Golden Globes 2019: Everything you need to know before the big night

2018 marked a landmark year not just for Hollywood, which came together post the unmasking of common sexual predators in the industry, but also for awards shows, the stage where many chose to display their stand. At the Golden Globe Awards 2018, which was celebrating its 75th anniversary, Oprah Winfrey delivered a rousing acceptance speech as she stepped up to the stage to receive the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, sparking off a fresh round of speculation about possible US presidential candidacy in 2020. Natalie Portman called out the all-male nominees for Best Director, while Elisabeth Moss borrowed from Margaret Atwood’s famous words to say, “We no longer live in the blank white spaces at the edge of print. We no longer live in the gaps between the stories. We are the story in print, and we are writing the story ourselves.”

Following up on the teary-eyed moments and the jubilant triumphs, Vogue delivers an all-purpose guide to the Golden Globes, one of most talked-about events on the award season calendar.

What is the Golden Globes?

What started out as an informal luncheon in the mid-1940s has since evolved into one of the most entertaining events on the social calendar, claiming valuable real estate on the trophy shelves of some of the most talented names in showbiz. If you’ve noticed the Hollywood Foreign Press Association gaining recurring mentions in acceptance speeches, it is because the organisation originally started the awards ceremony in 1944 to honour cinematic achievements in 26 categories, comprising of 15 from film and 11 from television respectively. Now in its 76th year, a handpicked roster of feature-length films and broadcast programmes are screened before a panel of around 90 foreign journalists who form the voting body.

What can we expect from the 2019 Golden Globes?

The 75th Annual Golden Globes held in 2018 served as a landmark event, as some of the most distinguished names in the cinematic sphere joined hands to actively call out the rampant sexism and skewed notions of gender equality in Hollywood. The discourse was nuanced with a plethora of turning-point achievements, as Sterling K Brown became the first black actor to win Best Actor in a Television Series for his role in This Is Us. The feminist undercurrents further manifested in the beauty choices of its glamorous attendees, as Best Actress Frances McDormand picked up her statuette without a glimmer of makeup on her face, while elsewhere on the red carpet, Jessica Biel boldly let her gray roots show through in her elegant updo.

It’s been a year since, and the #MeToo movement has grown up leaps and bounds, and so has the conversation around women’s rights and equal representation. Heading into 2019, we can expect to see further reflections of the industry’s unified stance against malpractices on the red carpet, whether through subtle moves such as the all-black dress code or through overt gestures and empowering acceptance speeches.

Who will be hosting the 2019 Golden Globes?

After Seth Meyers inched the bar higher with his fiery monologue that took on the Harvey Weinstein-sized elephant in the room in the 2018 Golden Globes, and following in his footsteps will be Sandra Oh—best remembered for her portrayal of Dr Cristina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy— and Andy Samberg, of Brooklyn Nine Nine fame. The duo hold individual Golden Globes of their own, and will be taking to the stage again after presenting the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards together. “Sandra and Andy are the perfect choices to host this world-class event,” said NBC Entertainment co-chairmen Paul Telegdy and George Cheeks in a joint statement. “They bring wit, charm and style to a room filled with the very best of film and television. It’s sure to be another unforgettable, fun-filled night.”

When and where is the Golden Globes taking place?

The most noted names of the film and television fraternity will be heading to the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California for the big night. The snazzy red carpet event has come a long way since the humble luncheon when it was first launched in 1944. Subsequent years saw the informal tonality being subtly honed into the star-studded gala that it is today, through formal banquets at the Beverly Hills Hotel. This year, the Golden Globe awards will be held on Sunday, January 6, 2019. While the ceremony will be telecast from 5-8pm Pacific Time, viewers in India will have to set their alarm clock for an early morning wake-up call if they’d like to catch the proceedings live, at 6.30am.

What is the dress code for the 2019 Golden Globes?

Last year saw the swish set dressed in all-black to signal their allegiance to the Time’s Up movement, with Meryl Streep and Angelina Jolie following suit to showcase their solidarity with victims of abuse and assault. While the official memo reads black tie only, we can expect to see continued support for the concerns shrouding the film fraternity at the moment, all served in the go-to uniform of voluminous princess gowns and fluffy tulle concoctions. Dior and Oscar De La Renta continue to remain crowd-favourites, with Lorraine Schwartz is the name that the glam squad turns to for their jewellery.

Why is the Golden Globes so important?

As the premier awards ceremony for the year, the Golden Globes sets the tone for the season. The nominee selections serve up crucial insight into which names will be favoured and become major contenders for the Academy Awards a few months later. The nominee considerations prove to be indicative of future wins as well, with Leonardo DiCaprio bagging a Golden Globe in 2016, and ultimately bringing home the Oscar for Best Actor later that year for his performance in The Revenant.

The relevance of the awards function is thrown into further light when considering the role it played in uniting the industry in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein accusations. 2018 saw an overwhelming majority of the attendees sporting all-black ensembles and Time’s Up pins to signify their commitment to the cause. The 2019 ceremony will serve interesting insight into the actual progress made since, and where the fraternity stands on the issue one year on.

Who are the top contenders for the 2019 Golden Globes?

The nominees for this year’s ceremony have been officially announced, and leading the pack is Vice, the irreverent comedy starring Christian Bale, that has picked up six nominations. Following closely behind are A Star Is Born, The Favourite and Green Book with five nominations apiece. When it comes to the television side of the chalkboard, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story picked up four nominations, while The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Sharp Objects pulled in three approvals each. The nominations will be subjected to further scrutiny by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which includes 90 independent members, before the votes are tallied by the accountancy firm, Ernst & Young.

How many people attend the Golden Globes each year?

The attendees include the nominees, their guests and recognised members of the press. The Beverly Hilton ballroom will be playing host to roughly 1,280 people, with another 3,000 guests attending viewing parties elsewhere in the hotel. The live telecast managed to pull in a whopping amount of 19 million viewers in 2018, and the numbers are only expected to further rise. The show is by invitation only, which are usually limited to the nominees starring the movies and TV shows selected for consideration. However, an extremely selective amount of VIP concierge packages are available at The Beverly Hilton from upwards of $2,599 for the weekend.