Low-budget films and historical TV dramas dominate, with unexpected wins and thrilling performances marking a memorable ceremony.

The 82nd Golden Globe Awards saw triumphs from The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, and Shōgun, with the event signalling the unofficial start of the 2025 awards season.

The Brutalist, a drama about a Holocaust survivor turned immigrant architect in the US, impressed by winning three prestigious awards: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor for Adrien Brody, and Best Director for Brady Corbet. In his acceptance speech, Corbet, who is also an actor, honoured late filmmaker Jeff Baena. Brody, who had previously missed out on a Golden Globe for The Pianist, described the film as a testament to the human capacity for creation and shared his hopes that it would inspire immigrants.

Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, the evening’s most-nominated film, claimed four awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña, Best Original Song, and Best Foreign Language Film. Audiard, the film’s director, touched on the theme of sisterhood, stating that the world would be a better place with more sisters. Saldaña triumphed over her co-star Selena Gomez and Wicked’s Ariana Grande in her category.

There were also surprises in the acting categories. Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres won Best Actress in a Drama for her portrayal of a woman in I’m Still Here, beating Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, and Kate Winslet. Torres dedicated her win to her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, who had been nominated for a Golden Globe 25 years ago. Demi Moore secured the Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy award for her role in The Substance, triumphing over Cynthia Erivo and Mikey Madison.

Sebastian Stan, though narrowly missing out on the Best Actor in a Drama award, claimed Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for A Different Man. Stan used his speech to highlight the importance of acceptance for those with disabilities, acknowledging the challenges of making the film.

Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy for his performance in A Real Pain, joking about his slightly tipsy state following a tequila shot with Mario Lopez. Despite stiff competition from Succession co-star Jeremy Strong and Gladiator II’s Denzel Washington, Culkin’s win was a nod to his versatility.

The Golden Globe awards also saw the historical drama Shōgun dominate the television categories, sweeping up Best Drama Series, Best Lead Actor for Hiroyuki Sanada, Best Lead Actress for Anna Sawai, and Best Supporting Actor for Tadanobu Asano, continuing the success the show saw at the Emmys.

Netflix’s breakout series Baby Reindeer won two awards, including Best Limited Series and Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Gunning. However, Richard Gadd, the creator and star, lost out on the Best Actor in a Limited Series award to Colin Farrell, who won for his role in The Penguin. Farrell, known for his dramatic transformation, joked about the prosthetics involved in his role.

Jodie Foster, who had already won an Emmy for her performance in True Detective: Night Country, added a fifth Golden Globe to her collection for Best Actress in a Limited Series. Hacks won Best Comedy Series, with Jean Smart claiming her second award for her portrayal of the lead. Jeremy Allen White took home the Best Actor in a Comedy award for The Bear.

The surprise winner of the Animated Film category was Flow, a Latvian adventure, which beat out favourites like Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot. The Conclave thriller won Best Screenplay, while Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross won Best Original Score for Challengers.

Though Wicked failed to win in the main categories, it did receive the newly created award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.

Golden Globe host Nikki Glaser made history as the first solo female host of the ceremony, following a less successful stint by Jo Koy last year. She earned applause for her witty monologue but lost out to Ali Wong for Best Stand-Up Comedy on Television.

Nominated films that went home empty-handed included Anora, Dune: Part Two, and A Complete Unknown, while TV shows such as Abbott Elementary, Only Murders in the Building, and Mr and Mrs Smith were also left without awards.

The 82nd Golden Globes set the tone for a competitive season, with the 2025 Oscar nominations to be announced on 17 January.