Carol topped the nominations for the 73rd annual Golden Globes, announced in Los Angeles on Thursday. Todd Haynes’ lesbian drama, which began its awards march at the Cannes film festival in May, led the way with five nominations, including two for its actors, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, and one for picture in the drama category.
Trailing close behind in the drama section is Alejandro Iñárritu’s follow-up to last year’s Globe-winner Birdman, The Revenant, which scored four nominations for picture, director, actor and score.
“I can’t believe this time last year we were in Calgary shooting The Revenant, and right now I’m in London and just heard the good news! This film is very personal for me; so I think I will have a drink with my daughter tonight to toast to everyone who was a part of it,” Iñárritu said in a statement following the news.
The Revenant star Leonardo DiCaprio is favored to win in the actor category for his intensely committed turn as an explorer in 1823 who survives a bear mauling in the Rockies, and then finds himself fighting survival after being left for dead. He last won a Golden Globe for playing a corrupt stockbroker in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street.
Joining him in the actor race is Michael Fassbender for his portrayal of Apple maverick Steve Jobs in Danny Boyle’s Aaron Sorkin-scripted biopic. The actor cited working on the project as “one of the most creative and amazing experiences of my professional life”, upon learning of his nomination. The drama also landed four nods, including one for Sorkin’s script, but Boyle was shut out. Kate Winslet, who plays Jobs’ confidante Joanna Hoffman, received a supporting actress nomination, and said she’s “completely over the moon” in a statement following the announcement.
In the comedy category, The Big Short, Adam McKay’s damning black comedy about the Wall Street crash of 2008, led with four nominations, including one for picture. The film landed two actor nominations for Steve Carell and Christian Bale, who will battle it out in the best actor (comedy) category. McKay and Charles Randolph’s dense screenplay, adapted from the bestselling book by Michael Lewis, was also nominated.
Fellow ensemble film Spotlight, Tom McCarthy’s bracing account of the Boston Globe’s Pulitzer prize-winning investigation into a massive child molestation cover-up within the local Catholic archdiocese, was expected to be a major player at the Globes, but only managed three nominations, for picture, director and screenplay. Its large cast, led by Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo, was shut out completely, although Ruffalo was honored in the best actor comedy category for the little-seen independent film Infinitely Polar Bear.
Snubs included Steven Spielberg’s cold war thriller Bridge of Spies, which was largely ignored save for a supporting actor nod for Mark Rylance; Charlotte Rampling, who was expected to factor into the best actress (drama) race for 45 Years; Ian McKellen, who has been campaigning tirelessly all season on behalf of Mr Holmes; and Johnny Depp, who failed to score a nomination for his chilling and transformative performance as gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass. Instead, Will Smith surprised by landing in the best actor (drama) race for his tepidly received NFL drama, Concussion.
Alongside DiCaprio and Fassbender, Smith is joined in the category by Bryan Cranston for Trumbo and Eddie Redmayne for Tom Hooper’s transgender drama The Danish Girl. Redmayne’s co-star from the film, Alicia Vikander, has reason to celebrate: the Globes honored her with two nominations – actress for The Danish Girl, and supporting actress for her turn as a robot in Alex Garland’s science fiction thriller, Ex Machina. Said Vikander in a statement: “Working on The Danish Girl and Ex Machina were such gifts in themselves, and for this to happen is all so exciting.”
In the actress (drama) category, Vikander faces tough competition from Room star Brie Larson, who is favored alongside Brooklyn actor Saoirse Ronan to win. The best actress drama race is filled with mostly young talents, save for Blanchett, but the comedy equivalent is better balanced, with Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van) and Lily Tomlin (Grandma), nominated alongside Amy Schumer (Trainwreck) and Jennifer Lawrence (Joy).
Like Vikander, Tomlin was awarded with two nods, for Grandma and Netflix’s comedy series Grace and Frankie. Idris Elba is also seeing double: he received a supporting actor nomination for Beasts of No Nation, and a nod for his work on BBC’s Luther. They’re joined by Rylance, nominated for the aforementioned Bridge of Spies, and the PBS miniseries Wolf Hall.
Action films also featured prominently, with The Martian director Ridley Scott going up against Mad Max: Fury Road’s George Miller. Both films netted picture nominations – The Martian for comedy, Mad Max in drama.
Over on the television side, Lady Gaga received her first nod for American Horror Story: Hotel, which was also nominated for best TV miniseries. Transparent and Fargo, which factored heavily into last year’s race, are back with three mentions each, along with Mr Robot and fan favorite Outlander. Past winners such as The Affair and Mad Men were snubbed in the best TV drama category.
Returning host Ricky Gervais presents the Golden Globes 2016 on 10 January.
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