Golden Globes: the best and worst WTF moments
America’s favorite kinda-serious-but-not-so-serious awards show, the Golden Globes, returned tonight, offering Hollywood a chance to “celebrate the best of film and make room for television.” And that’s exactly what the 2025 Golden Globes did. Shogun, Baby reindeer and Hacks took the most places in the TV categories. The Brutalist and Emilia Perez took home several prizes. And Demi Moore won her first-ever acting award.
As for the show itself, there were silly and completely stupid bits. A solid opening monologue. Some very deserved wins. And a running time that inevitably exceeded the three hours everyone was hoping for. It was a good opportunity to kick off the 2025 awards season. So without further ado, let’s review the best, worst and weirdest moments from the 82nd Golden Globes.
Best of all: Nikki Glaser brings the house down
The bar wasn’t exactly high for host Nikki Glaser after Jo Koy opened the show last year with a real monologue failure. But Glaser – who secured the gig in part because of her breakout performance on Netflix’s Tom Brady spoof – understood the task perfectly. And delivered one of the better monologues at an awards ceremony in a long time. The stand-up comedian’s jokes were just sharp enough to keep the assembled celebrities on their toes. With inserts about Timothée Chalamet’s mustache (“the most beautiful eyelashes on your upper lip”). Harrison Ford, who mistook Zendaya and Ariana for cannabis strains. And “two-time Holocaust survivor Adrien Brody.”
But Glaser never became particularly vicious. And made up for the missteps with just the right amount of self-deprecation. “Glen Powell, you’ve been in everything,” she once quipped. “Twisters, Hit man. My head when I have sex with my boyfriend. Thank you for the support. See you tonight.” That’s how you do it, guys. –Jon Blistein
WTF: Those embarrassing moderator bits
Hosting an awards show can be a thankless job. You’re surrounded by nervous nominees who just want you to get down to business. Maybe have a tequila shot or two (like Kieran Culkin did with Mario Lopez on the carpet). And you read a script that you’ve hardly practiced from a teleprompter.
This year, those scripts did a disservice to the capable stars who delivered them, leaving even award-winning performers looking stilted and lost in awkward pauses. From Mindy Kaling pretending to be annoyed with Kate Hudson to Broadway star Ariana DeBose questioning her singing skills compared to Angelina Jolie’s. Or Kathy Bates bored Anthony Ramos with comments about hotel minibars. The duos on the microphone for each awards show battled boring footage and a camera that was bizarrely close to their faces.
A lively reunion between them SubstanceCo-stars Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore were a bright spot, as was Melissa McCarthy, who poked fun at Hollywood’s overbearing advocacy while presenting Best Comedy Series with Awkwafina. And Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara’s obvious improvisation. Otherwise: There is always next year. –CT Jones
Worst: Petty production decisions
A good awards show should be big. Exaggerated, a little unpredictable. Kind of silly. But generally good, solid fun that hopefully won’t last longer than three hours. What they don’t have to be is petty. But this year’s Golden Globes were just that, thanks to two production decisions that didn’t make much sense.
First there were the half-truths about moderators or winners that flickered across the screen in tiny font. And didn’t shed light on anything that was particularly relevant to the process. (You should just get John Hodgman to Half-truths or reading outright lies like he did at the Emmys years ago.)
And then there were the strange arrows that vaguely indicated where each nominee was sitting when their name was called. Note to producers: The gala dinner setup is one of the best aspects of the Globes. It’s looser, more drinkable and more conducive to gossip. Point the cameras directly at the slightly tipsy celebrity faces and stop showing us wide shots of the auditorium so we can somehow see where Ralph Fiennes or Nicole Kidman are. We’re watching an awards show. And don’t choose where we want to travel next on a map in an open-world video game. –JB
Best: Colin Farrell Thanks to the arts and crafts department
If the renaming of the Golden Globes leans toward being unadulterated, that’s not the worst thing. Ayo Edebiri caused a stir in 2024 when she ended her acceptance speech by thanking the assistants who answered her emails. This year Colin Farrell took on this task. He took home the award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Movie The Penguins in contrast to. And used his time to thank the makeup department who transformed him into the bald, burly DC Comics villain – and, finally, the woman who brought him snacks while he sweated in his prosthetics.
“Oh the props, a great woman!” shouted Farrell to applause from the audience at the end of his speech. “Carolina, on those cold winter nights in New York, when I was the only one overheating, she stood there with a coconut water every half hour. Carolina, God bless you.” The moment was truly moving. And highlighted an often overlooked role in the film crew. God bless you too, Colin. –CTJ
Worst: Brady Corbet’s phone
The Brutalist is a remarkable film. A new American epic about art and commerce, trauma and survival, immigration and invention. Which is backed up by great performances and breathtaking images. This three and a half hour epic is helmed by the steady hand of director Brady Corbet. Which was rightly awarded one of the main prizes of the evening: Best Director.
His speech was sincere and heartfelt. But unfortunately, Corbet made the dubious decision to read it from his cell phone. A talented filmmaker holding a trophy in one arm while holding his iPhone in front of him to read his notes app is just incredibly silly. Call us old fashioned. But just print it out! It looks more dignified. Plus, sticking with analogue reduces the likelihood of, say, getting a call from a friend who’s desperate to congratulate you – or play a prank – on one of the biggest moments of your career. –JB
Best of all: Demi Moore receives her first award
Demi Moore has starred in blockbusters and cult classics for the past 40 years without receiving much recognition from critics or her Hollywood peers. So it’s no wonder she left the Golden Globes audience on their feet as she tearfully accepted her first major award.
“Thirty years ago a producer told me I was a popcorn actress. And at the time I understood that to mean that I wasn’t allowed to have that. That although I could make successful films that made a lot of money, I couldn’t be recognized,” Moore said. “
And when I was at a low point, I got this magical, bold, courageous, unconventional, absolutely crazy script called The Substance on the table. And the universe told me I wasn’t done yet.”
“The Substance” excited Critics and audiences alike with its bloodthirsty, gruesome portrayal of ideals of beauty and aging. So it feels like a full circle thing that one of the main characters is finding recognition after so many years of neglect. –CTJ