It has been almost a year since the Los Angeles Times’ searing exposé about the scandals within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the organisation behind the Golden Globes.
Now, just days before its annual event, the HFPA will present the 2022 ceremony with no stars, no red carpet, no press and no TV show.
Don’t blame COVID-19.
According to Variety, the Globes’ talent booker had no luck trying to persuade celebrities to take part in this year’s ceremony.
The Globes’ long-time telecast partner, NBC, has also canned its 2022 broadcast.
Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae, who is nominated for best television actor in a drama series, said in a statement that his decision not to attend the Globes wasn’t just because of health risks.
“He recognises that Netflix is not participating in the Golden Globes, as has been widely reported around the world,” the statement read, as translated by media outlet Soompi.
Just days before the 2022 Globes, the HFPA has confirmed a scaled-down affair.
Winners will be announced at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles to a room of “select members and grantees”.
It’s a far cry from the normally glitzy Globes of past years, once second only to the Oscars.
What happened? Well.
Fall from grace
The HFPA was engulfed in controversy after the Los Angeles Times confirmed long-suspected allegations of corruption and preferential treatment.
Its lack of diversity – such as the fact there were no Black journalists among its then 87 voting members – drew sharp criticism.
For many, the exposé finally explained why the Globes famously snubbed Michaela Coel’s lauded series I May Destroy You and nominated Emily in Paris, which became a meme for its caricature of French and American people.
In 2019, more than 30 HFPA members flew to France to visit the set, where one member said they were treated like “kings and queens”.
* Oh, and that nom for “Emily in Paris”?
“In 2019, more than 30 HFPA members flew to France to visit the set. While there, Paramount Network treated the group to a two-night stay at the five-star Peninsula Paris hotel, where rooms currently start at about $1,400 a night.”
— Julia Turner (@juliaturner) February 21, 2021
The backlash was swift.
A slew of high-profile Hollywood actors publicly denounced the Globes, even after the HFPA announced a reform plan and timeline in a bid to become more inclusive, transparent and accountable.
Was it enough? Apparently not.
#ChangeIsGolden
Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo became one of the first Hollywood A-listers to distance himself from the HFPA last year.
Ruffalo, who had won a 2021 Golden Globe for his performance in HBO’s I Know This Much Is True, said in a statement that he “cannot feel very proud or happy about being a recipient”.
He also voiced his support for the #ChangeIsGolden campaign, which ripped into the HFPA’s proposed reform timeline.
“The timeline proposed by the HFPA fails to commit to the urgent reform necessary in time to impact the 2022 Globes season. We will refrain from any HFPA sanctioned events until your organisation meets its responsibility to our creative community,” the campaign read.
Among the many individuals and groups who have turned their backs on the Globes are Scarlett Johansson, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Aniston, Ellen Pompeo, Shonda Rhimes, Netflix, Amazon Studios and WarnerMedia.
Tom Cruise went as far as to return the three Golden Globes he won to the HFPA headquarters.
The show goes on
Despite no hosts, celebrities, red carpet or large audience, the 2022 Golden Globes will go ahead on January 9 at 6pm PT (January 10, 1pm AEDT).
As Variety reported on Friday, the “private event” will not be live-streamed, but the HFPA will provide updates as winners are announced via its website and social media platforms.
The nominees for this year’s Globes were announced by Snoop Dogg and include the films Belfast and The Power of the Dog, which received seven nods each.
Belfast premieres in Australian cinemas on February 3, while The Power of the Dog is available to stream on Netflix.
Netflix’s global-warming satire Don’t Look Up (streaming now), Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (in cinemas now) and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza (in cinemas now) received four nominations each.
King Richard, the film about the father of tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams, also received four nominations.
It lands in Australian cinemas on January 13.
Hit family drama Succession (Binge) received five nominations and comedies The Morning Show (Apple TV+) and Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) garnered four noms each.
How will the actors from these films and TV shows respond to their wins?
If it’s anything like the reactions to their nominations, expect minimal acknowledgement.
The post Why the pandemic isn’t the only reason the Golden Globes lost its shine appeared first on The New Daily.
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