Golden Globes: sex scandal haunts first awards night of 2018

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri topped the film category at the 75th Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles last night, at an event overshadowed by the sexual-harassment scandal tearing through Hollywood.

The film, which tells the story of a mother’s desperate attempts to get local authorities to solve the murder of her daughter, was named best drama, while Frances McDormand won best actress (drama) and Sam Rockwell was named best supporting actor (drama) for their roles. Writer Martin McDonagh was also honoured with the best screenplay award.

The best musical or comedy went to Lady Bird, a comedy-drama about a woman who struggles to keep her family together after her husband loses his job. Saoirse Ronan won best actress (comedy or musical) for her part in the film.

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James Franco won the best comedy actor award for his portrayal of director Tommy Wiseau in The Disaster Artist, while Gary Oldman won best actor (drama) for Darkest Hour, in which he played Winston Churchill.

Guillermo Del Toro won best director for The Shape of Water, while Pixar’s Coco won best animated picture.

In the television categories, HBO melodrama Big Little Lies also scooped four awards, including best limited series, best actor for Nicole Kidman, and best supporting actor and actress (limited series) for Alexander Skarsgard and Laura Dern.

The Handmaid’s Tale was also well represented, winning best television series (drama) and best actress (drama) for Elisabeth Moss. Best actor (drama) went to Sterling K. Brown for his role in This Is Us.

Best television comedy went to Amazon’s The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, with Rachel Brosnahan scooping the best actress (comedy) award for her part.

Oprah Winfrey received the Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement, and used her acceptance speech to “focus on the #MeToo movement”, says The New York Times. Her speech offered praise for the women who have come forward to tell their stories in the wake of the Hollywood sex abuse scandal.

“A new day is on the horizon,” she said. “When that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men.”

Host Seth Meyer also took aim at the culture of sexual abuse in Hollywood, and specifically singled out Harvey Weinstein for a number of jokes that were “slightly uncomfortable”, The Guardian reports.

“Don’t worry,” Meyer said, “he’ll be back in 20 years when he’s the first person booed during the ‘In Memoriam’ segment.”