The 80th Golden Globe Awards were held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony, hosted by Jerrod Carmichael, was attended by several Hollywood A-listers. The ceremony returns with a physical edition after a two-year break. This year, the awards show returns to television, as following the mounting criticism of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organises the event, NBC decided not to air the ceremony last year.
As dozens of movies, actors, actresses and writers received the prestigious Golden Globes awards in numerous categories, here is the list of some of the best acceptance speeches and moments from the event:
1. Jerrod Carmichael Opened With the Best Golden Globes Monologue Yet
In his opening monologue, comedian Jerrod Carmichael wasted no time in addressing the Golden Globes’ turbulent history. “I’ll tell you why I’m here”, he said plaintively, in his conversational comedic style. He said I’m here because I’m African-American.
The hits kept coming as the host, whose Emmy-winning HBO special Rothaniel debuted last year, told the story of how he was asked to host the show. “You’re making mint tea at home one minute, and the next you’re invited to be the Black face of an embattled white organisation”, he explained. “Life really hits you hard”.
2. Ke Huy Quan- Golden Globes Award 2023 for Best Supporting Actor
At the 2023 Golden Globes, Ke Huy Quan won the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role in any motion picture for the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. It was the actor’s first-ever Golden Globe nomination and win in which he thanked director Steven Spielberg for giving him an opportunity as a child.
“I was raised to never forget where I came from and to always remember who gave me my first opportunity. I am so happy to see Steven Spielberg here tonight. Steven, thank you”, Quan said in his acceptance speech. He continued to explain how lucky he felt when he started his career as a child actor in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which was directed by Spielberg.
“As I grew older, I started to wonder if that was it if that was just luck”, he added. “For so many years, I was afraid I had nothing more to offer. No matter what I did, I would never surpass what I achieved as a kid”.
3. Colin Farrell- Golden Globes Award 2023 for Best Actor in Musical or Comedy category
Colin Farrell may have won the best actor in a musical or comedy at the 2023 Golden Globes, but he began his speech by praising presenter Ana de Armas.”I just thought you were extraordinary,” Farrell told Armas, who was nominated for best actress in a motion picture drama for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in Blonde, before accepting his award.
“I cried myself to sleep the night I saw your film, Blonde. I cried myself to sleep. One thing had to do with the music that played at the moment when the shot opens and just seeing her ankles at the edge of the bed. It messed me up so bad,” he said, to laughs around the room, before teasingly telling the audience: “Not a joke, but you’re welcome to laugh. It’s not my place to say what’s appropriate laughter in this world.”
Talking about the movie, The Banshees of Inisherin, he said, “To work on this film, I never expect films to work or to find an audience and when they do, it’s shocking to me,” Farrell said in his speech. “I’m horrified by what’s happened around Banshees over the last couple of months, in a thrilling kind of way.”
4. Michelle Yeoh- Golden Globes Award 2023 for Best Actress in Musical or Comedy category
As the Everything Everywhere All at Once star gave her acceptance speech, the wrap-up music began playing, but she wasn’t done with her speech just yet. “Shut up, please”, she said, directing her attention offstage as the first few notes started playing. “I can beat you up, okay? And that’s serious”.
Yeoh reflected on the challenges she faced during her 40-year career, particularly as a minority in Hollywood (“Someone said to me, ‘You speak English!'” she recalled). She turned 60 last year and has since shed light on the very relatable challenges of ageing and dealing with ageism in the entertainment industry and beyond.”I think all of you women understand this, as the days, the years, and the numbers get bigger, it seems like opportunities start to get smaller as well”, she said.
5. Jennifer Coolidge- Golden Globes Award 2023 for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movies
Jennifer Coolidge delivered another great and hilarious acceptance speech as the star took the home award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The White Lotus Season Two.
“Thank you, Hollywood Foreign Press. It really means a lot”, Coolidge began, taking the stage for her acceptance speech before joking about her statuette. “I can put this down, right? I don’t work out, you know? What I mean is I can’t hold it that long”.
Coolidge went on to thank the people who have given her acting opportunities over the years, including Ryan Murphy, Michael Patrick King, and Reese Witherspoon. But she spent the majority of her time praising Mike White, delivering an impassioned speech that moved the “White Lotus” showrunner to tears.
“If you don’t know Mike White, this is what you should know: He is worried about the world, he’s worried about people, he’s worried about friends of his that aren’t doing well. He’s worried about animals! He really is one of the greatest people”, Coolidge continued. “You make people want to live longer — and I didn’t! Mike, I love you to death”.
6. Evan Peters-Golden Globes Award 2023 for Best Actor in Limited Series or TV Movie
The star of Netflix’s DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story won the 2023 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Motion Picture, and he thanked his extensive support system in his brief acceptance speech. Peters began, “Thank you to Netflix and Mr Ryan Murphy for letting me be part of your brilliant vision again.”
“I want to thank this incredible cast and crew and directors,” Peters continued during his speech from the Beverly Hills Hilton ballroom. “It was a colossal team effort. Everyone gave it their all and I would not be up here without them.”
7. Angela Bassett- Golen Globe Award 2023 for Best Supporting Actress
Angela Bassett took home the award for best supporting actress in any motion picture at the 2023 Golden Globes for her role of Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
“We mourned, we loved, we healed, and we were surrounded every day with the light and spirit of Chadwick Boseman”, Bassett said in her acceptance speech. “This award belongs to all of us and all of you”. This year, she was recognized for her role as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Queen Ramonda, a woman trying to hold her country together while grappling with the sorrow of the loss of her son, Boseman’s King T’Challa.
8. Austin Butler- Golden Globes Award 2023 for Best Actor in Drama category
After he won the Golden Globe for best actor in a motion picture (drama), Austin Butler took the stage and thanked those with whom he worked on the set of “Elvis,” including director Baz Luhrmann and actor Tom Hanks. The actor also went on to thank the Presley family, including Lisa Marie Presley and the king of rock ‘n’ roll himself, Elvis Presley.
“Elvis Presley, you are an icon and a rebel”, Butler said. “I love you so much, thank you. You are remembered and I will never forget you. Thank you!”
At the end of his speech, he thanked his family and paid a heartfelt tribute to his late mother, who died of cancer in 2014.
9. Steven Spielberg- Golden Globes Award 2023 for Best Director
Steven Spielberg was crowned the best director at the Golden Globes on Tuesday night, the ninth win of his career. However, he revealed on stage at the Beverly Hilton that his path to becoming Hollywood’s most successful filmmaker was not always straight.
Accepting the award for his autobiographical drama “The Fabelmans,” Spielberg admitted that’s partially why he’d been hesitant to share his most personal story onscreen. He says it took a little bit of bravery to finally make the film.
Everything I’ve done up to this point has made me ready to finally be honest about the fact that it’s not easy to be a kid,” Spielberg said. “Everybody sees me as a success story… But nobody really knows who we are until we’re courageous enough to tell everyone.”
He continued, “I spent a lot of time trying to figure out when I could tell that story, and I figured out when I turned 74 years old. I said, ‘You better do it now.’ And I’m really, really happy I did.”
10. MM Keeravani- Golden Globes Award 2023 for Best Original Song
Legendary music composer MM Keeravani brought home to glory as he picked the coveted Golden Globe award on Tuesday night in the Best Song category for the hit soundtrack ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the film ‘RRR’. ‘Naatu Naatu’ beat the likes of Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift who were all co-nominees this year. Thanking the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for the honour, Kaveerani stated he was overwhelmed by this moment.
“I am very happy to share this excitement with my wife, who is sitting there. Its been a practice to say that this award belongs to someone else, not I and I was planning to not say those words when I get an award like this. But I am sorry to say I will repeat those words because I mean my words. This award belongs to my brother and director of the movie SS Rajamouli for his vision. I thank him for his constant trust in my work and his support.”