Behind the Scenes at the Golden Globes: What Happened Off Camera

Big Laughs for Nikki Glaser’s Monologue

Nikki Glaser’s opening monologue elicited both laughter and a few groans, particularly from her light-hearted jabs at Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. “The Rock is here for The Smashing Machine,” she quipped. “The Rock is nominated tonight, and luckily for him, the TV show The Paper is not, so he might win… And Kevin Hart is here, yes. The Rock’s plus one-half.” The two stars, frequently seen together in promotional stunts for their Jumanji films, are known for their comedic chemistry.

Glaser also made a remark about Leonardo DiCaprio’s penchant for dating younger women, saying, “You’ve won three Golden Globes, an Oscar, and the most impressive thing is that you were able to accomplish all of that before your girlfriend turned 30.” DiCaprio reportedly took the joke in stride.

A Few Almost Late-Comers

Dwayne Johnson made a dramatic entrance, arriving just before the ceremony began. He walked in during the final moments of the countdown. Natasha Lyonne and Queen Latifah also made their entrance with seconds to spare.

Noah Wyle narrowly avoided missing his moment, dashing back to his seat just as nominees in his category were being announced, echoing Christine Lahti’s legendary 1998 “I was in the bathroom, Mom” line when she won for Chicago Hope.

Standing Ovations for Taylor, Skarsgård, Roberts, & *Sinners*

Teyana Taylor and Stellan Skarsgård received standing ovations after being recognized for their performances, with Taylor winning Best Female Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for One Battle After Another and Skarsgård earning the Male Supporting Actor nod for Sentimental Value. Taylor received a second ovation following her impactful acceptance speech.

Julia Roberts also received a lengthy standing ovation while presenting the Golden Globe for Best Picture – Comedy or Musical. The film Sinners garnered similar acclaim, receiving applause after winning for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.

Merger Table Buddies

In an intriguing turn of events, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos found themselves seated at adjacent tables in the front row. Despite their friendly greetings and photo opportunities upon arrival, they maintained their distance during the ceremony, though Sarandos participated in a standing ovation for Sinners’ win.

Ted Sarandos and David Zaslav at The Golden Globes
Nellie Andreeva/Deadline

Time to Hit the Bar

As the ceremony progressed, the bar area quickly filled with stars, executives, and agents. “At this point, half of the room is lost. Everyone is at the bar,” remarked one nominee two hours into the event.

Nellie Andreeva/Deadline

Onstage But Off-Camera

During a commercial break, presenters Joe Keery and Charli XCX stayed on stage to announce the Original Score category after presenting the Best Original Song award to “Golden” from Kpop Demon Hunters. Their segment extended beyond the break, leaving only a minute for the audience.

Jennifer Lopez entertained the crowd with a dance as nominees for Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy were displayed. She later announced Timothée Chalamet as the winner, with fellow presenter Colman Domingo also displaying some dance moves while Chalamet made his way to the stage.

Moments from the Red Carpet

Glenn Powell brought his parents as guests to the event.

Glen Powell shared a tweet saying, “So proud to have my mom and dad here at the #GoldenGlobes,” accompanied by a photo.

Jacob Elordi expressed his embarrassment for accidentally giving Guillermo del Toro the finger during a recent event, where he was the subject of good-natured teasing.

Rose Byrne’s younger brother George was seen dutifully carrying the train of her dress, demonstrating his support as she collected her award.

Why Some Nominees Were Not Present

Michelle Williams, who won Female Actor in a Limited Series for FX’s Dying for Sex, was absent due to her performance in Anna Christie, an off-Broadway revival directed by her husband, Thomas Kail. Gary Oldman, nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama for Slow Horses, missed the event due to illness. Cynthia Erivo also was not in attendance, as she is preparing for her upcoming production of Dracula in the West End. Stand-Up Comedy winner Ricky Gervais was another notable no-show.