By Lisa Richwine
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Reuters) – Ariana Grande, Adrien Brody, Angelina Jolie and other Hollywood stars put their best foot forward on the red carpet at the Golden Globes on Sunday, the first major awards ceremony in a year with no clear favorite for the summit. cinematic distinctions.
“Wicked” star Grande arrived in a vintage yellow Givenchy dress with a pearl bodice that she said was an homage to the yellow brick road to Oz in the musical.
“It’s so exciting to be here because I’m such a fan of every person I meet,” Grande said of the star-studded crowd in Beverly Hills. “Being here is just the most unexpected delicious surprise of my life.”
Also on the carpet, “The Brutalist” star and contestant Brody sported a large jeweled brooch on his dark tuxedo. Her co-star, Felicity Jones, glowed in a shimmering silver sleeveless dress.
Netflix’s (NASDAQ:) Spanish-language musical thriller “Emilia Perez” and “The Brutalist,” a 3 1/2-hour post-World War II drama that includes an intermission, lead the films competing for Globe trophies.
Others include the box office hit “Wicked,” adapted from the Broadway play about witches in “The Wizard of Oz,” and the papal selection story “Conclave.”
Restaurant tale “The Bear” and mystery comedy “Only Murders in the Building” will compete for TV honors.
The Globes will be broadcast live on CBS and the Paramount+ streaming service starting at 8:00 p.m. ET on Sunday (1:00 a.m. GMT). Comedian Nikki Glaser hosts the champagne festivities for the first time.
Glaser, who hosted football legend Tom Brady last year, said she plans to celebrate the A-list nominees rather than mock them like some previous hosts have done.
“I want the appointees to be proud of themselves. I don’t want them to feel attacked,” Glaser said in an interview.
The presenter lineup includes A-list celebrities including Dwayne Johnson, Elton John, Andrew Garfield and Awkwafina.
Winning a Globe can shine a spotlight on films and performances as the Oscars approach in March. So far, experts say, there is no clear favorite for the coveted Best Picture prize at the Oscars.
Unlike the Oscars, the Globes separate films into two categories. “Conclave” and “The Brutalist” are considered strong entries in the best drama film category, while “Wicked” and “Emilia Perez” are leading contenders for best musical or comedy film.
Globe winners are chosen by 334 entertainment journalists from 85 countries, compared to about 9,000 voters who select the Oscars. The Globes’ voting body has expanded in recent years and organizers have instituted reforms after facing criticism for ethical lapses and a lack of diversity.
Timothee Chalamet is up for best dramatic actor for his role as musician Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.” His competition includes Brody, who plays a Holocaust survivor and architect pursuing the American dream in “The Brutalist.”
Selena Gomez is double nominated for her supporting role in “Emilia Perez,” the story of a Mexican drug lord who becomes a woman, and for her role as the comedy’s lead actress as a podcaster in the TV series “Only Murders in the Building.”
Other acting nominees include Angelina Jolie for her portrayal of opera star Maria Callas in “Maria,” Nicole Kidman as a business executive having an affair with an intern in “Babygirl,” Zendaya as a tennis coach in “Challengers” and Ariana Grande as a witchcraft student in “Wicked.”
Among the men, Daniel Craig is nominated for “Queer” and Denzel Washington for “Gladiator II”.
