The first televised awards show of the season kicks off amid controversy. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is no stranger to charges of bias, especially in its past bribery controversies. However, this time, it’s not so easy. It was recently revealed that there are no HFPA members of color. That’s a rather staggering fact to consider in the 21st Century, not to mention in a global landscape that should include several countries with people of color. It is still the biggest party of the year and if you want to be an Oscar contender, showing up is required, but winning is even more important. With the glad-handing exceedingly limited as a result of the pandemic, it will be more difficult for minor and major contenders alike to suck up to the HFPA members. Once we see the winners, we’ll know a bit more about what’s going on, but remember that their selections do not always link up with the Oscars. Now, let’s take a look at what our contributors have decided to select with minimal consensus in our predictions.

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

Best Picture, Drama

The Father
Mank (RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp)
Nomadland (Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Promising Young Woman (Peter)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Tripp, Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: This is an incredibly difficult category. Most of the biggest upsets anyone can recall have come in this category. I am tentatively putting Nomadland on the top of the list because it’s been trampling nearly every other film so far this season, but if Mank, The Trial of the Chicago 7, or Promising Young Woman want to redefine the Oscar landscape victories are required. Of course with an average HFPA voter age in the high double digits, it’s possible The Father makes a surprise play for the win.
Peter J. Patrick: Nomadland may be the favorite with most critics’ group, but the Globes tend to go with more mainstream fare, and nothing was more mainstream this year than Promising Young Woman.
Tripp Burton: The Trial of the Chicago 7 seems like the safest bet right now, but with the Globes nothing is ever safe. Mank led the nominations and seems like the sort of big epic that the Globes respond to, but Chicago 7 has a lot of momentum right now and could cement itself here. Nomadland, the critics favorite, feels like a non-traditional Globes choice, but if it ends up winning here, that could really help it in this next phase of awards season.
Thomas LaTourette: This will be a strong race between The Trial of the Chicago 7 and the newly released Nomadland. I think the HFPA will go with the film with more names in it and go with Trial.

Best Picture, Comedy/Musical

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Hamilton (Wesley, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Music
Palm Springs
The Prom (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: The HFPA are a bunch of star-watchers and their selections often acknowledge that. Since none of the five nominees for this category have an Oscar shot, it’s an opportunity for an unusual surprise. Palm Springs seems a bit too young, Music was a shock nominee, and Borat seems to me like a film that wouldn’t go over that well with these members. Hamilton might be more up their alley, but with that and Borat incredibly US-centric, The Prom‘s more universal message and its boistrous storyline might well result in a big win.
Peter J. Patrick: A very thin year for big screen comedies. Borat 2 wins by default. If there is an upset, it might well be The Prom featuring Globe favorites Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman.
Tripp Burton: Every film in this category seems to have more reasons for not winning than reasons for winning, which makes this a hard choice. The Globes liked the first Borat, and it could win quite a bit on Globes night, but don’t discount the cultural phenomenon that is Hamilton.
Thomas LaTourette: In some ways, Hamilton might be the more deserving winner, but I think it will go to Borat rather than a filmed Broadway play, even one with such a well-known pedigree.

Best Picture, Animated

The Croods: A New Age
Onward (RU:Wesley)
Over the Moon (RU:Tripp)
Soul (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Wolfwalkers (RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: This group loves Pixar even when the Academy doesn’t, which puts Soul and Onward at the front of the pack. Any of the others could win, but it would be rather surprising.
Peter J. Patrick: Soul should win this one, with Wolfwalkers its closest competition.
Tripp Burton: Always go with the Pixar entry.
Thomas LaTourette: This should be an easy win for Soul, unless the two Pixar films knock each other out and that would pave the way for Wolfwalkers to sneak in for the win.

Best Director

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Tripp)
David Fincher – Mank
Regina King – One Night in Miami (Tripp)
Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (RU:Thomas)
Chloe Zhao – Nomadland (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: Where this category goes, no one knows, but it might foreshadow the winner of the Drama Picture category. Regina King is the biggest star on this list, but Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher are incredibly well known as well. However, I would expect that giving the prize to the woman who’s likely to win the Oscar would be foremost on their list of things to agree with. If Zhao doesn’t win, the shockwaves may reverberate beyond the Globes.
Peter J. Patrick: Nomadland should prevail here, but Promising Young Woman could pull an upset.
Tripp Burton: Chloe Zhao is the leader in awards season, but Nomadland doesn’t feel like the sort of film the Globes embrace. Instead, I’m thinking that they anoint one of the other two women in the category. I went with King because of her Hollywood pedigree, but Emerald Fennell is hot right now, and could easily be up on that virtual stage.
Thomas LaTourette: With an unprecedented three women nominated, I think one will win with Nomadland‘s Chloe Zhao the likely winner. If she doesn’t, Emerald Fennell might sneak in for her directorial debut Promising Young Woman, though more likely Aaron Sorkin would win for the likely best picture winner.

Best Actor, Drama

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal (Peter)
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Tripp, Thomas, RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)
Anthony Hopkins – The Father (Wesley, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Gary Oldman – Mank
Tahar Rahim – The Mauritanian

Wesley Lovell: There is no bigger name than Anthony Hopkins, which is why I give him the edge. The film being Globe-baity might bolster his chances. They could also stymie critics and go for a person of color for the win, which might favor Riz Ahmed, but would more likely lead to a Chadwick Boseman win. However, they might prefer to give the award to someone who can accept it in person (or on Zoom as the case may be).
Peter J. Patrick: I think Ahmed has the inside track over Bozeman, but Anthony Hopkins could pull an upset. It’s got to be between those three.
Tripp Burton: The Globes only nominated Boseman once (as compared to twice at SAG), which means that this will be an easy place to honor the late star. I expect to see a lot of people accepting awards on his behalf this season, and it will start here, much like Heath Ledger’s sweep 12 years ago.
Thomas LaTourette: This will be a tight race between the late Chadwick Boseman and Anthony Hopkins in perhaps his final starring role. Hopkins has yet to win a Globe, and may well not this year either.

Best Actress, Drama

Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Andra Day – United States vs. Billie Holiday (RU:Peter)
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand – Nomadland (RU:Wesley)
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: This will be the first time that Mulligan gets a genuine boost this season. With McDormand already being awarded, they could choose to go with Mulligan for a tremendous Oscar vehicle, but they also like to shower love on actors over and over again, so McDormand’s still a threat.
Peter J. Patrick: Mulligan has this in the bag. If there is an upset, it could be newcomer Day. The Globes love newcomers who make a big impression.
Tripp Burton: Promising Young Woman has been picking up steam rapidly these last few months, and perhaps no one has benefited from this odd season as much as Mulligan. There is a real chance that she steamrolls this season, and look for the Globes to jump on that bandwagon first.
Thomas LaTourette: Carey Mulligan seems the likely winner in one of the most competitive categories.

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical

Sacha Baron Cohen – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Wesley, Peter, Thomas, RU:Tripp)
James Corden – The Prom
Lin Manuel Miranda – Hamilton (Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Dev Patel – The Personal History of David Copperfield (RU:Peter)
Andy Samberg – Palm Springs (RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: Cohen might well be the best known name on this list, which is a rather sad acknowledgement. That said, Andy Samberg may have a lot of familiarity to them thanks to his television career, so they could give it to him, but I’m going with Cohen, who’s twice-nominated this year and not likely to win the other prize.
Peter J. Patrick: Baron Cohen wins this easily. Anyone else would be an upset. Patel is as possible as any of the others.
Tripp Burton: Sacha Baron Cohen won here for the first Borat movie, and he could easily repeat that win. But most awards bodies don’t pass on the chance to get Lin-Manuel Miranda on a stage, and this could be his last award for Hamilton.
Thomas LaTourette: Sacha Baron Cohen will become the first actor in a comedy to win twice for the same part. His main competition is Lin-Manuel Miranda for playing the lead in Hamilton. I think they will go for the actor from an actual movie rather than a filmed play.

Best Actress, Comedy/Musical

Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Peter, Tripp, Thomas, RU:Wesley)
Kate Hudson – Music
Michelle Pfeiffer – French Exit (Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Rosamund Pike – I Care a Lot
Anya Taylor Joy – Emma.

Wesley Lovell: I have a hard time imagining a sketch comedienne winning this award over one of the biggest stars of yesteryear (and by that I mean three decades ago). Pfeiffer’s comeback role might not have excited audiences, but Globe voters might go with her for a far more traditional award-winning role over Bakalova.
Peter J. Patrick: Bakalova will probably make it 3 for 3 in Musical or Comedy this year, with Pfeiffer the only one who could possibly overtake her.
Tripp Burton: An odd awards season has a lot of surprises, but none has surprised me quite as much as the rise of Maria Bakalova as a serious contender. I don’t see anyone beating the critics darling here.
Thomas LaTourette: Maria Bakalova will likely become the third woman to win for her debut performance. Her stiffest competition is from Michelle Pfeiffer.

Best Supporting Actor

Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Jared Leto – The Little Things
Bill Murray – On the Rocks
Leslie Odom Jr. – One Night in Miami (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: Once again, we have a place for the HFPA to show it’s not bigoted and giving the award to late-breaking Daniel Kaluuya might be a nice gesture. Then again, Cohen, Murray, and Leto are much better known and clearly they were wined-and-dined by the campaign for The Little Things. Leto’s win would be a bit of a shock, but not entirely unsurprising.
Peter J. Patrick: Kaluuya’s late entry film makes him a hot property now. Odom won’t go home empty-handed. He’ll win for Best Song.
Tripp Burton: Daniel Kaluuya feels like a front-runner, but the lack of other nominations for his film confuses me here. There are other places to award Sacha Baron Cohen and Leslie Odom Jr., but I’m not sure they will win there either. The Globes are known for some odd choices in this category (Aaron Taylor Johnson), and I could really see Jared Leto sneaking in here. This is all a way to say, this is anyone’s award.
Thomas LaTourette: I don’t think that they will honor Sacha Baron Cohen for two acting performances in one night, but it might happen. Out of the rest of the nominees, Daniel Kaluuya’s fiery portrayal of Fred Hampton seems the likely one to win.

Best Supporting Actress

Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Olivia Colman – The Father (RU:Thomas)
Jodie Foster – The Mauritanian (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)
Amanda Seyfried – Mank (RU:Tripp)
Helena Zengel – News of the World

Wesley Lovell: Two of the biggest names of the 1970s and 1980s competing in the same category? Globe voters may just fall all over themselves to give an award to either Close or Foster. I wouldn’t be shocked if Zengel came along and usurped them all, but for now I go with the stars.
Peter J. Patrick: The Globes love Glenn Close whose back-from-the-ashes story this year is irresistible. They also love Jodie Foster, so she’s a possible fallback winner.
Tripp Burton: The Globes love veterans, but the Globes also love young starlets, and so a battle between Glenn Close and Amanda Seyfried continues here. I’m giving the edge to Close, but this could go either way. And don’t forget that the Globes really love Jodie Foster and Olivia Colman, so don’t discount them in this discussion!
Thomas LaTourette: This is a category that could go to almost any of the nominees. Glenn Close probably is the frontrunner to win, though Olivia Colman or Amanda Seyfried could pull the upset.

Best Screenplay

The Father
Mank (RU:Wesley)
Nomadland (Wesley)
Promising Young Woman (Peter, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Tripp, Thomas, RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: This seems like the kind of group who would better appreciate a male-centric story and The Father, Mank, and The Trial of the Chicago 7 are their best options. Of course, going with one of the two likely Oscar winners might be up their alley as well. It’s hard to say, though.
Peter J. Patrick: Promising Young Woman is close to a sure winner here, with Trial of the Chicago 7 the likeliest to pull an upset.
Tripp Burton: The Globes never pass up a chance to honor Aaron Sorkin.
Thomas LaTourette: Aaron Sorkin likely will win his third screenwriting Globe, tying him for the most wins. Promising Young Woman is the strongest competition and probably the most original of the nominees.

Best Original Score

Mank (Tripp, RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
The Midnight Sky (RU:Tripp)
News of the World (RU:Peter)
Soul (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Tenet

Wesley Lovell: Soul and Mank have won most of this year’s awards, so it’s a safe bet that one of them could win, but the The Legend of 1900 Rule will be forever in effect and News of the World would be the most likely beneficiary of that off-the-wall decision-making that the HFPA often makes.
Peter J. Patrick: Soul probably takes this, but News of the World could win if they choose to go instrumental.
Tripp Burton: The Globes are always unpredictable in this category, and often times honor scores not awarded other places. Common sense says that Reznor and Ross will be winning for one of their two nominations, but I have this hunch that Alexandre Desplat could be a surprise.
Thomas LaTourette: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are nominated for two films and seem likely to win for one. Soul seems the more likely one than Mank. News of the World also boasted a strong traditional score, so it is also a possibility.

Best Song

Fight for You – Judas and the Black Messiah
Hear My Voice – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (RU:Peter)
Io Si (Seen) – The Life Ahead (RU:Wesley)
Speak Now – One Night in Miami (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Tigress & Tweed – United States vs. Billie Holiday (RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: It seems like “Speak Now” is the song of the year in terms of recognition, but don’t count out the Italian “Io Si.”
Peter J. Patrick: “Speak Now” from One Night in Miami is an almost certain winner, with “Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7 next in line.
Tripp Burton: This award tends to go to the biggest music star, and Leslie Odom Jr. would certainly be great to see on that stage. Andra Day is also double nominated, though, and this could bring her some attention.
Thomas LaTourette: This may be the best place to honor One Night in Miami with a Globe, so I’ll predict it to win. If not then non-shortlisted The United States vs. Billie Holiday might win and leave no clear frontrunner for the Oscar.

Best Foreign Language Film

Another Round (Thomas, RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)
The Life Ahead (RU:Tripp)
La Llorona
Minari (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Two of Us

Wesley Lovell: While we’re all pretty sure that Minari, which was relegated to this category over Best Picture Drama due to the HFPA’s strange rules-making, will win this award because it’s the only one among them likely to make the Oscar Best Picture slate. However, it’s also possible that the popular Another Round could sneak in or even The Life Ahead.
Peter J. Patrick: Minari should be an easy winner here, but Another Round is quite possible.
Tripp Burton: Minari is one of the most-talked-about films of the season, and with a lot of press about how it only got nominated in this one category, my guess is that the Globes will make sure it goes home with an award. The Life Ahead could play into the Globes’ love of old Hollywood, though, with a career performance from Sophia Loren.
Thomas LaTourette: The backlash over the HFPA putting the American made Minari in the foreign language category might propel it to a win, but I wonder if it will still go to Another Round.