The 83rd Golden Globe Awards presented a resounding message regarding which direction mainstream animation, as well as the broader realm of pop culture, is trending. In one of the biggest surprises of the night, Sony & Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters upset the wildly favored candidate in ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle’ in the Best Animated Motion Picture category.
But that was only the beginning of the competition’s victories for the series. The movie’s breakout hit song, “Golden” by the virtual girl group HUNTR/X and performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, beat out the best of the best in the industry in the form of the likes of Miley Cyrus and composer Ludwig Göransson to take home the honor of Best Original Song.
A Difficult Night for fans
This was especially difficult for “Demon Slayer,” which was entering the night with so much momentum. “Infinity Castle” was not only a box office behemoth but also made headlines in light of ufotable’s OVAnimation commitment to not working with anime made through artificial intelligence tools and was thus widely appreciated for its commitment to keeping anime alive and true to its roots. Still, not one Golden Globe Award came its way.
Industry insiders think that this is a sign of the changes in the Globes’ taste and not a dislike for anime in general. It is clear that KPop Demon Hunters appealed to the voters for its originality, for it combines several things into one. Director Maggie Kang made history by receiving the Golden Globe for Best Animated Motion Picture, the first Asian woman to do so. In her speech, Director Kang wanted to show that a woman should be “strong, bold, silly, and weird.” This resonated well with the crowds.
This perception of recalibration was not limited to animation. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners was a likely winner in the drama category but was shocked with a series of high-profile losses. The film could not win the award for “Best Motion Picture – Drama” but was trumped by “Hamnet” by Chloé Zhao, while Coogler did not win the award for “Best Director,” an honor that was bestowed on Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another.
Michael B. Jordan was a likely winner in the “Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” category but was beaten out by Wagner Moura in “The Secret Agent.”
That said, Sinners is the exception that avoided a complete shutout. It won the award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, an award given as a nod to its ability to walk the tightrope between its artistic ambitions and its appeal to the masses. Additionally, Sinners won the award for Best Original Score.
The standout moment of the evening occurred in the acceptance speech for Best Original Song. EJAE, who voices HUNTR/X member Rumi, spoke of her personal struggles with a decade of rejection in the K-pop world and her success in the film.
“I can confidently say that rejection is redirection,” she told the audience. “Never give up, and it’s never too late to shine like you were meant to be.” The song “Golden” has already broken records in becoming the first female K-pop song to top the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks in a row. Taken cumulatively, all results make one understand what identity the Globes have established at present. The Globes favored those who left a cultural statement and those who used multiple platforms to create a story. In the case of KPop Demon Hunters, receiving awards means so much more to them than just trophies.
Major Film, Television, and Special Category Winners — Complete List
Motion Picture Awards
Best Drama Motion Picture
Hamnet
Best Musical or Comedy Motion Picture
One Battle After Another
Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture
Jessie Buckley — Hamnet
Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture
Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture
Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You
Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture
Timothée Chalamet — Marty Supreme
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Stellan Skarsgård — Sentimental Value
Best Director of a Motion Picture
Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
Best Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
Best Original Score in a Motion Picture
Ludwig Göransson — Sinners
Best Original Song in a Motion Picture
“Golden” — KPop Demon Hunters
Best Animated Motion Picture
KPop Demon Hunters
Best Non-English Language Motion Picture
The Secret Agent
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
Sinners
Television Awards
Best Drama Series
The Pitt
Best Musical or Comedy Series
The Pitt
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Rhea Seehorn — Pluribus
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Noah Wyle — The Pitt
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Series
Jean Smart — Hacks
Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Series
Seth Rogen — The Studio
Best Supporting Actress in a Series
Erin Doherty — Adolescence
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Owen Cooper — Adolescence
Limited Series & TV Movies
Best Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Made-for-TV Movie Series
Adolescence
Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology, or Made-for-TV Movie
Michelle Williams — Dying for Sex
Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology, or Made-for-TV Movie
Stephen Graham — Adolescence
Special & Variety Categories
Best Stand-Up Comedy Performance
Ricky Gervais — Mortality
Best Podcast
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
