“Oppenheimer” Dominates at the 81st Golden Globes: A Night of Surprises and Milestones

The 81st annual Golden Globe Awards, a night teeming with glitz and glamour, unfolded with Universal Pictures’ “Oppenheimer” clinching the top honor for Best Motion Picture Drama and bagging a total of five awards. Here’s a detailed look at the night’s big winners.

A Night of Firsts and Historic Wins

The 2024 awards season commenced with an electrifying start at the Beverly Hilton, hosted by the talented Jo Koy. “Oppenheimer,” a riveting depiction of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the birth of the atomic bomb, not only won Best Motion Picture Drama but also saw its leading star, Cillian Murphy, take home the Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. Director Christopher Nolan, winning his first career Golden Globe, reminisced about his previous stage appearance for Heath Ledger’s posthumous win.

In a delightful twist, Searchlight’s “Poor Things” snatched the Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, with Emma Stone winning Female Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, marking her second Golden Globe triumph.

Here are all the victors of the night:

Film Awards

• Best Motion Picture – Drama: “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
• Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama: Lily Gladstone for “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
• Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama: Cillian Murphy for “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
• Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
• Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: Emma Stone for “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
• Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: Paul Giamatti for “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)
• Best Director – Motion Picture: Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
• Best Original Score – Motion Picture: Ludwig Göransson for “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
• Best Original Song – Motion Picture: “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie” (Music & Lyrics by Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell)
• Best Motion Picture – Animated: “The Boy and the Heron” (Gkids)
• Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language: “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon) – France
• Best Screenplay – Motion Picture: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari for “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon)
• Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Television Awards

• Best Television Series – Drama: “Succession” (HBO | Max)
• Best Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama: Sarah Snook for “Succession” (HBO | Max)
• Best Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama: Kieran Culkin for “Succession” (HBO | Max)
• Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy: “The Bear” (FX)
• Best Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: Ayo Edebiri for “The Bear” (FX)
• Best Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: Jeremy Allen White for “The Bear” (FX)
• Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made For Television: “Beef” (Netflix)
• Best Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made For Television: Ali Wong for “Beef” (Netflix)
• Best Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made For Television: Steven Yeun for “Beef” (Netflix)
• Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy On Television: Ricky Gervais for “Ricky Gervais: Armageddon”

Supporting Role Awards

• Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture: Da’vine Joy Randolph for “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)
• Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture: Robert Downey Jr. for “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
• Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role On Television: Elizabeth Debicki for “The Crown” (Netflix)
• Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role On Television: Matthew Macfadyen for “Succession” (HBO | Max)

Milestones and Memories

The evening was not just about awards but also marked significant changes for the Golden Globes. The event saw an expanded voting body and was broadcast on CBS for the first time since 1982, with Paramount+ streaming it.

In a year of fierce competition, “Barbie” and “Anatomy of a Fall” emerged as multiple winners among films, while on television, FX’s “The Bear” and Netflix’s “Beef” made remarkable strides. The night was a testament to the diverse and dynamic landscape of film and television, celebrating the old and the new, the dramatic and the comedic, the established and the emerging.

As we close the curtain on another memorable Golden Globes night, the buzz is already building for next year’s show. Until then, we’ll keep reveling in the achievements and stories that this year’s winners have shared with the world.