Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal have received nominations at the Golden Globes – the first significant predictor of the Oscars – for their performances as Agnes and William Shakespeare in Chloe Zhao’s devastating adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s historical novel Hamnet. Buckley is up for best actress in a drama. Mescal competes in best supporting actor. Both now seem certain to receive Academy Award nominations on January 22nd. Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon, shot largely in Dublin, landed a nod for best musical or comedy. That study of lyricist Richard Rodgers, produced in association with Wild Atlantic Pictures, also secured Ethan Hawke a nomination for best actor in a comedy or musical. Yorgos Lanthimos’s black comedy Bugonia, produced by Dublin’s Element Pictures, received three nominations: best comedy or musical plus lead acting nods for Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s rambunctious One Battle After Another topped the charts with nine nominations, including mentions for best musical or comedy, best director and a full five acting nominations: Leonardo DiCaprio for best actor, Chase Infiniti for best actress, Teyana Taylor for best supporting actress, and Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro for best supporting actor.
There were a few surprises in the film categories. Wicked: For Good failing to land a spot in comedy or musical reflected critical disappointment at the second half of John M Chu’s lavish take on the Broadway musical. Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, an ambitious comedy with George Clooney, also failed to land in best musical or comedy. James Cameron’s imminent Avatar: Fire and Ash missed out in best drama film.
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One could argue that the failure of those American films demonstrates the increasingly international make-up of the Globes voting body. Three non-English language titles made it into best drama film: Jafar Panahi’s It Was just an Accident from Iran, Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value from Norway, Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent from Brazil. Two made it into best comedy or musical: Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice from South Korea and Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague (an American co-production entirely in French). Sentimental Value, with eight mentions, was just behind One Battle in the nominations race.
Nothing will, however, stop Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another triumphing in musical or comedy (yes, it does just about count as comedy). Hamnet is favourite in drama film, but it could lose out to Sentimental Value or to Ryan Coogler’s epic horror Sinners.
Other surprises? Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine, about MMA fighter Mark Kerr, rallied from a slow box office to secure a lead acting nomination for Dwayne Johnson (not a complete shocker) and a supporting one for Emily Blunt (more of a turn up). Eva Victor, writer and star of the moving, tricky Sorry, Baby, secured a deserved nod as best actress in a drama.
The White Lotus scored top in the TV section with six nominations, followed by the considerably more gritty Adolescence with five nods.
The Golden Globes have a peculiar history. Established in 1944, they were, until 2023, run by a small, eccentric body of journalists called the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Following a series of controversies in 2022, the awards were restructured as a non-profit event that supports the philanthropically inclined Golden Globes Foundation. The voting body was expanded from fewer than 100 to about 400 diversely selected journalists from around the world.
Recent reforms have also included some new categories, at least one of which is a head-scratcher. Best podcast, presented for the first time this year, included such titles as Good Hang with Amy Poehler and Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. The Globe for cinematic and box office achievement, in its second year, continues to defy all reason. Despite not being released until December 19th, Avatar: Fire and Ash here competes against the likes of Wicked: For Good and likely winner Sinners (apparently, box office projections can be a factor).
Never mind that. What does all this mean for the awards that really matter? In truth, not much has changed. Buckley, Kerry-born all-rounder, remains a strong favourite for the best actress Oscar, but Australian star Rose Byrne, nominated in the comedy section at the Globes, is coming up on her shoulder. The Aussie, who plays a harassed mother in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, has been racking up wins in end-of-year polls from critics bodies.
Mescal may have to settle for just the nomination in a best supporting actor Oscar race that looks like a three-way battle between Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro and – probable favourite – Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value.
Jessie Buckley stars as Agnes and Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare in director Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, a Focus Features release. Photograph: Agata Grzybowska
One Battle After Another is big favourite for best picture, but Hamnet could still pip it at the post. Zhao’s film, detailing Agnes Shakespeare’s grief at the death of her titular son, has been reducing audiences to blubbing wrecks since its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival late last August.
The Golden Globes ceremony has always had a reputation for greater informality than the Academy Awards. Drinks are swilled. Speeches are often irreverent. In the early part of this century, Ricky Gervais famously used repeated hosting gigs to liberally insult the famous guests. Nikki Glaser, after a notably successful, gently ribbing turn last year, will return to host the 83rd edition on January 11th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
Golden Globes 2026: the full list of nominationsBest motion picture, dramaFrankensteinHamnetIt Was Just an AccidentThe Secret AgentSentimental ValueSinnersBest motion picture, musical or comedyBlue MoonBugoniaMarty SupremeNo Other ChoiceNouvelle VagueOne Battle After AnotherBest director, motion picturePaul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherRyan Coogler, SinnersGuillermo del Toro, FrankensteinJafar Panahi, It Was Just an AccidentJoachim Trier, Sentimental ValueChloe Zhao, HamnetBest actor, motion picture, dramaJoel Edgerton, Train DreamsOscar Isaac, FrankensteinDwayne Johnson, The Smashing MachineMichael B. Jordan, SinnersWagner Moura, The Secret AgentJeremy Allen White, Springsteen: Deliver Me from NowhereBest actress, motion picture, dramaJesse Buckley, HamnetJennifer Lawrence, Die My LoveRenata Reinsve, Sentimental ValueJuila Roberts, After the HuntTessa Thompson, HeddaEva Victor, Sorry, BabyBest actor, motion picture, comedyTimothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeGeorge Clooney, Jay KellyLeoardo DiCaprio, One Battle After AnotherEthan Hawke, Blue MoonLee Byung-Hun, No Other ChoiceJesse Plemons, BugoniaBest actress, motion picture, comedyRose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick YouCynthia Erivo, Wicked: For GoodKate Hudson, Song Sung BlueChase Infiniti, One Battle After AnotherAmanda Seyfried, The Testament of Ann LeeEmma Stone, BugoniaBest supporting actress, motion pictureEmily Blunt, The Smashing MachineElle Fanning, Sentimental ValueAriana Grande, Wicked: For GoodInga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental ValueAmy Madigan, WeaponsTeyana Taylor, One Battle After AnotherBest supporting actor, motion pictureBenicio del Toro, One Battle After AnotherJacob Elordi, FrankensteinPaul Mescal, HamnetSean Penn, One Battle After AnotherAdam Sandler, Jay KellyStellan Skarsgard, Sentimental ValueBest screenplayPaul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherRonald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Marty SupremeRyan Coogler, SinnersJafar Panahi, It Was Just an AccidentMaggie O’Farrell, HamnetBest motion picture, non-English languageIt Was Just an Accident, FranceNo Other Choice, South KoreaThe Secret Agent, BrazilSentimental Value, NorwaySirat, SpainThe Voice of Hind Rajab, TunisiaBest animated motion pictureArcoDemon SlayerAniplexElioK-Pop Demon HuntersLittle Amelie or The Rain CharacterZootopia 2Best original scoreFrankensteinSinnersOne Battle After AnotherSiratHamnetF1Best original songDream as One, Avatar: Fire and AshGolden, K-Pop Demon HuntersI Lied to You, SinnersNo Place Like Home, Wicked: For GoodThe Girl in the Bubble, Wicked: For GoodTrain Dreams, Train DreamsCinematic and box office achievementAvatar: Fire and AshF1KPop Demon HuntersMission: Impossible – The Final ReckoningSinnersWeaponsWicked: For GoodZootopia 2Best comedy, TVAbbott ElementaryThe BearHacksNobody Wants ThisOnly Murders in the BuildingThe StudioBest drama, TVThe DiplomatThe PittPluribusSeveranceSlow HorsesThe White LotusBest limited seriesAdolescenceAll Her FaultThe Beast in MeBlack MirrorDying for SexThe GirlfriendBest performance by a male actor in a TV dramaSterling K Brown, ParadiseDiego Luna, AndorGary Oldman, Slow HorsesMrak Ruffalo, TaskAdam Scott, SeveranceNoah Wyle, The PittBest actress, TV dramaKathy Bates, MatlockBrit Lower, SeveranceHelen Mirren, MoblandBella Ramsey, The Last of UsKeri Russell, The DiplomatRhea Seehorn, PluribusBest actress, TV comedyKristen Bell, Nobody Wants ThisAyo Edebiri, The BearSelena Gomez, Only Murders in the BuildingNatasha Lyonne, PokerfaceJenna Ortega, WednesdayJean Smart, HacksBest actress, limited seriesClaire Danes, The Beast in MeRashida Jones, Black MirrorAmanda Seyfried, Long Bright RiverSarah Snook, All Her FaultMichelle Williams, Dying for SexRobin Wright, The GirlfriendBest actor, TV comedyAdam Brody, Nobody Wants ThisSteve Martin, Only Murders in the BuildingGlen Powell, Chad PowersSeth Rogen, The StudioMartin Short, Only Murders in the BuildingJeremy Allen White, The BearBest actor, limited seriesJacob Elordi, The Narrow Road to the Deep NorthPaul Giamatti, Black MirrorStephen Graham, AdolescenceCharlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein StoryJude Law, Black RabbitMatthew Rhys, The Beast in MeBest supporting actor, TVOwen Cooper, AdolescenceBillie Crudup, The Morning ShowWalton Goggins, The White LotusJason Isaacs, The White LotusTramell Tillman, SeveranceAshley Walters, AdolescenceBest supporting actress, TVCarrie Coon, The White LotusErin Doherty, AdolescenceHanna Einbinder, HacksCatherine O’Hara, The StudioParker Posey, The White LotusAimee Lou Wood, The White LotusBest podcastArmchair Expert with Dax ShepardCall Her DaddyGood Hang with Amy PoehlerThe Mel Robbins PodcastSmartlessUp FirstBest standupBill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your LifeKevin Hart: Asking My AgeKumail Nanjiani: Night ThoughtsRicky Gervais: MortalitySarah Silverman: Postpartum