TORONTO — Several big Canadian names walked away empty-handed at the Golden Globes Tuesday night as the film and TV awards made a return after a year off the air.
Famed Ontario-born filmmaker James Cameron lost in the best director category for “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which went to Steven Spielberg for helming “The Fabelmans.”
Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film also snagged best drama motion picture.
Toronto's Sarah Polley was also up for best screenplay for her female-led drama “Women Talking,” but fell short to Martin McDonagh and “The Banshees of Inisherin.”
Other Canadian contenders who lost out in the three-hour telecast included the Toronto-set coming-of-age adventure “Turning Red” by Domee Shi in the best-animated film category, which went to Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio.”
In what many considered an upset, Brendan Fraser did not win for his leading role in Darren Aronofsky's film “The Whale,” a prize that was picked up by Austin Butler from “Elvis.”
Other Canadian nominees that lost out in the TV categories include Seth Rogen and Martin Short.
Hollywood’s biggest and brightest showed their support by attending the beleaguered film and TV awards show, hosted by comedian Jerrod Carmichael, as it attempted a comeback.
Celebrities in attendance included Angela Bassett, who took home the trophy for best supporting actress in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Colin Farrell, winner of best actor in motion picture comedy for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” and Michelle Yeoh who won best actress for the film “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
After a year off the air, Golden Globes organizers the Hollywood Foreign Press Association said the group has expanded and diversified its membership and voting process and has a new strict code of conduct in place.
The HFPA has historically been derided for off-the-wall picks and a lack of diversity among the contenders, but a 2021 expose by the Los Angeles Times found there were no Black members within the HFPA. It also alleged ethical improprieties.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2023.
Noel Ransome, The Canadian Press
