Cerermony - Golden Globes 2026 : The nominations, A Landmark Year Reshaping Hollywood, Television, and Now Podcasting

By Mulder, 08 december 2025

The unveiling of the 83rd Golden Globe Awards nominations on December 8, 2025, felt less like a simple ceremony update and more like a snapshot of a shifting entertainment landscape—one shaped by bold artistic risks, streaming-era unpredictability, and, for the first time, the booming world of podcasts. As Skye P. Marshall and Marlon Wayans read out the nominees live across CBS News platforms at a very caffeinated 8:15 a.m. ET, you could almost sense a collective industry exhale: the Globes are back on a massive scale, confidently staking their place in a year filled with both experimental cinema and prestige TV breakthroughs. With the telecast set for January 11, 2026, hosted once again by the sharp-witted Nikki Glaser, this edition already stands out as one of the most ambitious—and divisive—in recent memory. And perhaps that’s fitting for a show finally stepping into a new era, embracing not only global storytelling but also the podcast medium, which has shaped modern cultural conversation as dramatically as television did decades ago.

What immediately jumps out among the film categories is the intense competition across dramas and comedies alike. The Best Motion Picture – Drama lineup is particularly stacked, with titles such as Frankenstein, Hamnet, It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, and Sinners all presenting a different face of modern cinematic ambition. The presence of films like Sentimental Value and Sinners, both critical darlings with festival momentum, signals how much international and stylistically daring cinema has penetrated mainstream awards chatter. Meanwhile, Frankenstein, with Oscar Isaac and a sweeping score by Alexandre Desplat, stands as a powerful fusion of prestige craft and bold reinvention. Among anecdotes circulating in industry circles: several festival-goers confessed that leaving screenings of Hamnet or Sentimental Value felt like waking from a lucid dream—films so immersive they seemed to bend time. It’s rare to see such poetic introspection dominate a category that often leans showier, suggesting voters might be embracing quieter but emotionally seismic filmmaking this year.

In the Musical or Comedy categories, the Globes continue their tradition of celebrating tonal range, recognizing films such as Blue Moon, Bugonia, Marty Supreme, No Other Choice, Nouvelle Vague, and One Battle After Another. The presence of heavyweights like Timothée Chalamet, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Lee Byung-hun, and Jesse Plemons reflects an especially star-powered lineup. This year’s mix feels like a gentle wink at the unpredictability of awards season: the oddball satire, the intimate dramedy, the surrealist comedy—they’re all welcome at the Globes. Insiders pointed out that the first audience screening of Bugonia reportedly erupted into applause midway through a particularly audacious sequence featuring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, underscoring the film’s growing reputation as a high-wire comic masterpiece.

Animation also shines, with Arco, Elio, Zootopia 2, and international phenomenon Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle competing alongside the poetic Little Amélie or the Character of Rain. The diversity of artistic styles—from hand-drawn lyricism to cutting-edge CG spectacle—illustrates how animation has become one of the most boundary-pushing spaces in mainstream filmmaking. Meanwhile, the Non-English Language category showcases an increasingly globalized awards discourse, with France, South Korea, Brazil, Norway, Spain, and Tunisia represented through films already driving passionate debate among critics. Titles like Sirāt and The Voice of Hind Rajab in particular reflect a shift toward recognizing politically resonant, socially urgent storytelling.

Acting categories reveal an exciting blend of returning favorites and surprising breakout performances. Joel Edgerton, Oscar Isaac, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan, Wagner Moura, and Jeremy Allen White face off in the Best Actor – Drama field, a mix that spans intimate character portraits, physical transformations, and genre-defying narratives. The Best Actress – Drama lineup is just as competitive, highlighted by Jessie Buckley, Jennifer Lawrence, Renate Reinsve, Julia Roberts, Tessa Thompson, and Eva Victor, each delivering performances that—according to early screenings—left audiences stunned into silence. Awards voters often gravitate toward emotional authenticity, and this year’s nominees seem to represent acting that strips away artifice to reveal raw, unvarnished humanity.

The supporting categories are bursting with unexpected delights, from Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn to breakout performances like Jacob Elordi’s Creature in Frankenstein—a portrayal described by insiders as unsettlingly tender—and Emily Blunt’s work in The Smashing Machine, which reportedly had some festival attendees in tears before the end of her first major scene. Meanwhile, the Best Director field reads like a summit meeting of modern masters: Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Guillermo del Toro, Jafar Panahi, Joachim Trier, and Chloé Zhao form a lineup likely to spark debates for months. All six films push the boundaries of narrative structure and cinematic language, making this one of the most artistically rich races in years.

Television categories mirror this sense of creative expansion. Shows like The Diplomat, The Pitt, Pluribus, Severance, Slow Horses, and The White Lotus dominate the drama field, reflecting a slate defined by political intrigue, psychological complexity, and narrative boldness. Comedy remains fierce as ever, with The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Hacks, and Only Murders in the Building continuing to own the cultural conversation. Meanwhile, the Limited Series categories are packed with heavyweight performances from Jacob Elordi, Paul Giamatti, Jude Law, Claire Danes, Sarah Snook, and Michelle Williams, signaling once again that the Golden Age of Limited Series has become a permanent fixture rather than a fleeting trend.

A notable highlight this year is the return of the Lifetime Achievement Awards to the televised ceremony—though presented separately on the primetime special Golden Eve on January 8, 2026. The Cecil B. DeMille Award will honor the incomparable Helen Mirren, while the Carol Burnett Award will celebrate the enduring legacy of Sarah Jessica Parker. Both choices have been met with industry-wide enthusiasm, with colleagues sharing anecdotes about Helen Mirren mentoring young actors on sets for decades, and Sarah Jessica Parker’s continued advocacy for creative risk-taking in television storytelling.

Of course, the biggest shift—and the one rattling the industry—is the introduction of the Best Podcast category. Though the Globes describe this as a celebration of the medium’s artistic and cultural impact, many podcast creators have voiced concerns about transparency, eligibility criteria, and whether an awards show tied to Hollywood is equipped to evaluate a medium defined by grassroots creativity. Still, with a Top 25 list curated from Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and more, and nominees such as SmartLess, Up First, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, and The Mel Robbins Podcast, this category’s debut guarantees new energy—and new controversy—around the ceremony. A producer for one of the nominated shows reportedly joked backstage that podcasters are about to learn what actors already know: awards season is glamorous, until it isn’t.

With a star-studded lineup, a fiercely contested field of nominees, and new territory explored through its podcasting category, the 2026 Golden Globe Awards stand poised to deliver both celebration and conversation. As we look ahead to Nikki Glaser’s hosting return and the ceremony’s January 11 broadcast from the Beverly Hilton, one thing is clear: the Globes are evolving, responding to modern storytelling, global voices, and the expanding ways audiences connect with content. Whether this bold new chapter is embraced or debated long after the winners are announced, it undeniably marks a turning point—one where the old glamour meets the disruptive energy of a rapidly changing entertainment world.

Discover the full list of nominations :

Film

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Frankenstein
Hamnet
It Was Just an Accident
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Blue Moon
Bugonia
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
Nouvelle Vague
One Battle After Another

Best Motion Picture – Animated
Arco
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language
It Was Just an Accident (France)
No Other Choice (South Korea)
The Secret Agent (Brazil)
Sentimental Value (Norway)
Sirāt (Spain)
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams as Robert Grainier
Oscar Isaac – Frankenstein as Victor Frankenstein
Dwayne Johnson – The Smashing Machine as Mark Kerr
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners as Elijah Smoke Moore / Elias Stack Moore
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent as Armando / Marcelo Alves / Fernando
Jeremy Allen White – Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere as Bruce Springsteen

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet as Agnes Shakespeare
Jennifer Lawrence – Die My Love as Grace
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value as Nora Borg
Julia Roberts – After the Hunt as Alma Imhoff
Tessa Thompson – Hedda as Hedda Gabler
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby as Agnes

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme as Marty Mauser
George Clooney – Jay Kelly as Jay Kelly
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another as Bob Ferguson
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon as Lorenz Hart
Lee Byung-hun – No Other Choice as Yoo Man-soo
Jesse Plemons – Bugonia as Teddy Gatz

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I'd Kick You as Linda
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good as Elphaba Thropp
Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue as Claire Sardina
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another as Willa Ferguson
Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee as Ann Lee
Emma Stone – Bugonia as Michelle Fuller

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another as Sergio St. Carlos
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein as The Creature
Paul Mescal – Hamnet as William Shakespeare
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another as Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw
Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly as Ron Sukenick
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value as Gustav Borg

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Emily Blunt – The Smashing Machine as Dawn Staples
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value as Rachel Kemp
Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good as Galinda Glinda Upland
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value as Agnes Borg Pettersen
Amy Madigan – Weapons as Gladys
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another as Perfidia Beverly Hills

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet

Best Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident
Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell – Hamnet

Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein
Ludwig Göransson – Sinners
Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another
Kangding Ray – Sirāt
Max Richter – Hamnet
Hans Zimmer – F1

Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
KPop Demon Hunters
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Sinners
Weapons
Wicked: For Good
Zootopia 2

Best Original Song
Dream as One from Avatar: Fire and Ash – Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson and Simon Franglen (songwriters)
Golden from KPop Demon Hunters – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and Teddy (songwriters)
I Lied to You from Sinners – Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson (songwriters)
No Place Like Home from Wicked: For Good – Stephen Schwartz (songwriter)
The Girl in the Bubble from Wicked: For Good – Stephen Schwartz (songwriter)
Train Dreams from Train Dreams – Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner (songwriters)

Honorary award recipient
Cecil B. DeMille Award: Helen Mirren

Television

Best Television Series – Drama
The Diplomat
The Pitt
Pluribus
Severance
Slow Horses
The White Lotus

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
The Studio

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Adolescence
All Her Fault
The Beast in Me
Black Mirror
Dying for Sex
The Girlfriend

Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television
Bill Maher – Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?
Brett Goldstein – Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life
Kevin Hart – Kevin Hart: Acting My Age
Kumail Nanjiani – Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts
Ricky Gervais – Ricky Gervais: Mortality
Sarah Silverman – Sarah Silverman: PostMortem

Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama
Sterling K. Brown – Paradise as Xavier Collins
Diego Luna – Andor as Cassian Andor
Gary Oldman – Slow Horses as Jackson Lamb
Mark Ruffalo – Task as Tom Brandis
Adam Scott – Severance as Mark Scout / Mark S.
Noah Wyle – The Pitt as Dr. Michael Robby Robinavitch

Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama
Kathy Bates – Matlock as Madeline Kingston / Madeline Matty Matlock
Britt Lower – Severance as Helly Riggs / Helena Eagan
Helen Mirren – MobLand as Maeve Harrigan
Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us as Ellie
Keri Russell – The Diplomat as Katherine Kate Wyler
Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus as Carol Sturka

Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This as Noah Roklov
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building as Charles-Haden Savage
Glen Powell – Chad Powers as Russ Holliday / Chad Powers
Seth Rogen – The Studio as Matthew Matt Remick
Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building as Oliver Putnam
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear as Carmen Carmy Berzatto

Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Kristen Bell – Nobody Wants This as Joanne Williams
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear as Sydney Adamu
Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building as Mabel Mora
Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face as Charlie Cale
Jenna Ortega – Wednesday as Wednesday Addams
Jean Smart – Hacks as Deborah Vance

Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jacob Elordi – The Narrow Road to the Deep North as Dorrigo Evans
Paul Giamatti – Black Mirror: Eulogy as Phillip Connarty
Stephen Graham – Adolescence as Eddie Miller
Charlie Hunnam – Monster: The Ed Gein Story as Ed Gein
Jude Law – Black Rabbit as Jake Friedkin
Matthew Rhys – The Beast in Me as Nile Jarvis

Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Claire Danes – The Beast in Me as Agatha Aggie Wiggs
Rashida Jones – Black Mirror: Common People as Amanda Waters
Amanda Seyfried – Long Bright River as Mickey Fitzpatrick
Sarah Snook – All Her Fault as Marissa Irvine
Michelle Williams – Dying for Sex as Molly Kochan
Robin Wright – The Girlfriend as Laura Sanderson

Best Supporting Actor on Television
Owen Cooper – Adolescence as Jamie Miller
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show as Cory Ellison
Walton Goggins – The White Lotus as Rick Hatchett
Jason Isaacs – The White Lotus as Timothy Ratliff
Tramell Tillman – Severance as Seth Milchick
Ashley Walters – Adolescence as Luke Bascombe

Best Supporting Actress on Television
Carrie Coon – The White Lotus as Laurie Duffy
Erin Doherty – Adolescence as Briony Ariston
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks as Ava Daniels
Catherine O'Hara – The Studio as Patty Leigh
Parker Posey – The White Lotus as Victoria Ratliff
Aimee Lou Wood – The White Lotus as Chelsea

Best Podcast
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Call Her Daddy
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
The Mel Robbins Podcast
SmartLess
Up First

Honorary award recipient
Carol Burnett Award: Sarah Jessica Parker