Now that the New Year’s Eve ball has dropped, here come the wild-and-crazy Globes.
Sure the Golden Globe Awards adopted a more buttoned-up attitude in 2022 after a backlash over the lack of black voters led to membership reforms. But weird picks are baked into the group’s DNA.
On the film side, last year’s show was full of wacky surprises.
Shock wins for Sebastian Stan (“A Different Man”), Demi Moore (“The Substance”) and Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”) ultimately didn’t translate into Oscar glory — in Stan’s case, not even a courtesy nomination.
“Anora,” meanwhile, was totally shut out by the Globes — those loons mystifyingly preferred awful “Emilia Perez” — and it licked its wounds by going home with six Academy Awards including best picture.
Does that mean that hot favorite “One Battle After Another” could get unseated here by little “Bugonia” or “Hamnet”? Or that nominees Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio will wind up crying together in a corner while Ethan Hawke hoists his trophy? Possibly. With these 300 foreign journos, le sky’s le limit.
The TV categories appear to be steadier and mirror the past twelve months: “The Studio” vs. “Hacks,” “The Pitt” vs. “Severance” and, of course, Jean Smart’s coronation.
But one thing viewers can rejoice about is that the triumphant roastess with the mostess, Nikki Glaser, is back to make more hilarious barbs about nervous, tipsy A-listers.
Here are The Post’s predictions for who will win at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, which air Sunday Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
MOVIE PREDICTIONS by JOHNNY OLEKSINSKI
Motion Picture – Drama
Predicted Winner: “Sinners” Even with the more global makeup of the Globes voters, it’s hard to picture them choosing a foreign-language film here (three of these nominees are mostly non-English). They never do. So “Sinners,” being “One Battle After Another”‘s closest Oscar competition, would make the most sense. But they could also swing towards “Hamnet.” Tough call.
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“It Was Just An Accident”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”
Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Predicted Winner: “One Battle After Another” On the flip side, director Paul Thomas Anderson’s political action-comedy is the safest bet of the night. It will also bring home the Oscar for best picture in March, barring the revelation of some scandalous old tweets from Benicio del Toro.
“Blue Moon”
“Bugonia”
“Marty Supreme”
“No Other Choice”
“Nouvelle Vague”
Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama
Predicted Winner: Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”) With her closest award season competitor (Rose Byrne) safely in the comedy category, Buckley should easily claim victory for her shattering performance as Agnes Shakespeare.
Jennifer Lawrence (“Die My Love”)
Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”)
Julia Roberts (“After the Hunt”)
Tessa Thompson (“Hedda”)
Eva Victor (“Sorry, Baby”)
Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Predicted Winner: Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent”) The acclaimed Brazilian star of this political thriller that’s gaining momentum brings to mind his countrywoman Fernanda Torres’ unexpected win last year over Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman. Bom dia, Wagner!
Joel Edgerton (“Train Dreams”)
Oscar Isaac (“Frankenstein”)
Dwayne Johnson (“The Smashing Machine”)
Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”)
Jeremy Allen White (“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”)
Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Predicted Winner: Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”) Playing a mother whose life is on the verge of collapse, the career-best Byrne has picked up a pile of pinky-out critic group prizes this winter. And that’s essentially what this ceremony is now.
Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked: For Good”)
Kate Hudson (“Song Sung Blue”)
Chase Infiniti (“One Battle After Another”)
Amanda Seyfried (“The Testament of Ann Lee”)
Emma Stone (“Bugonia”)
Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Predicted Winner: Timothée Chalamet (“Marty Supreme”) Chalamet, who’s outrageously good as a 1950s NYC ping-pong wizard, is giving a big, varied, energetic leading man performance. Leo, meanwhile, is the least-talked-about member of a terrific ensemble. It’s Timmy Time.
George Clooney (“Jay Kelly”)
Leonardo DiCaprio (“One Battle After Another”)
Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”)
Lee Byung-hun (“No Other Choice”)
Jesse Plemons (“Bugonia”)
Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Predicted Winner: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (“Sentimental Value”) Yes, Amy Madigan just won the Critics Choice Award for “Weapons,” but I could see the Globes going full-Euro here instead.
Emily Blunt (“The Smashing Machine”)
Elle Fanning (“Sentimental Value”)
Ariana Grande (“Wicked: For Good”)
Amy Madigan (“Weapons”)
Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”)
Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Predicted winner: Benicio del Toro (“One Battle After Another“) Until Elordi won the Critics Choice Award on Sunday, del Toro had been cruising through one podium after another. It’s him or Skarsgård.
Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein“)
Paul Mescal (“Hamnet“)
Sean Penn (“One Battle After Another“)
Adam Sandler (“Jay Kelly“)
Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value“)
Director — Motion Picture
Predicted Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson (“One Battle After Another”) There has not been such a consensus around a director and his movie going all the way since “Oppenheimer.”
Ryan Coogler (“Sinners”)
Guillermo del Toro (“Frankenstein”)
Jafar Panahi (“It Was Just An Accident”)
Joachim Trier (“Sentimental Value”)
Chloé Zhao (“Hamnet”)
Screenplay — Motion Picture
Predicted Winner: Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier (“Sentimental Value”) I didn’t much care for it. But the drama is original and, unlike some of its competitors, heavily reliant on plot and dialogue.
Paul Thomas Anderson (“One Battle After Another”)
Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie (“Marty Supreme”)
Ryan Coogler (“Sinners”)
Jafar Panahi (“It Was Just An Accident”)
Chloé Zhao, Maggie O’Farrell (“Hamnet”)
Original Score
Predicted Winner: Ludwig Göransson (“Sinners”) He already won for “Oppenheimer,” and more than any of his competitors, his score is itself a character a music-driven film.
Alexandre Desplat (“Frankenstein”)
Jonny Greenwood (“One Battle After Another”)
Kangding Ray (“Sirât”)
Max Richter (“Hamnet”)
Hans Zimmer (“F1”)
Original Song
Predicted winner: “Golden” (“KPop Demon Hunters”) — Music by Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Park Hong Jun’ Lyrics by Kim Eun-jae, Mark Sonnenblic I’m no KPop connoisseur, but “Golden” is the only track on this list that crossed into mainstream culture. You know, like movie songs used to all the time.
“Dream As One” (“Avatar: Fire and Ash”) — Music and lyrics by Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson and Simon Franglen
“I Lied To You” (“Sinners”) — Music and lyrics by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson
“No Place Like Home” (“Wicked: For Good”) — Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
“The Girl in the Bubble” (“Wicked: For Good”) — Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
“Train Dreams” (“Train Dreams”) — Music by Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner; Lyrics by: Nick Cave
Motion Picture — Non-English Language
Predicted winner: “It Was Just An Accident” — France Not only did it win the coveted Cannes’ Palme d’Or, which holds weight for these particular voters, but its Iranian writer-director has been sentenced to a year in prison by his home country for “propaganda against the regime.” Should be a no-brainer.
“No Other Choice” — South Korea
“The Secret Agent” — Brazil
“Sentimental Value” — Norway
“Sirât” – Spain
The Voice of Hind Rajab — Tunisia
Motion Picture – Animated
Predicted winner: “KPop Demon Hunters” Netflix’s most popular movie ever was a major worldwide phenomenon with a lot of international appeal.
“Arco”
“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle”
“Elio”
“Little Amélie or the Character of Rain”
“Zootopia 2”
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
Predicted Winner: “Sinners” Winning this stupid category so far has been an unscientific formula of “lots of money + good reviews” — a la “Wicked” beating the more successful “Deadpool & Wolverine” last year. “Sinners” is the most logical title this time.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”
“F1”
“KPop Demon Hunters”
“Misson: Impossible — The Final Reckoning”
“Sinners”
“Weapons”
“Wicked: For Good”
“Zootopia 2”
TV PREDICTIONS by LAUREN SARNER
Series – Drama
Predicted winner: “The Pitt” The HBO Max medical drama was neck and neck with “Severance” at the Emmys in September – but, “The Pitt” still took home the big prize, and continued to sweep the Critics Choice Awards on Jan. 4. It’s possible that “Severance” could still nab the win, or that “Pluribus” could be a dark-horse contender, as the Globes sometimes likes to throw a curveball, and critics have been loving “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan’s bizarre new show. But the most likely outcome is “The Pitt” continuing to sweep.
“The Diplomat”
“Pluribus”
“Severance”
“Slow Horses”
“The White Lotus”
Series — Musical or Comedy
Predicted winner: “The Studio” The Seth Rogen AppleTV+ comedy has been dominating this award season, and chances are low that that will change. It’s a witty send-up of the entertainment industry, and Hollywood can’t resist a story about itself. Besides, in the comedy category, it’s the only fresh new show, while the other comedies in this category have been around for long enough to lose their luster, to voters.
“Abbott Elementary”
“The Bear”
“Hacks”
“Nobody Wants This”
“Only Murders in the Building
Actor – Drama
Predicted winner: Noah Wyle, “The Pitt” The former “ER” actor took home the Emmy and Critics Choice award, this year. It’s still possible Scott or even Ruffalo will nab it in a surprise, but it’s unlikely. It’s not only because Wyle’s performance was strong, as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch – it’s also the fact that this industry loves a comeback story, and this role has marked a comeback for Wyle.
Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise”
Diego Luna, “Andor”
Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”
Adam Scott, “Severance”
Mark Ruffalo, “Task”
Actress – Drama
Predicted winner: Britt Lower, “Severance” Lower turned in a magnificent performance playing two different personas in the slick AppleTV+ sci-fi show. She effortlessly embodied both the chilly, conniving Helena and the rebellious Helly. Seehorn could move in for an upset, since the “Pluribus” actress nabbed the Critics Choice Award. This category could be a nail-biter. Still, Lower won the Emmy, and Lower will likely take home a second trophy.
Kathy Bates (“Matlock”)
Helen Mirren (“MobLand”)
Bella Ramsey (“The Last of Us”)
Keri Russell (“The Diplomat”)
Rhea Seehorn (“Pluribus”)
Actress – Musical or Comedy
Predicted winner: Jean Smart: “Hacks” Jean Smart is Golden, in the Globes eyes – she already took home two past wins in 2023 and last year, for her starring role as the stand-up comedian Deborah Vance. The odds are low that she’ll fall out of favor, and while the other actresses in the category are fine, nobody stands out enough – or is new and novel enough – to topple Smart’s reign.
Kristen Bell (“Nobody Wants This”)
Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Jenna Ortega (“Wednesday”)
Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”)
Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face”)
Actor – Musical or Comedy
Predicted winner: Seth Rogen, “The Studio” Rogen nabbed both the Emmy and the Critics Choice Award earlier, so there is virtually no chance he won’t go for the trifecta and take home the big prize. Hollywood also loves an actor who has matured, and “The Studio” is a more sophisticated turn away from Rogen’s stoner frat boy comedy that marked his early career.
Adam Brody (“Nobody Wants This”)
Steve Martin (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Glen Powell (“Chad Powers”)
Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”)
Best Limited Series
Predicted winner: “Adolescence.” The harrowing Netflix drama about the radicalization of teen boys online has been sweeping this awards season, picking up trophies at both the Emmys and Critics Choice Awards. There’s no reason to think the trend won’t continue at the Golden Globes. The ceremony does occasionally like to throw a curveball, so it’s possible “All Her Fault” or “Dying For Sex” could upset. But, “Adolescence” is the clear frontrunner.
“The Beast in Me”
“All Her Fault”
“Black Mirror”
“The Girlfriend”
“Dying for Sex”
Actress — Limited Series
Predicted winner: Michelle Williams, “Dying for Sex.” This category could be a nail-biter, as it’s a stacked race with plenty of worthy options. Sarah Snook or Amanda Seyfried could end up taking it home. But, Williams is always a safe bet to get showered with awards love, and her portrayal of a dying woman exploring her sex life was nuanced, funny, and tragic.
Claire Danes, “The Beast in Me”
Rashida Jones, “Black Mirror”
Amanda Seyfried, “Long Bright River”
Sarah Snook, “All Her Fault”
Robin Wright, “The Girlfriend”
Actor — Limited Series
Predicted Winner: Stephen Graham, “Adolescence.” Graham both co-created and starred in the Netflix series, which has been dominating awards season. He played the father of a troubled teen boy arrested on suspicion of murdering a female classmate. The award is his to lose, and while there are other worthy contenders this year, chances are low that another actor will snatch it from Graham.
Jacob Elordi, “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”
Paul Giamatti, “Black Mirror”
Charlie Hunnam, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”
Jude Law, “Black Rabbit”
Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
Podcast
Predicted winner: “Good Hang with Amy Poehler.” This is the inaugural year that the Golden Globes have a podcast category, so it’s impossible to predict how they’ll lean based on past patterns. But, Poehler is a safe bet as a universally beloved celebrity, many of her interviews have gone viral, and she’s even hosted the Golden Globes before. Amusingly, she’s pitted against her ex-husband (as Will Arnett is one of the “Smartless hosts), so it could be a fight between ex-spouses. But the former “SNL” alum is the likely winner.
“Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard”
“Call Her Daddy”
“Good Hang with Amy Poehler”
“The Mel Robbins Podcast”
“Smartless”
“Up First”
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