Charlize Theron (in Dior) was talking to the hosts of the entertainment show Access Live when Halle Berry (in Zuhair Murad) and Julia Roberts (in Stella McCartney) crashed the interview. The statuesque trio made for one unforgettable fashion frame at the red carpet of the 76th Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on January 6. All I needed to see at that love fest was Nicole Kidman (in Michael Kors) and the Best-Dressed Best Actress Club would have been complete.
Kidman (nominated for the film Destroyer) eventually caught up, separately, with Theron (Tully) and Roberts (Homecoming) during the night, presented by “the only two people left in Hollywood who haven’t gotten in trouble for saying something offensive,” Sandra Oh and Adam Sandberg. (I still wish Tina Fey and Amy Poehler would host for eternity.)
“It is incumbent on all of us to protect freedom of expression. It is our story to tell, our story to write and our stand to take,” said Meher Tatna, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association president in announcing special grants of $1 million each to Inside Climate News, an organization devoted to investigative journalism on environmental issues, and to Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal assistance to and on behalf of journalists.
Incidentally, the Globes nominated dramatic performances based on two journalists’ lives: Rosamund Pike for A Private War, about the brave Marie Colvin, who was slain covering the Syrian Civil War; and Melissa McCarthy (in Reem Acra), magazine writer-turned-literary forger in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
The Globes is a more fun, freewheeling and whimsical awards ceremony than the Oscars. It’s also where TV people get to party with movie people. I’ve been obsessed with BBC One shows lately, so I was ecstatic when the maddeningly handsome, next-James-Bond-most-likely Richard Madden (Bodyguard, in Giorgio Armani velvet tuxedo) and Oh (Killing Eve) won best drama acting trophies.
Oh started the night wearing a custom-made Atelier Versace long-sleeved vibrant red gown with plunging neckline and thigh-high slit, changed to a white Atelier Versace gown with delicate Swarovski crystal embellishment and dramatic sculptural shoulder accent, and received her trophy in a custom silk cady Stella McCartney dress with gold sequin sleeves.
QUEENS/QUEERS
THE British Olivia Colman (in un-queenly Stella McCartney) won Best Performance in a Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy in the lesbian period film The Favourite, while Egyptian-American Rami Malek (in custom Givenchy tuxedo) won best actor drama for Bohemian Rhapsody, the musical biopic of the bisexual Freddie Mercury of the band Queen.
Mahershala Ali (in Etro) played gay piano prodigy Don Shirley in Green Book and won a best supporting drama trophy. Filipino-American Darren Criss (in Dior Homme cherry blossom tuxedo) played murderous gay sociopath Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and won Best Performance in a Miniseries or Television Film. (Also in attendance were Filipino JonJon Briones, his costar in the series, and Fil-Chinese Manny Jacinto, who stars in The Good Place on TV and soon in Top Gun: Maverick.)
Oh won for playing the queer spy Eve Polastri. McCarthy was nominated as the lesbian Lee Israel. Out young actor Lucas Hedges (in Giorgio Armani velvet tuxedo) was nominated for playing a gay teen in Boy Erased. The only gay actor who won for a gay role was Ben Whishaw (in Alexander McQueen velvet jacket embroidered with crystals), Best Supporting Performance in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film Supporting Actor winner for A Very English Scandal as Norman Josiffe.
But the “queen” of the red carpet, complete with cape, was Billy Porter, nominated for drama best actor for Pose, who posted: “Tonight’s @goldenglobes lewk. #spring is coming children! Wearing custom couture by @RandiRahm, Iconic Gardenia Lapel Pins and Ballerina Ring by @oscarheyman,Shoes by @gucci.”
A STAR IS BORN THIS WAY
IN 2008, the gay fandom—leading the general population—fell in love with the curiously named Lady Gaga when she performed at the Miss Universe pageant held in Vietnam. Ten years later, the “Born This Way” singer appeared in A Star is Born to great acclaim.
Gaga is the fourth woman to play the iconic role. The first was Janet Gaynor, the very first Oscar Best Actress winner, awarded for three films (7th Heaven, Street Angel and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans) in 1927/1928. As Esther Victoria Blodgett/Vicki Lester in the first A Star is Born in 1937, Gaynor was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to Luise Rainer (The Good Earth).
Judy Garland reprised the Vicki Lester role in 1954. She was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress-Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. She was also nominated for an Oscar, losing in an upset to Grace Kelly (The Country Girl).
Barbra Streisand, wearing her own clothes, played Esther Hoffman in the 1976 A Star is Born. She also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress-Motion Picture Comedy or Musical over Jodie Foster (Freaky Friday), Barbara Harris (Freaky Friday and Family Plot), Goldie Hawn (The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox) and Rita Moreno (The Ritz). The film also won Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy. Streisand, however, was not nominated for an Oscar, which was won by Faye Dunaway (Network).
I don’t understand why the 2018 A Star is Born is under the Best Motion Picture-Drama category and Lady Gaga nominated under the Best Performance in a Motion Picture-Drama category. (Rami Malek also for Bohemian Rhapsody).
If she gets nominated for an Oscar, Gaga will one-up her nemesis Madonna. The Material Girl won a Globe for Evita in 1996, defeating Glenn Close (101 Dalmatians) and Barbra Streisand (The Mirror Has Two Faces), but was snubbed for an Oscar (won by Frances McDormand for Fargo).
At the Globes, Gaga wore a Valentino Haute Couture pervinca dress and cape made of silk faille designed for her by creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. She also wore custom Tiffany and Co. Aurora Borealis necklace.
NOTHING COMES CLOSE
THE great Glenn Close came, uhmm, close to winning the Oscar for Best Actress in 1987 for Fatal Attraction but Cher (Moonstruck) beat her, Holly Hunter (Broadcast News), Sally Kirkland (Anna) and Meryl Streep (Ironweed). She was formidable in Dangerous Liaisons but Jodie Foster (The Accused) beat her, Melanie Griffith (Working Girl), Sigourney Weaver (Gorillas in the Mist) and Meryl Streep (A Cry in the Dark) for the 1988 Best Actress Oscar. It was theater and TV in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2011, Meryl Streep (Iron Lady) beat her (Albert Nobbs) for the Best Actress Oscar.
I pray she finally wins the Oscar for The Wife. If we go by the Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, a more accurate bellwether than the Globes for the Oscars, she would be a shoo-in for an Academy nod with Lady Gaga, Olivia Colman, Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns) and Melissa McCarthy.
The Wife, a film that got lukewarm reviews, is based on the book by Meg Wolitzer. As always, don’t judge a book by its movie.
Little Monsters are upset that Mother Monster Lady Gaga lost the Golden Globe to Glenn Close (in Armani Privé velvet cape dress with crystal accent). Silly little ghels, sit down! That’s Glenn Close.
Don’t know her? GMG! Google mo, gaga!