Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘One Battle After Another’ Dominates Golden Globe Nominations, Setting Stage for Awards Season
The Golden Globes have unveiled their nominations, signaling the start of Hollywood’s awards season, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest film, One Battle After Another, is emerging as the clear frontrunner. The film garnered nine nominations on Monday, positioning it as a strong contender for accolades leading up to the Oscars in March.
The movie, a gripping narrative centered on the kidnapping of a former revolutionary’s daughter, is nominated for Best Musical/Comedy Film. DiCaprio’s performance, alongside those of Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro, and Chase Infiniti, has also earned them individual acting nominations.
Close behind with eight nominations is the multi-language family drama, Sentimental Value. The acting categories are also brimming with talent, including nods for Dwayne Johnson, Timothée Chalamet, Cynthia Erivo, and Ariana Grande for their work in Wicked: For Good. However, despite its significant box office success, the Wicked sequel was notably absent from the Best Film nominations.
The Golden Globe winners will be revealed at a ceremony in Los Angeles on January 11th, a pivotal moment in the build-up to the Academy Awards.
Among the other nominees are an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet, the vampire drama Sinners, and Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein. As anticipated, Irish stars Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley received recognition in the acting categories for their roles in Hamnet. Chalamet is also being lauded for his portrayal of table tennis player Marty Mauser in the sports biopic Marty Supreme.
Veteran actor George Clooney secured his 14th Golden Globe nomination for his leading role in Jay Kelly, a film exploring the life choices of an aging Hollywood actor. His co-star, Adam Sandler, also received a nod for supporting actor. Emma Stone’s performance in the conspiracy theory black comedy Bugonia has earned her a nomination, alongside her co-star Jesse Plemons. The film itself received three nominations in total.
This year’s nominations showcase a strong representation of international films. Beyond Norway’s Sentimental Value, Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident, a powerful story of revenge against a former intelligence officer, has garnered four nominations. Fellow foreign language films The Secret Agent and No Other Choice have each received three nominations.
The competition for Best Song includes “Dream as One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash and the popular track “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, which is also nominated for Best Box Office Hit and Best Animation. Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, a frequent collaborator with Paul Thomas Anderson, is in contention for Best Score for One Battle After Another.
Here’s a breakdown of the main film nominations:
- One Battle After Another – 9
- Sentimental Value – 8
- Sinners – 7
- Hamnet – 6
- Frankenstein – 5
- Wicked: For Good – 5
- It Was Just An Accident – 4
The Golden Globes also recognize excellence in television, and British drama Adolescence is making waves with four acting nominations for Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper, Erin Doherty, and Ashley Walters, as well as a nomination for Best Limited Series. The White Lotus leads the TV nominations with six nods, including Best TV Drama, and acting nominations for Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, and Britain’s Aimee Lee Wood. The Pitt, an Emmy winner, is also in the running, facing competition from The Diplomat, Pluribus, Severance, Slow Horses, and The White Lotus for TV drama.
Several notable snubs and surprises emerged from the nominations. The omission of Wicked: For Good from the Best Musical/Comedy Film category was a significant surprise, though the film is still in contention for Box Office Achievement. British star Emily Blunt received a surprise nomination for her role in The Smashing Machine, alongside fellow nominee Dwayne Johnson, as did indie film star Eva Victor for her performance in Sorry, Baby, a film she also wrote and directed. Chloe Zhao, director of Hamnet, joins an exclusive group of female directors – including Barbra Streisand, Jane Campion, and Kathryn Bigelow – to have earned two Golden Globe nominations. Amanda Seyfried, Jacob Elordi, and Jeremy Allen White all secured double acting nominations this year.
The Golden Globes will be hosted for a second consecutive year by Nikki Glaser.
According to culture reporter Steven McIntosh, One Battle After Another is currently the film to beat, though early frontrunners often face increased scrutiny. He also notes that Adolescence represents the UK’s strongest hope for success on the night, despite a relatively quiet showing in the film categories. McIntosh further observes that the Globes continue to favor established A-list stars, offering a boost to actors like George Clooney, Jennifer Lawrence, Dwayne Johnson, and Julia Roberts.
