The 2021 awards season so far has been full of unexpected twists and turns with COVID-19 still on the loose. What we didn't expect, however, was Hollywood Foreign Press' bizarre live-stream announcement of nominees on February 3. Of course, you can't expect too much from an industry that continues to uphold sexism and white supremacy - we did see some classic instances of perfectly mediocre A-lister performances being nominated for run-of-the-mill roles - but unfortunately, 2020 seems to have taught the Hollywood Foreign Press absolutely nothing, and their selection of runners up just wasn't it. Join me and my outrage, as I round up the biggest surprises of the season, and the ultimate Golden Globes snubs.
Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You's lack of nomination has me destroyed
I think I can speak for the entire internet when I say I May Destroy You being nominated for absolutely nothing has got me feeling extremely unhinged. As one of the most prolific pieces of television to come out of 2020, one might imagine a nomination might be in order. Instead, nothing. Nothing but the feeling of absolute snubbery. Coel gave us what felt like her mind, body and spirit and the Hollywood Foreign Press said "I'm good."
Emily in Paris receives two nominations too many
A nomination that none of us saw coming, on the other hand, were two nominations for Emily in Paris - least prolific piece of television to come out of 2020. One was for Best TV Musical or Comedy, and one was for Lily Collins as Best Actress, TV Series, Comedy, a true curve ball. Sure, we were all watching it, but as our EIC Jess Blanch pointed out, the show is "similar to junk food, you don't want people to see you eating it in public."
Paul Mescal, if you're out there, our condolences
While Normal People star Daisy Edgar-Jones was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, our tender boy Paul Mescal sadly, was not. With all those furious, sweaty, brimming emotions, we were sure he'd make the cut.
Did HFP forget about Jurnee Smollett and Issa Rae?
Lovecraft Country may have received a nomination for Best Drama Series, but none of the actors did. Jurnee Smollett and Issa Rae included. But wait a minute, it looks like every female acting category in the TV section is 90% white women this year, how unexpectedly abnormal for an awards show!
Three whole women were nominated for best director
To Natalie Portman's disbelief, three women were nominated for this years best director category which, given HFP's history, is actually unprecedented. Nomadland’s Chloé Zhao, One Night in Miami’s Regina King, and Promising Young Woman’s Emerald Fennell.
What the hell is James Corden doing in the nominations?
While Meryl Streep was left out of the Globes equation entirely (after 32 nominations in her lifetime, no less), her The Prom co-star James Corden was invited in. For what reason? while the HFP says Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, we say we have literally no idea, considering his performance in the film fell about as flat as an unscrewed bottle of San Pellegrino. #justiceformeryl.
Our cup runneth over with diversity problems
Perhaps we should resurrect the hashtag #oscarssowhite and tack #globessowhite onto it? Considering neither Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, One Night in Miami, Judas and the Black Messiah or Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods were completely left off the ballot for Best Motion Picture Drama. Sure, you could justify a few for certain details, but all of them? Something reeks of inequity.
