Golden Globes 2024: Our predictions for who will and who should win the Golden Globe Awards

It’s the awards season and it’s an exciting time of the year for cinephiles. 2023 offered plenty of exciting releases across film and television, despite the dual strikes in Hollywood. While the cultural phenomenon Barbenheimer certainly dominated the headlines, a few lesser-known films and TV shows have garnered plaudits. Celine Song’s debut film Past Lives, and Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things have exceeded expectations. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is certainly a front-runner for several awards, including Ryan Gosling for Best Supporting Actor. But it appears the top honours will be contested between Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Whereas in television HBO’s Succession is poised to rake in a few Golden Globes. So for today’s special List Hai Toh Hit Hai episode, will focus on our predictions for some of the major award categories at the Golden Globes.

Best Director - Motion Picture

Nominees

Bradley Cooper — “Maestro”

Greta Gerwig — “Barbie”

Yorgos Lanthimos — “Poor Things”

Christopher Nolan — “Oppenheimer”

Martin Scorsese — “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Celine Song — “Past Lives”

Who will win: Christopher Nolan

Hollywood in 2023 has become synonymous with Barbenheimer thanks to Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwig’s blockbusters. While Nolan’s Oppenheimer might not be the greatest film in his stellar filmography, it certainly stands tall as a towering achievement in filmmaking. We believe the British auteur will get the recognition he deserves at the Golden Globes this year.

Who should win - Celine Song

It’s not easy for any filmmaker to compete against the likes of Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese for major awards, but it appears Celine Song on her directorial debut may have put herself right in the mix for top honours. Her flair for filmmaking and her ability to capture the emotion and depth of the story in each of her frames is evident in the romantic drama Past Lives. We believe she is the ideal candidate to win the Golden Globe for best director.

Best Motion Picture - Animated

Nominees

“The Boy and the Heron” (GKids)

“Elemental” (Disney)

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (Universal Pictures)

“Suzume” (Toho Co.)

“Wish” (Disney)

Who will win - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

It’s hard not to make a case for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, sweeping home the award for the best animated film. Considering the first film won an Oscar, and the fact that the sequel is widely regarded as marginally better than the original, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is the obvious choice to win.

Who should win - The Boy and the Heron

There is only one thing standing in the way of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse from winning major awards for the animated category this year. It comes in the form of renowned Japanese filmmaker, animator, and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki and his latest film The Boy and the Heron. The film has garnered rave reviews and features a star-studded voice cast featuring Robert Pattinson and Christian Bale. We believe Miyazaki’s masterpiece should ideally win this year.

Best Motion Picture - Drama

Nominees

“Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)

“Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures)

“Maestro” (Netflix)

“Past Lives” (A24)

“The Zone of Interest” (A24)

“Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon)

Who will win - Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese continues to excel as a filmmaker and his latest release, Killers of the Flower Moon, is a testament to his longevity and dedication to his craft. The Hollywood Foreign Press could be in favour of awarding Scorsese’s film the top honours this year – a film that explores one of the darkest chapters in American history.

Who should win - Oppenheimer/Past Lives

We believe there are two other strong contenders for this category, but there is a possibility that they could be snubbed, and they are Oppenheimer and Past Lives. We believe that both films might just fall short of convincing the jury.

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Nominees

“Barbie” (Warner Bros.)

“Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)

“American Fiction” (MGM)

“The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

“May December” (Netflix)

“Air” (Amazon MGM Studios)

For this category, we have decided that there is only one clear favourite, and it is Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-fi black comedy Poor Things. The film has received rave reviews across the board during its film festival run with lead stars Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and Willem Dafoe garnering significant praise.

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

Nominees

Ludwig Göransson — “Oppenheimer”

Jerskin Fendrix — “Poor Things”

Robbie Robertson — “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Mica Levi — “The Zone of Interest”

Daniel Pemberton — “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Joe Hisaishi — “The Boy and the Heron”

Who will win - Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer features on our list yet again, and it should not be too surprising that it is for sound design. The film leans heavily on its vibrant sound design to elevate its screenplay and storytelling. It could be a relatively straightforward decision to award it to Ludwig Göransson

Who should win - Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse While Ludwig Göransson and Oppenheimer could take home the honours unchallenged, we believe that there is a dark horse in this race in the form of Daniel Pemberton and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The film’s sound design is simply on another scale, with some even calling it groundbreaking.

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Nominees

Lily Gladstone — “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Carey Mulligan – “Maestro”

Sandra Hüller – “Anatomy of a Fall”

Annette Bening — “Nyad”

Greta Lee — “Past Lives”

Cailee Spaeny — “Priscilla”

Who will win: Lily Gladstone — “Killers of the Flower Moon”

One would have to be an incredible talent to be the standout performer in a film that stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Lily Gladstone’s breakthrough performance in Killers of the Flower Moon eclipsed even these Oscar winners.

Who should win: It appears Carey Mulligan will be snubbed again at the Golden Globes, despite her compelling performance as Felicia Montealegre in the biopic Maestro. The underrated star is our pick for who should win the award this year.

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Nominees

Fantasia Barrino – “The Color Purple”

Jennifer Lawrence – “No Hard Feelings”

Natalie Portman – “May December”

Alma Pöysti – “Fallen Leaves”

Margot Robbie – “Barbie”

Emma Stone – “Poor Things”

Emma Stone is the undisputed favourite to win a Golden Globe this year. Her turn as Bella Baxter in Poor Things is arguably one of the greatest on-screen performances of 2023. She is our pick for who should win Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes this year.

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Nominees

Helen Mirren — “1923”

Bella Ramsey — “The Last of Us”

Keri Russell — “The Diplomat”

Sarah Snook — “Succession”

Imelda Staunton — “The Crown”

Emma Stone — “The Curse”

Who will win: Sarah Snook, Succession

Sarah Snook’s turn as Siobhan "Shiv" Roy is arguably one of the greatest female characters written for television, and Snook’s incredible performance has further elevated the character’s stature. So it wouldn't be too surprising if Snook is the jury’s number one pick.

Who should win: Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us

If anyone can challenge Sarah Snook for the award it is Bella Ramsey for her portrayal of Ellie Williams in The Last of Us. In addition to becoming a fan-favourite for playing the role of the fierce young Lady Lyanna Mormont of Bear Island in Game of Thrones, Ramsey has stepped up to another level in The Last of Us. We believe that Bella Ramsey, despite her age, should win Best Actress in a drama TV series.

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Nominees

Bradley Cooper — “Maestro”

Cillian Murphy — “Oppenheimer”

Leonardo DiCaprio — “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Colman Domingo — “Rustin”

Andrew Scott — “All of Us Strangers”

Barry Keoghan — “Saltburn”

Who will win: Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Bradley Cooper has delivered yet another convincing performance in Leonard Bernstein’s biopic Maestro. Cooper effortlessly slips into the role of the late composer and is almost certain to win the award.

Who should win: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Arguably one of the most underrated actors in the world, Cillian Murphy, has finally attained the wider recognition he always deserved after his remarkable performance in Oppenheimer. However, the Hollywood Foreign Press could likely overlook the Irishman in favour of Cooper.

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Nominees

Nicolas Cage — “Dream Scenario”

Timothée Chalamet — “Wonka”

Matt Damon — “Air”

Paul Giamatti — “The Holdovers”

Joaquin Phoenix — “Beau Is Afraid”

Jeffrey Wright — “American Fiction”

Who will win: Joaquin Phoenix, Beau is Afraid

Joaquin Phoenix is on course to become a Hollywood legend. While his 2023 film Beau is Afraid, directed by Ari Aster, may not have garnered the acclaim one would have hoped, Phoenix received immense praise for his starring role. The Academy Award winner could be the top pick to win the award.

Who should win: Timothée Chalamet, Wonka

If the veteran Joaquin Phoenix is all but set to be a bonafide Hollywood legend, Timothée Chalamet’s career trajectory is on a similar path. The Dune star played the titular character in the 2023 musical fantasy Wonka. We believe Chalamet’s performance warrants a Golden Globe this year.

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Nominees

Pedro Pascal — “The Last of Us”

Kieran Culkin — “Succession”

Jeremy Strong — “Succession”

Brian Cox — “Succession”

Gary Oldman — “Slow Horses”

Dominic West — “The Crown”

Who will win: Brian Cox, Succession

Probably one of the most evenly contested categories this year is Best Actor in a Drama TV series. Veteran British actor Brain Cox is the favourite to win the award this year for his riveting performance as the head of the Roy family in Succession.

Jeremy Strong, Succession

It appears family rivalries have slipped through the fourth wall and into the real world. Brain Cox’s outstanding performance in Succession has only been matched by his on-screen son Kendall, played by Jeremy Strong. The final season has given us good reason to root for Strong for this year’s awards.

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

Nominees

“Barbie” — Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach

“Poor Things” — Tony McNamara

“Oppenheimer” — Christopher Nolan

“Killers of the Flower Moon” — Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese

“Past Lives” — Celine Song

“Anatomy of a Fall” — Justine Triet, Arthur Harari

Who will win: Celine Song, Past Lives

Celine Song’s directorial debut in Past Lives, based on her screenplay, is quite simply remarkable. Despite being a slow-burner, the film immerses its audience into the narrative from start to finish. It would be surprising if anyone but Song received the award.

Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese/Killers of the Flower Moon or Christopher Nolan/Oppenheimer

While Celine Song could certainly win the award, we believe that Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon and Chrsipaher Nolan for Oppenheimer have produced marginally superior screenplays this year.

Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television

Nominees

“Beef”

“Lessons in Chemistry”

“Daisy Jones & the Six”

“All the Light We Cannot See”

“Fellow Travelers”

“Fargo”

Who will win: Beef

The Netflix series Beef was one of the surprise hits of 2023. The tale of chaos after two strangers get into a road rage incident has since become one of the most popular shows of 2023. It is also the favourite to win the award.

Who should win: Lessons in Chemistry

The Apple TV+ original starring Brie Larson and Lewis Pullman premiered with little to no fanfare towards the end of 2024. However, the period drama series is our pick for who should win Best Anthology Series at the Golden Globes this year.

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy

Nominees

“The Bear” (FX)

“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+)

“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

“Jury Duty” (Amazon Freevee)

“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)

“Barry” (HBO)

Who will win: Abbott Elementary

The heartwarming comedy-drama Abbott Elementary completed its successful second season earlier this year. The show’s immense popularity could sway the jury to award the series with top honours.

Who should win: The Bear

While Abbott Elementary, could ultimately win the award, we strongly believe that no other show deserves it more than the FX original series The Bear. The comedy-drama series starring Jeremy Allen White is arguably one of the best shows on television today.

Best Television Series - Drama

Nominees

“1923” (Paramount+)

“The Crown” (Netflix)

“The Diplomat” (Netflix)

“The Last of Us” (HBO)

“The Morning Show” (Apple TV+)

“Succession” (HBO)

While there are several great drama shows to pick from, especially The Last of Us and The Diplomat, none can eclipse HBO’s series finale of Succession. The finale has been compared to Breaking Bad’s in terms of sheer quality, which is an accolade in itself. Therefore, we believe that our pick of Succession for Best Drama TV series will align with that of the Hollywood Foreign Press

You can watch the live stream of the Golden Globes on OTTplay Premium on January 8, 6:30 am IST.