The 83rd Golden Globes: highlights, Surprises, and Nikki Glaser’s Sharp Wit
The 83rd annual golden Globes took place Sunday night, kicking off the 2026 awards season. Comedian Nikki Glaser returned as host,building on her successful debut last year,but this year’s ceremony featured a few changes,including the addition of podcasting as a recognized medium and the presentation of two major awards – the Cecil B. DeMille and Carol Burnett awards – in a separate “Golden Eve” primetime special honoring Helen Mirren and Sarah Jessica parker, respectively.
The Beverly Hilton hotel was packed with stars, including nominees like Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Timothée Chalamet (marty Supreme), and Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), as well as presenters such as George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Miley Cyrus, and Zoë Kravitz, who playfully referenced her role in the nominated series The Studio.Breakout stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams from Heated Rivalry were also in attendance, ready for hockey-related jokes.
One battle After Another emerged as the night’s biggest film winner with four awards,while Adolescence led the television categories with the same number. Top acting awards were spread across several films, including The Secret Agent (Wagner Moura), Hamnet (Jessie buckley), Sentimental Value (Stellan Skarsgard), and Marty Supreme (Timothée Chalamet). On the television side, Rhea Seehorn (Pluribus), Seth Rogen (The Studio), and Noah Wyle (The Pitt) took home awards.
Controversial Editing and Honest Jokes
Glaser opened the show with a self-aware monologue, quipping that the Globes were “without a doubt the most meaningful thing happening in the world right now.” She playfully acknowledged the “heavily redacted” guest list and delivered a memorable line, declaring, “The Golden globe for best editing goes to…the Justice Department!”
the comedian also didn’t shy away from poking fun at Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating life, apologizing for the joke but adding, “We don’t know anything else about you! Open up, man!” she then referenced his infrequent interviews, noting his last one was in Teen Beat in the ’90s, where he revealed pasta was his favorite food.
Glaser continued her candid approach, asking the audience to “keep doing what they were doing,” including Guillermo Del Toro continuing to make “weird monster sex movies” and Steve Martin and Martin Short proving “you are never ever too old to still need money.”
Heartfelt Moments and Surprising Wins
Teyana Taylor’s win for Best Female Supporting Actor in One Battle After Another was a particularly moving moment. Her speech resonated with many, as she spoke directly to “my brown sisters and little brown girls watching tonight, our softness is not a liability…we belong in every room we walk into.”
Stellan Skarsgård, accepting the award for Best Supporting actor for Sentimental Value, humorously announced he wouldn’t list everyone in the credits, but did thank his wife and children, joking about learning what “a bad father is.” He concluded with a plea to see films in cinemas.
A potential conspiracy theory emerged when The White Lotus star Lalisa Manobal and priyanka Chopra-Jones announced the winner for Best performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – drama, with Chopra-Jones giving a shout-out to the Pittsburgh Steelers, leading to a win for Noah Wyle, star of the Pittsburgh-based series The Pitt.
Podcasting and Other Notable Moments
The Golden Globes expanded its reach this year by recognizing podcasts, with Good hang with Amy Poehler taking home the inaugural award. Poehler,in a playful jab at other celebrity-hosted podcasts,quipped,“I’m a big fan of all of you,except NPR. Just a bunch of celebs phoning it in. Try harder.”
Other memorable moments included Jean Smart’s colorful acceptance speech for her work on Hacks, which included a bleeped expletive and a shout-out to therapists. Paul Thomas Anderson, accepting the award for Best Screenplay for One Battle After Another, admitted to “magpie-ing” lines from writers like Nina Simone and Thomas Pynchon.
Michelle williams won for her performance in the miniseries Dying for Sex,but was unable to attend due to her stage commitments in Anna Christie in Brooklyn.
The night also featured a heartwarming moment when Stephen Graham, visibly moved, acknowledged Queen Latifah while accepting his award, recalling a kind encounter with her early in his career.
The 83rd Golden globes delivered a night of awards, humor, and genuine emotion, setting the stage for a compelling awards season.
