Your Big Golden Globes Explainer: Nominees, Predictions, And Who You’ll Spot On The Red Carpet

Yay, awards season is here! This is my Olympics, my World Cup, my fashion week, because it’s a glorious combination of pop culture and celebrities, all dressed to the nines.

The 76^th Annual Golden Globes is the first big event on the Awards Season calendar, usually falling the first Sunday in January and taking place in Los Angeles. Held by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Globes honour the best and brightest in film and television but are often mocked for being a bit wild with the nominations and loose with the winners. This year’s event will be hosted by Brooklyn 99 (and Lonely Island) legend Andy Samberg and the brilliant Sandra Oh, who you will likely know as Dr Christina Yang from Grey’s Anatomy and the titular Eve in the BBC’s smash hit Killing Eve.

What’s gas about the Globes is that it’s often totally unpredictable, being the first ceremony out of the gate with a varied voting body from all around the world. But we love it because they all get pissed, they seat the most random people near one another, and it’s always a bit off a laugh. Roll on Sunday! And make sure to check back here Monday for fashion coverage.

Who should we expect to see on the red carpet?

Well, the nominees, obvs. But besides them – our beautiful Saoirse Ronan is presenting an award, so expect her to slay it. We’re predicting Gucci.

Taraji P Henson, Jessica Chastain, Lupita N’yongo, Alison Janney and Halle Berry will all be waking the red carpet, alongside the handsome Chadwick Boseman, Sam Rockwell and the never-ending ride, Harrison Ford. Don’t believe me? Let me direct you this way.

Okay then, who’s nominated for film?

Let’s break this one down by category.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture

Emma Stone in The Favourite

• Amy Adams, Vice
• Claire Foy, First Man
• Emma Stone, The Favourite
• Rachel Weisz, The Favourite
• Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Who should win? We think Emma Stone gave a career-best performance in The Favourite, and with a career like hers, that’s saying something. However, the HFPA simply adores Amy Adams…

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Glenn Close, The Wife
• Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
• Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
• Nicole Kidman, Destroyer
• Rosamund Pike, A Private War

Who should win? Lady Gaga, all day, everyday.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

• Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians
• Charlize Theron, Tully
• Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade
• Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns
• Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Who should win? Colman is a hot property, but something tells me the HFPA is riding high on Mary Poppins mania, and that Emily will get it.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture

Mahershala Ali in Green Book

• Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman
• Mahershala Ali, Green Book
• Richard E Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
• Sam Rockwell, Vice
• Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

Who should win? Ali was denied a win two years ago for Moonlight even though he took home the Oscar, but Green Book is proving controversial. This is a category where they all realistically have a shot. Come on, Timothée!

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
• John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman
• Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased
• Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
• Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate

Who should win? Bradley Cooper was equally as great as Gaga in A Star Is Born, plus he directed the movie too. But Rami has a big chance for portraying Queen’s Freddie Mercury.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

• Christian Bale, Vice
• John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie
• Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns
• Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun
• Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Who should win? Christian Bale has a huge chance for portraying former US Vice President Dick Cheney, but Redford is Hollywood royalty and this is his last film before his retirement.

Will Bradley win Best Film and Best Director too? 

It’s certainly looking likely. A Star Is Born was absolutely huge last year, it’s a Hollywood remake thrice over, and it has real star power. Plus, songs! The HFPA loves its musicals, and Gaga and Bradley’s Shallow is a shoo-in for Best Song.

All right, what about telly then?

Killing Eve

Film is the real star here, but this is really TV’s only big international night out as we’re not as invested in the Emmy Awards when they fall in September.

• Killing Eve has a big chance of scooping Best Drama Series, with Oh nominated in the acting category too.
• We want Richard Madden to scoop it for Bodyguard, but Matthew Rhys is more likely for The Americans.
• Our own Caitriona Balfe is nominated for Best Drama Actress yet again for Outlander (her fourth time), but she’s up against Elisabeth Moss for The Handmaid’s Tale, the aforementioned Sandra Oh, and even feckin’ Julia Roberts. Keri Russell is also likely for The Americans, so this is the toughest one to call.
• Comedy-wise, we expect The Good Place to win the big award for Best Series, but there are five big hitters in the fella’s acting category – Sasha Baron Cohen, Jim Carrey, Michael Douglas, Donald Glover and Bill Hader. With the gals, Alison Brie is there for GLOW and Debra Messing got a nod for the Will & Grace reboot.
• Limited series seem to be where the stars truly shine, perhaps because they don’t have to keep the character going for years. We want Darren Criss to win for The Assassination of Gianni Versace, but Cumberbatch has a good shot for Patrick Melrose. Amy Adams is likely to scoop it for Sharp Objects, but Regina King will be on her tail with Seven Seconds.

Check out E! On Sunday night at 10.30pm for Live From The Red Carpet coverage

• Golden Globes