Best Supporting Actor – TV
Tadanobu Asano, Shōgun
Javier Bardem, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
Diego Luna, La Maquina
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Best TV Stand-Up Comedy Performance
Jamie Foxx, What Had Happened Was
Nikki Glaser, Someday You’ll Die
Seth Meyers, Dad Man Walking
Adam Sandler, Love You
Ali Wong, Single Lady
Ramy Youssef, More Feelings
