The Big Picture

The 2026 Golden Globes: ‘One Battle After Another’ vs. ‘Hamnet’ Begins

January 12, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The 2026 Golden Globes telecast established a significant race for Best Picture, as *Hamnet*'s surprise win in Best Drama signals a genuine challenge to the season's frontrunner, *One Battle After Another*. 
  • The telecast featured several surprising upsets, most notably Wagner Moura winning Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama over the perceived frontrunner, Benicio del Toro. 
  • The hosts heavily criticized the telecast's production elements, particularly the excruciating banter from the play-by-play announcers and the decision to present the Best Original Score award off-broadcast. 
  • Wagner Moura's Golden Globe win for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama is seen as keeping him in contention, despite SAG's historical bias against non-English language film nominees. 
  • The hosts debated the tradition of producers accepting Best Picture awards, specifically noting Steven Spielberg accepting for *Hamnet* over other potential recipients. 
  • The overall sentiment regarding the 2026 Golden Globes is that the show functions primarily as advertising and calcifies existing award season narratives rather than introducing chaos or redefining the landscape, despite celebrating some favored films like *Hamnet*. 

Segments

Initial Reactions and Predictions
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(00:00:14)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts immediately reacted to the 2026 Golden Globes, with Sean Fennessey expressing frustration over Sinners not winning Best Drama, despite Amanda Dobbins having no decision-making power.
  • Summary: Sean Fennessey was upset that Sinners did not win Best Drama, a category announced after an extended bit by George Clooney and Don Cheadle. Amanda Dobbins noted that the results did not align with her predictions, leading to a personal down note. One Battle After Another was confirmed as the big winner of the night, securing Best Musical or Comedy, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.
Hamnet’s Status and International Voting
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(00:01:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Hamnet is now considered a serious Best Picture contender following the Globes, despite going home empty-handed, due to its broad international nominations.
  • Summary: The hosts acknowledged that Hamnet was a major miss in their predictions, despite its strong international profile which should have appealed to the non-American voting body. Amanda Dobbins’ rationale for predicting Hamnet—its numerous international nominations across categories—was deemed sound in retrospect. The result creates a new race dynamic, reminiscent of the Shakespeare in Love vs. Saving Private Ryan era.
Cinematic/Box Office Achievement Award
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(00:03:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The Cinematic and Box Office Achievement Award, won by Sinners, is characterized as the ‘Bridesmaid Award’ or ‘The Barbie Award,’ signifying a consolation prize for commercially successful, Oscar-worthy films.
  • Summary: The award, which Sinners won, is seen as an acknowledgment of mass audience connection but not a major win, following previous winners like Barbie and Wicked. Sean Fennessey correctly predicted Sinners would win this category, viewing it as a second-place award for films that perform well commercially but might not sweep top categories. This award’s precedent suggests it often goes to the major box office success that doesn’t win Best Picture or Best Drama.
Telecast Host and Comedy
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(00:09:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Host Nikki Glazer delivered a solid performance, treating the monologue like a roast and landing effective jokes, though the musical numbers were deemed too long.
  • Summary: Nikki Glazer was considered pretty funny, showing comfort in treating the monologue like a roast, reminiscent of her work with Kevin Hart. Notable jokes included barbs at Chalamet, a joke about Sean Penn’s humanitarian work, and a funny moment involving George Clooney and espresso troubleshooting. The hosts found the intersegments and musical numbers lacking, preferring Glazer’s direct comedic attacks.
Telecast Production Flaws
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(00:10:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The telecast suffered from deeply unpleasant, ill-informed banter by the play-by-play announcers (Kevin Fraser and Mark Malkin) and the egregious decision to present the Best Original Score award during commercial breaks.
  • Summary: The play-by-play announcers’ attempts at banter while winners walked to the stage were described as excruciating and deeply unpleasant, often feeling like ‘strip club DJs.’ The show was criticized for omitting the Best Original Score award from the televised portion, which felt wrong given the importance of film music. The music cues played during winner walks were characterized as mid-tier ‘mom jams’ that felt dated.
Executive Presence and Cross-Promotion
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(00:22:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The telecast featured a high concentration of visible studio executives (Zaslav, DeLuca, Ellison, Sarandos) at a critical time for corporate bidding, juxtaposed with a ’lame’ cross-promotional moment involving UFC fighters.
  • Summary: Numerous high-profile executives from major studios like Warner Bros., Netflix, and Paramount were present, indicating the show’s importance to industry deal-making. A particularly awkward moment involved UFC fighters introducing the stars of Heated Rivalry, a cross-promotion for Paramount properties that felt ominous and ineffective. The presence of these executives highlights the industry’s current focus amidst theatrical movie-going concerns.
Supporting Acting Wins and Speeches
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(00:25:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Tayana Taylor’s win for Supporting Actress was spirited and included a tribute to young Black and brown girls, while Stellan Skarsgård’s surprise win for Supporting Actor included a strong defense of theatrical exhibition.
  • Summary: Tayana Taylor won Supporting Actress, delivering a moving speech that built momentum toward a tribute to other women of color. Stellan Skarsgård’s unexpected win over the chalk pick, Benicio del Toro, was the night’s lone true surprise, and his speech emphasized the importance of seeing cinema in theaters. Rose Byrne won Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy for If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You, delivering a memorable speech that ended with a funny anecdote about her husband attending a reptile expo.
Best Director and Screenplay Outcomes
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(00:40:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Director for One Battle After Another, delivering a low-key speech dedicating it to his long-time benefactor Mike DeLuca and a recently deceased assistant director.
  • Summary: PTA’s win for Best Director was predictable, and his speech highlighted his long-standing relationship with producer Mike DeLuca. The DGA nominations suggest a potential vulnerability for Guillermo del Toro, as Josh Safdie was nominated there but blanked at the Globes, indicating shifts in director support. One Battle After Another also won Best Original Screenplay, solidifying its dominance in the writing categories.
International Film and Lead Actor Drama
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(00:44:33)
  • Key Takeaway: The Secret Agent won Best Motion Picture Non-English Language, solidifying its frontrunner status in the category despite the Palm d’Or winner, It Was Just an Accident, being blanked.
  • Summary: The win for The Secret Agent confirms its dominance in the international race, having swept numerous critics’ awards, which is noted as interesting given the Palm d’Or winner’s lack of wins. Director Kleiber Mendoza Filio was rudely played off stage during his acceptance speech, which the hosts deemed incredibly rude. Jesse Buckley won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama, giving a sincere and emotional speech that highlighted the recognition for a small, independent film.
Lead Actor Musical/Comedy and Gratitude
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(00:35:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Timothée Chalamet won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Musical or Comedy, delivering a subdued, humbled speech emphasizing gratitude taught by his father, contrasting with his previous swagger.
  • Summary: Chalamet’s win continues his strong awards run, though his acceptance speech was notably reserved compared to previous years, suggesting a conscious effort to remain humble following the financial success of Marty Supreme. This win positions him strongly for the Best Actor Oscar, which is historically rare for such a young winner. The hosts noted that Leonardo DiCaprio’s perceived non-competitiveness in the race might be due to the current surge surrounding Chalamet.
Reaction to Unnamed Film
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(00:51:10)
  • Key Takeaway: The speaker would accept a film being an arch satire if the creators confirmed that intent.
  • Summary: The speaker found an unnamed movie ‘insane’ and suggested its enjoyment would increase if framed as an arch satire. The speaker humorously stated they would accept this framing if the filmmakers confirmed it. The segment concluded with a desire to socialize with Luca Guadagnino and Julia Roberts.
Best Actor Drama Winner
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(00:51:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Wagner Moura won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama, despite Michael B. Jordan being an unexpected choice for the speaker.
  • Summary: Wagner Moura won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama, giving a nice speech with a Brazilian dedication. The speaker noted that Moura was thought to be in third place in the race before this win. The speaker also pointed out that SAG Awards are not highly predictive due to bias against non-English language films.
Best Musical/Comedy Winner
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(00:53:36)
  • Key Takeaway: One Battle After Another won Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, with no other film considered a contender.
  • Summary: One Battle After Another won Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, a result both hosts predicted. Richard Linklater’s self-competition was noted as a factor that canceled him out in the category. The success of Marty Supreme at the box office was also highlighted.
Best Drama Winner Reaction
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(00:54:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Hamnet won Best Motion Picture Drama, leading to a debate over Steven Spielberg accepting the award first.
  • Summary: Hamnet won Best Motion Picture Drama, despite the speaker predicting Sinners. The immediate acceptance speech by producer Steven Spielberg prompted a debate about awards show tradition versus breaking precedent. Koja (presumably the director/creator) did get a chance to speak later.
Campaigning for Hamnet
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(00:56:24)
  • Key Takeaway: A campaign is deemed necessary for Hamnet to succeed, contrasting its themes of family and grief against masculine cinematic achievements.
  • Summary: The speaker believes a campaign must be run for Hamnet, framing it as a searing work about connection and grief, contrasting it with ‘bro cinema’ like Saving Private Ryan. A major hurdle is that many people are afraid to watch Hamnet due to its heavy subject matter. The speaker provided the tagline ‘Love has no equal’ for the campaign.
Observations on Air Travel
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(00:57:02)
  • Key Takeaway: The speaker observed increased visible use of ChatGPT by passengers on flights for tasks like explaining news stories.
  • Summary: The hosts mentioned attending the opening night of Tracy Letts’ play Bug starring Carrie Coon on Broadway. The speaker noted observing many people visibly using ChatGPT on their computers during flights. This usage often involved asking the AI to explain current news stories.
Hamnet vs. Other Contenders
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(00:58:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Hamnet and Saving Private Ryan are viewed as funhouse mirror images concerning themes of family, loss, and what is born from absence.
  • Summary: The comparison between Hamnet and Saving Private Ryan centers on both being movies about families, loss, and the absence of critical figures. The speaker noted that many listeners are afraid to watch Hamnet, suggesting artists might be different from Academy Voters in this regard. The segment concluded that Hamnet mousing its way to the top wouldn’t be shocking but is not the speaker’s preferred outcome.
Purpose of the Golden Globes
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(01:01:35)
  • Key Takeaway: The Golden Globes currently function mainly to platform and advertise films to a larger audience rather than redefining award season trends.
  • Summary: The hosts questioned the purpose of the Golden Globes, suggesting it acts like a critics group giving awards to ‘cool movies’ but feels ‘same-same’ and calcifies the season. The show is seen as functioning as advertising, putting films like If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You in front of a larger audience. The lack of chaos or unexpected winners prevents the show from redefining the season.
Closing Thoughts and Soundtrack
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(01:06:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The soundtrack for the 2026 Golden Globes telecast was provided by DJ Khaled and was deemed perfect for a Miami hotel pool setting.
  • Summary: The speaker enjoyed the soundtrack provided by DJ Khaled, noting it was perfect for a Miami pool setting. The conversation briefly shifted to the upcoming podcast auction and the hosts’ past performance in it. The segment ended with a brief, unrelated discussion about baseball player Kyle Tucker potentially joining the Mets.