While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to interfere with the ways of modern life, the show must go on in the case of awards season.

Last night saw the delayed Golden Globes ceremony finally take place via a virtual set-up as various films and television series were celebrated for their achievements.

In the big-screen categories, the indie drama Nomadland overcame stern competition from the likes of Mank, Promising Young Woman and The Trial of the Chicago 7 to win the coveted Best Motion Picture (Drama) award.

The film, which follows a widow travelling through the American West in her van as a nomad, also landed a Best Director accolade for Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao. Her victory makes her only the second woman to win the category since Barbra Streisand prevailed for Yentl back in 1984.

For the first time in Globes history, two African-American stars prevailed in the drama acting categories, as the late Chadwick Boseman saw off British veterans Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Father) and Gary Oldman (Mank) to win Best Actor (Drama) for his swansong turn as trumpet player Levee Green in the music-based drama Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

In contrast, Best Actress (Drama) produced a major upset as singer Andra Day saw off the likes of Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) and Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) to clinch the gong for her portrayal of real-life musician Billie Holiday in the factual drama The United States vs. Billie Holiday.

Day’s win also makes her only the second African-American actress to win this category, following previous success for Whoopi Goldberg in 1986.

Elsewhere, the mockumentary sequel Borat Subsequent Moviefilm picked up two gongs including the important Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) accolade against the likes of Hamilton, Palm Springs and The Prom.

Leading star Sacha Baron Cohen repeated his success from 2007 by winning the Best Actor (Comedy/Musical) accolade for his reprised role as eccentric Kazakhstan reporter Borat Sagdiyev.

“Thank you to the all-white Hollywood Foreign Press,” said Cohen as he accepted the prize, referring to the recent revelation that the organisation behind the Globes currently has no black members.

Disappointingly, co-star Maria Bakalova missed the chance to make it a clean sweep for the film, as she surprisingly lost the Best Actress (Comedy/Musical) award to British opponent Rosamund Pike for her devilish turn as con woman Marla Grayson in the dark comedy I Care a Lot.

Another victorious Brit was Daniel Kaluuya, as he took home Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the Black Panther activist Fred Hampton in the factual drama Judas and the Black Messiah.

The other supporting category produced another shock result, as Jodie Foster upset the likes of Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy) and Olivia Colman (The Father) to nab Best Supporting Actress for her role as lawyer Nancy Hollander in the factual drama The Mauritanian.

Elsewhere, the Pixar animation Soul snared two awards for Best Animated Film and Best Original Score for composers Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, while the factual drama The Trial of the Chicago 7 landed a Best Screenplay victory for renowned writer Aaron Sorkin.

Meanwhile, the American-produced Minari triumphed in the Best Foreign Language Film category, while the Italian drama The Life Ahead picked up the Original Song accolade for the power ballad “Io sì (Seen)”.

Finally, two-time Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda was the proud recipient of this year’s Cecil B. DeMille Award for her outstanding contribution to film over the past sixty years with memorable roles including Cat Ballou (1965), Barefoot in the Park (1967), Barbarella (1968), They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969), Klute (1971), Julia (1977), The China Syndrome (1979), 9 to 5 (1980), On Golden Pond (1981), The Morning After (1986), and Youth (2015).

Despite leading this year’s Globe nominations with six, the factual drama Mank went home empty-handed along with other multi-nominated films including The Father, One Night in Miami… and Promising Young Woman.

While nominees dialled in from home, the live audience was made up of frontline workers and first responders of the pandemic.

The full list of Globe (film) winners are…

BEST MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA)
NOMADLAND

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA)
Andra Day, THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA)
Chadwick Boseman, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM

 

BEST MOTION PICTURE (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIE

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
Rosamund Pike, I CARE A LOT

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
Sacha Baron Cohen, BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE
Jodie Foster, THE MAURITANIAN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE
Daniel Kaluuya, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

 

BEST DIRECTOR
Chloé Zhao, NOMADLAND

BEST SCREENPLAY
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 (Aaron Sorkin)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
SOUL (Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
THE LIFE AHEAD (“Io sì (Seen)”)

BEST ANIMATED FILM
SOUL

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
MINARI (USA)

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In the television line-ups, the fourth series of Netflix’s The Crown dominated proceedings with a hefty four wins.

Emma Corrin and Gillian Anderson overcame stern competition from co-stars Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter respectively to win Best Actress (Drama) and Best Supporting Actress for their lauded portrayals of Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher.

The duo also saw off other talented contenders in their categories, including Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Ozark pair Laura Linney and Julia Garner and Ratched duo Sarah Paulson and Cynthia Nixon.

Additionally, Josh O’Connor conquered the Best Actor (Drama) line-up to win for his performance as Prince Charles, while the series itself took home Best Television Series (Drama) ahead of the likes of The Mandalorian and Ozark.

Elsewhere, the final series of Pop TV’s Schitt’s Creek added another two accolades to its trophy cabinet, including the coveted Best Television Series (Comedy or Musical) accolade.

Once again, seasoned Canadian star Catherine O’Hara was awarded Best Actress (Comedy/Musical) for her iconic role as Moira Rose, thus capping off an amazing few months for the Canadian sitcom after its Emmy dominance last August.

However, O’Hara’s co-star (and on-screen husband) Eugene Levy lost out on the Best Actor (Comedy/Musical) gong, which went to Jason Sudeikis for his popular role as folksy football coach Ted Lasso in the football-based Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso.

 

The Netflix miniseries The Queen’s Gambit also scored two key wins, as it picked up Best Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television ahead of the likes of Normal People and The Undoing.

Additionally, leading star Anya Taylor-Joy was awarded the Best Actress (Limited Series/TV Movie) prize for her terrific performance as chess prodigy Beth Harmon.

Meanwhile, Mark Ruffalo followed up his Emmy-winning success from last year after landing Best Actor (Limited Series/TV Movie) for his dual roles as siblings Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in HBO’s I Know This Much is True while British star John Boyega prevailed in a stellar Best Supporting Actor category for his portrayal of real-life policeman Leroy Logan in the BBC anthology series Small Axe.

Finally, multi-award-winning comedian legend Norman Lear was the recipient of this year’s Carol Burnett Award for his contributions to television over multiple decades.

However, it was a disappointing evening for a number of programmes as the likes of The Great, Normal People, Ozark, Ratched and The Undoing all came away from the ceremony empty-handed.

The full list of Globe (television) winners are…

BEST TELEVISION SERIES (DRAMA)
THE CROWN

BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES (DRAMA)
Emma Corrin, THE CROWN

BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES (DRAMA)
Josh O’Connor, THE CROWN

 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
SCHITT’S CREEK

BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
Catherine O’Hara, SCHITT’S CREEK

BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
Jason Sudeikis, TED LASSO

 

BEST LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Anya Taylor-Joy, THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Mark Ruffalo, I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Gillian Anderson, THE CROWN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
John Boyega, SMALL AXE