It was clear to anyone paying attention that there were many things the Golden Globes and its panel of non-Black journalists got wrong heading into last night’s 78th annual award ceremony.
But despite this troubling fact, there were still several notable wins, including the speeches by actors and activists dedicated to addressing these legacy wrongs.
Related: See the full list of winners.
While winners of the Cecil B. DeMille Award typically see their own career highlights as the cornerstone topic for this lifetime achievement award, its most recent winner, Jane Fonda instead chose to spotlight the gap in storytelling that still exists in Hollywood.
“Stories — they really can change people. But there’s a story we’ve been afraid to see and hear about ourselves in this industry — a story about which voices we respect and elevate, and which we tune out. A story about who’s offered a seat at the table and who is kept out of the rooms where decisions are made.” Fonda said.
See also: 10 best things to watch that have passed the Bechdel Test.
The lifelong activist joined others with a poignant message, including Nomadland director, Chloé Zhao, who won two awards.
Compassion is the breakdown of all the barriers between us. A heart to heart bonding.
Zhao is only the second woman ever to win a Golden Globe for directing and the first woman of Asian descent to win this prize. The film, about a widow who finds herself without a job and decides to live out of her van, won best picture in the drama category.
In her acceptance speech, Zhao read a note from one of the individuals featured in her film.
“‘Compassion is the breakdown of all the barriers between us. A heart to heart bonding. Your pain is my pain. It’s mingled and shared between us,’” said Zhao.
“Now, this is why I fell in love with making movies and telling stories. Because it gives us a chance to laugh and cry together, and it gives us a chance to learn from each other, and to have more compassion for each other.”
Chloé Zhao takes home the award for Best Motion Picture Director for Nomadland. #GoldenGlobespic.twitter.com/YvPeTUvn1b
— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) March 1, 2021
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Other notable comments include:
- Presenter and This Is Us alum Sterling K. Brown calling out the lack of diversity in the HFPA: “It is great to be Black at the Golden Globes — I mean great to be back at the Golden Globes.”
- Director Lee Isaac Chung accepting the best foreign language motion picture for Minari saying, “Minari is about a family. It’s a family trying to learn how to speak a language of its own. It goes deeper than any American language and any foreign language. It’s a language of the heart, and I’m trying to learn it myself and to pass it on, and I hope we’ll all learn how to speak this language of love to each other, especially this year. God bless you all and thank you.”
- Canada’s own Dan Levy Schitt’s Creek star accepting for best television series, musical or comedy saying, “This acknowledgment is a lovely vote of confidence in the messages Schitt’s Creek has come to stand for: the idea that inclusion can bring about growth and love to a community… In the spirit of inclusion, I hope that this time next year, this ceremony reflects the true breadth and diversity of the film and television being made today, because there is so much more to be celebrated.”
See also: Olivia Munn calls to stop Asian hate crimes in America.
