2026 Golden Globes Recap: Biggest Snubs, Surprises, and Winners List

Golden Globes 2026 (Via: X/@goldenglobes)

1/19/2026 6:56 PM

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Film Category Winners and Major Surprises

The biggest surprise of the night came in the final award category. Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama, a victory that stunned many who expected the award to go to Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners”. Zhao appeared genuinely shocked, needing a moment before speaking after producer Steven Spielberg handed her the microphone.

The comedy categories were ruled by Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another.” The film won Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and led the night with four total wins. Anderson himself took home the awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, beating out Coogler in both categories.

In the acting races, Timothée Chalamet won Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his role in “Marty Supreme.” This marks his first Golden Globe win. In his acceptance speech, he thanked his parents and gave a public shout-out to his partner, Kylie Jenner.

Another major acting surprise was Teyana Taylor’s win for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “One Battle After Another.” She was considered an underdog against front-runner Amy Madigan from “Weapons.”.

Wagner Moura, winner of Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for “The Secret Agent,” said in his speech: “‘The Secret Agent’ is a film about memory, or the lack of memory and generational trauma. I believe that if trauma can be passed between generations, so can values. So this is for those who stay true to their values in difficult times.”

The award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama went to Jessie Buckley for “Hamnet,” who is now considered a strong favorite for the Oscar. Rose Byrne won Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” joking in her speech that her husband skipped the ceremony to attend a reptile convention in New Jersey.

Notable Snubs and Disappointments

The most discussed snub of the evening was the near-complete shutout of “Sinners.” Despite being a critical and commercial hit and receiving multiple nominations, its only wins were in the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement category—considered by some to be a consolation prize—and for Best Original Score, an award that was presented during the commercial break and not broadcast. Director Ryan Coogler also lost in both the Director and Screenplay categories to Paul Thomas Anderson.

The musical sequel “Wicked: For Good” left the ceremony empty-handed, failing to win any of its nominated categories. This was a notable shift from the previous year, where the first “Wicked” film won the Box Office Achievement award.

Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” arrived with five nominations but won zero awards. Similarly, Yorgos Lanthimos’s “Bugonia,” starring Emma Stone, was completely shut out despite expectations based on the director’s past success at the Globes.

The night also suggested a broader trend, as several high-profile biopics like “The Smashing Machine” and “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” were shut out of the winner’s circle.

Television Winners and Highlights

In television, the medical drama “The Pitt” on HBO Max won Best Television Series – Drama. Its star, Noah Wyle, also won for Best Actor in a Drama Series. The show’s creator, R. Scott Gemmill, joked during the acceptance, “It takes a village to make a show, as you know. Or in my case, a village idiot”.

Apple TV+’s “The Studio,” a satire about the film industry starring Seth Rogen, won Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Rogen expressed his delight, noting that shows like his are not usually invited to such awards.

The limited series category was swept by Netflix’s “Adolescence,” which won four awards including Best Limited Series. Its young star, 16-year-old Owen Cooper, made history by becoming the youngest actor ever to win a Golden Globe for Supporting Actor.

Rhea Seehorn, winning her first Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for “Pluribus,” said: “I remain so grateful that I get to do this for a living. This is an incredible icing on that cake. Thank you.”

Memorable and Awkward Ceremony Moments

Host Nikki Glaser returned for her second year, delivering a sharp and boundary-pushing monologue. She drew gasps and laughter with a joke aimed at Leonardo DiCaprio, referencing his history of dating younger women.

The ceremony had its share of awkward production choices. The award for Best Original Score was presented during a commercial break, a move criticized by attendees and viewers online. There was also a noticeable mismatch when 74-year-old Stellan Skarsgård walked onstage to accept his award for Best Supporting Actor to the sound of Usher’s “Yeah!”.

A lighter moment came when Amy Poehler won the first-ever Golden Globe for Best Podcast for “Good Hang,” beating the popular podcast “SmartLess,” hosted by her ex-husband Will Arnett. She accepted the award from Snoop Dogg and jokingly told fellow nominee NPR to “try harder”.

Viral reaction moments included Amanda Seyfried’s brief, meme-worthy grimace after losing the Best Actress award to Rose Byrne. Julia Roberts also received a massive standing ovation simply for walking onstage to present an award, which she happily milked, telling the audience, “I’m gonna be impossible for at least a week”.

International Recognition and Other Awards

The Globes showcased their international voting body with several wins. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura’s dramatic actor win for “The Secret Agent” was a surprise, and the film also won Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language. This made Moura the first Brazilian to win in the Best Actor – Drama category.

The award for Best Animated Feature went to “KPop Demon Hunters,” which also won for Best Original Song (“Golden”). The film’s directors noted their goal was to portray female characters as “strong and brave, funny and weird”.

The complete list of film winners is as follows: