Golden Globe Awards facts for kids

"Golden Globe" redirects here. For other uses, see Golden Globe (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Award logo (as of 2024)
Presented by	Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association (1943–1954) Foreign Correspondents of Hollywood (1951–1954) Hollywood Foreign Press Association (1955–2023) Golden Globe Foundation (since 2024)
Country	United States
First awarded	January 20, 1944; 81 years ago (1944-01-20)
Television coverage
Network	KTTV (1960–1964) NBC (1965–1968, 1978, 1996–2021, 2023) CBS (1981–1982; since 2024) Syndicated (1983–1988) TBS (1989–1995) Peacock (2023) Paramount+ (since 2024)

The Golden Globe Awards are special prizes given out each year to celebrate the best work in movies and TV shows from all over the world. This yearly event has been happening since 1944. It honors actors, directors, and other talented people for their amazing work. The ceremony usually takes place in January and is a big part of the "awards season" in Hollywood, which ends with the Academy Awards (also known as the Oscars). To be considered for a Golden Globe, a movie or TV show must have been released between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year.

The Golden Globe Awards are now owned and run by a company called Dick Clark Productions. This happened after they were bought from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association on June 12, 2023.

History of the Golden Globes

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) started in 1943. It was first called the Hollywood Foreign Correspondent Association (HFCA). It was created by foreign journalists in Los Angeles who wanted to share movie news better with countries outside the U.S. One of their first big ideas was to create an awards show, much like the Oscars, to celebrate achievements in film.

The 1st Golden Globe Awards were held in January 1944. They honored the best movies from 1943. The first ceremony took place at the 20th Century-Fox studios. For the next ten years, the awards were held at different places, like the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

The Henrietta Award

In 1950, some journalists left the HFCA to form a new group called the Foreign Press Association of Hollywood (FPAH). This new group created the Henrietta Award for World Film Favorite. This award was later given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which was the new name for the combined group after the FPAH and HFCA merged in 1955.

The FPAH held its first World Film Favorite Festival on January 27, 1951. They gave out Henrietta Awards in different categories. The award was named after Henry Gris, who was the president of the FPAH. Early winners of the Henrietta for World Film Favorite included Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman.

Meanwhile, the HFCA continued to hold their Golden Globe Awards. In 1950, the HFCA started a special award to honor people who made great contributions to the entertainment world. This award was given to director and producer Cecil B. DeMille first. So, it became known as the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

In January 1954, the two groups held a joint awards ceremony. The next year, they officially joined together as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The Henrietta Award was stopped, but the HFPA started a new special award called World Film Favorite. This award was similar to the Henrietta Award and was given out until 1980.

Golden Globes After the Merger

The 13th Golden Globe Awards in February 1956 was the first time a Golden Globe was given for TV achievements. The first three regular TV award categories were introduced at the 19th Golden Globe Awards in March 1962. These were for Best TV Series, Best TV Actor, and Best TV Actress.

Starting in 1963, the awards were handed out by someone called "Miss Golden Globe." This title was changed to "Golden Globe Ambassador" on January 5, 2018. The people chosen for this role were usually the children of famous celebrities.

In 2009, the Golden Globe trophy was redesigned. A company in New York worked with the HFPA to make a new statuette. It used special marble and had more gold. This new design was shown to the public before the awards show.

The Carol Burnett Award was created as a TV version of the Cecil B. DeMille Award. It was named after its first winner in 2019, the famous actress and comedian Carol Burnett.

Helping Others with Award Money

The money earned from the yearly Golden Globe ceremony has allowed the HFPA to give millions of dollars to charities related to entertainment. They also fund scholarships and programs for students who want to work in film and TV. A major group that benefits is the Young Artist Awards. This award is given out by the Young Artist Foundation, which was started in 1978. It celebrates young performers under 21 in Hollywood and helps young artists who might have challenges.

Changes and New Ownership

In 2021, the HFPA faced criticism because it did not have enough Black members. On May 3, 2021, the HFPA announced plans to make changes. These plans included adding 50% more members and setting new rules to be more open. However, some groups felt these changes were not happening fast enough.

Because of these concerns, companies like Amazon Studios and Netflix announced on May 7, 2021, that they would stop working with the HFPA until more changes were made. Other media companies followed. NBC announced it would not show the 79th Golden Globe Awards in January 2022. Famous actor Tom Cruise even returned the awards he had won for Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia to show his support.

After these events, the HFPA shared a timeline for its changes, aiming to finish by August 2. On October 1, the HFPA announced 21 new members. They also named Todd Boehly, who owns the company that produces the awards, as their temporary CEO. The HFPA still held the 79th Golden Globe Awards on January 9, 2022, but it was a private event without a TV broadcast.

In July 2022, the HFPA approved a big change. Mr. Boehly created a new company to own the Golden Globe Awards. This new company would help make the ceremony more professional and modern. It would also increase the number and diversity of people who vote for the awards. The HFPA's charity work would continue separately. NBC then agreed to show the 80th Golden Globe Awards on January 10, 2023. This show was moved to a Tuesday evening to avoid conflicts with football games.

On June 12, 2023, the HFPA changed its name to the Golden Globe Foundation. All the Golden Globe Awards' assets and rights were bought by Dick Clark Productions (DCP) and Eldridge. The Golden Globe Foundation now focuses on charity work.

How the Awards Work

Who Can Be Nominated?

To be considered for a Golden Globe, a movie or TV show must have been released between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year.

Actors who only do voice-overs or play themselves in small appearances cannot be nominated for acting awards.

Movies must be at least 70 minutes long. They also need to have been shown in the Greater Los Angeles area for at least seven days before December 31. Movies can be released in theaters, on pay-per-view, or through digital streaming.

For the Best Foreign Language Film award, movies do not need to be released in the United States. At least 51% of the movie's dialogue must be in a language other than English. These films must have been first released in their home country between November 1 and December 31 before the awards. However, if a film was not released in its home country due to censorship, it can still qualify if it had a one-week release in the United States during the qualifying year. There is no limit to how many films a country can submit.

A TV show must air in the United States between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. (or 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Sundays). A show can be on regular TV, cable, or streaming. Shows that are only on pay-per-view or digital film delivery do not qualify. Also, a TV show must be made in the United States or be a joint project between an American and a foreign company. Reality shows and unscripted shows are not allowed.

A film cannot be entered in both the film and TV categories. It should be entered based on how it was first released. If it first aired on American television, it goes into TV categories. If it was released in theaters or pay-per-view, it goes into film categories. Showing a film at a film festival does not stop it from being considered a TV program if it was originally meant for TV.

Actors in a TV series must appear in at least six episodes during the qualifying year. Actors in a TV film or miniseries must appear in at least five percent of the total time of that TV film or miniseries.

Nominations and Voting

Forms for films need to be sent in within ten days of their official screening. TV shows should be submitted as early as possible before the deadline. For TV shows, they just need to be available for voters to watch in any common way, like the original TV broadcast.

For the 2023 awards, the HFPA removed a rule that required an exclusive press conference for each nominated film. This rule had caused some problems with how open the process was.

Voting ballots are sent to voters in November. They also get a list of all eligible films and TV shows. Each HFPA member votes for their top five choices in each category, ranking them from 5 (best) to 1. The five choices with the most votes become the nominees.

After the nominees are announced in mid-December, voters get the final ballots. The winner in each category is chosen by who gets the most votes. If there's a tie, the winner is the one who had more votes during the nomination round.

For the 2024 awards, the voting group included 310 people. These included journalists from 76 countries and 95 members who were part of the HFPA.

The Awards Ceremony

The Golden Globe Awards show is broadcast to 167 countries around the world. It is usually the third most-watched awards show each year, after the Oscars and the Grammy Awards. Since 2010, it has been shown live in all time zones across the United States.

Before Ricky Gervais hosted in 2010, the Golden Globes usually didn't have one regular host. A different person would introduce the show each year. Ricky Gervais hosted again in 2011 and 2012. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted for three years from 2013 to 2015. The Golden Globe Awards' theme song, which started in 2012, was written by Japanese musician Yoshiki Hayashi.

Broadcasting the Show

The HFPA used to have a big agreement with NBC to broadcast the Golden Globes. NBC started showing the ceremony locally in Los Angeles in 1958, and then across the country in 1964. However, in 1968, a government group called the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said the show "misled the public" about how winners were chosen. Because of this, NBC stopped broadcasting the ceremony from 1968 until after 1974.

Since 1993, Dick Clark Productions (DCP) has produced the ceremony. DCP stepped in when the Golden Globes were having problems, including losing their contract with CBS. Because DCP was so committed, their contract included a special rule that made them the producer forever, as long as they kept a broadcast deal with NBC.

In 2008, the 65th Golden Globe Awards ceremony was changed because of a writers' strike. Instead of a full show, there was an hour-long press conference to announce the winners. NBC did not air this conference itself.

In 2010, Dick Clark Productions extended its deal with NBC until 2018. However, this deal was made without the HFPA knowing. The HFPA sued DCP, but a judge ruled in favor of DCP in 2012. The judge noted that the HFPA had a history of being "unbusinesslike."

In 2014, Dick Clark Productions and the HFPA reached an agreement. DCP promised to continue producing the show and work with the HFPA to grow the brand. NBC had the first chance to renew its contract after 2018. In September 2018, NBC agreed to keep showing the Golden Globes until 2027.

In 2019 and 2020, NBC showed a late Sunday afternoon football game before the Golden Globes. This was meant to get more people to watch the awards show.

As mentioned earlier, NBC decided not to air the 2022 ceremony due to the boycott. They then signed a one-year deal to show the 2023 ceremony. This show was moved to a Tuesday evening to avoid conflicts with football. In November 2023, DCP announced a one-year deal to air the 81st ceremony on CBS and stream it on Paramount+. This show followed CBS's afternoon football coverage. In March 2024, DCP announced a five-year deal with CBS to continue airing the Golden Globes. This deal also includes the American Music Awards starting in 2025.

Award Categories

Movie Awards

Best Motion Picture – Drama: since 1943
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: since 1951
Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language: since 1948
Best Motion Picture – Animated: since 2006
Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement – Motion Picture: since 2024
Best Director – Motion Picture: since 1943
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama: since 1943
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: since 1951
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama: since 1943
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: since 1951
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture: since 1943
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture: since 1943
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture: since 1947
Best Score – Motion Picture: since 1947
Best Song – Motion Picture: since 1961
Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement in Motion Pictures: since 1951

Television Awards

Best Television Series – Drama: since 1961
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy: since 1961
Best Miniseries or Motion Picture – Television: since 1971
Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama: since 1961
Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: since 1961
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture – Television: since 1981
Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama: since 1961
Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: since 1961
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture – Television: since 1981
Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: since 1970
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: since 1970
Best Stand-Up Comedy Performance – Television: since 2024
Carol Burnett Award for Lifetime Achievement in Television: since 2018

Awards That Are No Longer Given

Best Documentary (1972–1976)
Best English-Language Foreign Motion Picture (1957–1973)
New Star of the Year – Actor (1948–1983)
New Star of the Year – Actress (1948–1983)
Henrietta Award (World Film Favorite – Female and Male) (1950–1979)
Promoting International Understanding (1945–1964)
Best Cinematography – Motion Picture (1948–1953, 1955, 1963)
Special Award – Juvenile Performance (1948, 1949, 1953, 1959)

New Award Coming Soon

Best Podcast (starting in 2026)

Golden Globe Records

Acting Achievements

Meryl Streep has won the most acting Golden Globes with eight awards. Alan Alda, Angela Lansbury, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Nicholson each have six awards. Other actors with five wins include Ed Asner, Carol Burnett, Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Lange, Rosalind Russell, and Kate Winslet.

At the 46th Golden Globe Awards, something unusual happened: three actresses tied for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. These were Jodie Foster for The Accused, Shirley MacLaine for Madame Sousatzka, and Sigourney Weaver for Gorillas in the Mist.

Directing Achievements

In the Best Director category, Elia Kazan has won four times. Clint Eastwood, Miloš Forman, David Lean, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Oliver Stone have each won three times. Steven Spielberg has the most nominations for directing, with twelve. Francis Ford Coppola, Clint Eastwood, and Steven Soderbergh are the only directors to get two nominations in the same year. Barbra Streisand was the first woman to win this award.

Most Awards Won Overall

Barbra Streisand holds the record for the most Golden Globes won by one person, with ten awards. This includes both competitive and special awards. Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep are next, each with nine awards. Hanks won as an actor and producer, while all of Streep's wins were for acting. Streisand won as an actress, composer, director, and producer, plus three Henrietta Awards. All three of them also received the special Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Most Nominations Overall

Meryl Streep also holds the record for the most nominations, with 33. Composer John Williams is second with 27 nominations.

Other Interesting Records

Two Acting Wins in the Same Year
- Only four people have won two acting awards in the same year:
  - Sigourney Weaver (1989)
    - Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, Gorillas in the Mist
    - Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, Working Girl
  - Joan Plowright (1993)
    - Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Film, Enchanted April
    - Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or TV Film, Stalin
  - Helen Mirren (2007)
    - Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, The Queen
    - Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film, Elizabeth I
  - Kate Winslet (2009)
    - Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, Revolutionary Road
    - Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, The Reader
Most Awards Won by a Single Film
- One film has won seven Golden Globe Awards:
  - La La Land (2016)
- Two films have won six Golden Globe Awards:
  - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
  - Midnight Express (1978)
- Ten films have won five Golden Globe Awards:
  - All the King's Men (1949)
  - Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
  - Doctor Zhivago (1965)
  - The Graduate (1967)
  - Love Story (1970)
  - The Godfather (1972)
  - A Star Is Born (1976)
  - Ordinary People (1980)
  - Gandhi (1982)
  - Oppenheimer (2023)
Most Nominations Received by a Single Film
- Nashville, with eleven nominations
- Emilia Pérez, with ten nominations
- Cabaret, with nine nominations
- Barbie, with nine nominations
Highest Sweep (Winning every nominated category)
- La La Land won all seven Golden Globes it was nominated for.
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest won all six of its nominations.
- Both A Star Is Born and Gandhi won all five of their nominations.
Most Nominations Without Winning an Award
- Motion Picture: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Bonnie and Clyde, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Dog Day Afternoon, Foul Play, Ragtime, and The Godfather Part III, all with seven nominations.
- Television: Will & Grace with 30 nominations.
Oldest Person to Win an Award
- Ennio Morricone won Best Original Score for The Hateful Eight when he was 87 years old.
Youngest Person to Win an Award
- Ricky Schroder won New Star of the Year – Actor for The Champ when he was 9 years old.