Award season 2026 kicked off with a Golden Globes ceremony that delivered genuine surprises, emotional comebacks, and enough snubs to fuel debates for months. With the Oscars set for March 2, 2026, the race for Hollywood’s biggest prizes is wide open — and significantly more unpredictable than anyone expected.
Let’s break down everything that happened at the Globes and where the Oscar race stands heading into the final stretch.
Golden Globes 2026: The Night’s Biggest Winners
The 83rd Golden Globe Awards ceremony took place on January 5, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, hosted by Nikki Glaser in her debut as Globes host. The night belonged to several films, but none more than Emilia Perez, Jacques Audiard’s bold musical crime drama that walked away with four Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy.
Emilia Perez tells the story of a Mexican cartel leader who undergoes gender transition, and it divided audiences sharply. Critics praised its ambition and Zoe Saldana’s powerhouse performance, which earned her the Globe for Best Supporting Actress. The film also took home Best Non-English Language Film and Best Original Song for “El Mal” by Camille.
On the drama side, The Brutalist — Brady Corbet’s sprawling 215-minute epic about a Hungarian-Jewish architect who immigrates to America after World War II — won Best Motion Picture — Drama. Adrien Brody took home Best Actor in a Drama for his monumental performance, and Corbet won Best Director, firmly establishing the film as an Oscar frontrunner.
Demi Moore’s Comeback: The Story of the Night
If the Golden Globes had a single defining moment, it was Demi Moore winning Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for The Substance. Moore, who has been a Hollywood fixture since the 1980s, delivered one of the most emotional acceptance speeches of the evening. She spoke candidly about being told 30 years ago that she was a “popcorn actress” and how she had internalized that label for decades.
“I’m standing here as proof that sometimes the best roles come when the industry decides you’re done,” Moore said, visibly moved. The speech went viral immediately, racking up over 50 million views across social media platforms within 24 hours. The Substance, a body horror satire directed by Coralie Fargeat, features Moore in a physically demanding and fearless performance that critics have called career-defining.
At 63, Moore’s comeback narrative has become one of the most compelling stories of award season. Her Oscar nomination is considered a lock, and she’s a serious contender to go all the way.
Sebastian Stan and Kieran Culkin: Breakout Globe Winners
Sebastian Stan won Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his transformative performance in A Different Man, where he plays an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis who undergoes facial reconstructive surgery. The role required extensive prosthetic makeup and a physical transformation that drew comparisons to past Oscar-winning performances by Gary Oldman and Charlize Theron.
Stan, best known to mainstream audiences as Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has been quietly building a resume of intense dramatic performances. His Globe win signals that voters are ready to see him as more than a franchise actor. The question is whether Oscar voters will follow the Globes’ lead.
Kieran Culkin continued his hot streak from Succession by winning Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial effort about two cousins visiting Holocaust memorial sites in Poland. Culkin’s performance balances sharp humor with devastating emotional depth, and his Globe win makes him the clear Oscar frontrunner in the Supporting Actor category.
Who Got Snubbed at the Globes?
No award show is complete without controversy, and the Globes delivered several notable snubs. Denzel Washington was widely expected to receive recognition for Gladiator II, but the film underperformed with critics despite its box office success. Ridley Scott’s sequel earned mixed reviews, and the Globes reflected that divided reception.
Wicked, the blockbuster musical adaptation starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, came into the ceremony with significant buzz but walked away with just one win. Many expected Erivo’s performance as Elphaba to earn her the Best Actress Globe, but she was beaten out in a competitive field. Grande did receive a nomination for Supporting Actress but lost to Zoe Saldana.
The biggest surprise snub might have been Conclave, Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller starring Ralph Fiennes. Despite strong reviews and awards buzz, the film didn’t win any of its Globe nominations. Whether it can recover momentum heading into the Oscars remains to be seen.
Oscar Predictions: Who Will Take Home the Gold?
With the 98th Academy Awards scheduled for March 2, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, the race is taking shape. Oscar nominations were announced in mid-January, and here’s where the smart money stands.
Best Picture is a three-horse race between The Brutalist, Anora, and Emilia Perez, with Conclave and Wicked as potential spoilers. The Brutalist has the most traditional Oscar profile — a sweeping historical drama with a powerhouse lead performance and a prestige director. But Anora, Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner about a Brooklyn sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, has been gaining incredible momentum through the guild awards.
Best Director looks like Brady Corbet’s to lose for The Brutalist, though Sean Baker and Jacques Audiard are serious threats. Best Actor is a tight race between Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Timothee Chalamet (A Complete Unknown, where he plays Bob Dylan), and Ralph Fiennes (Conclave). Brody winning would be remarkable — his last Oscar win was 23 years ago for The Pianist.
Best Actress features Demi Moore (The Substance), Mikey Madison (Anora), and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) in the closest race of any category. Madison, a relative newcomer, won the Gotham Award and several critics’ prizes, making this a genuine three-way contest.
Fashion Highlights: Red Carpet Winners and Risks
The Golden Globes red carpet delivered memorable fashion moments. Zendaya arrived in a custom Louis Vuitton gown featuring an architectural bodice that immediately dominated best-dressed lists. Cate Blanchett wore a vintage Givenchy piece from the 1990s, making a statement about sustainable fashion that resonated with environmental advocates.
Ariana Grande’s Oscar de la Renta gown in pale pink was a deliberate nod to her Wicked character Glinda, and the press ate it up. On the men’s side, Timothee Chalamet showed up in a custom Haider Ackermann suit with no shirt underneath — a look that was either bold genius or completely ridiculous, depending on who you asked. Social media was split roughly 50/50.
The emerging trend of the 2026 red carpet season is the return of Old Hollywood glamour. After several years of quirky, meme-worthy fashion choices, stylists are steering their clients back toward classic silhouettes and traditional elegance. Whether that continues through the SAG Awards and the Oscars remains to be seen.
What to Watch Between Now and Oscar Night
The next six weeks are packed with precursor awards that will shape the final Oscar narrative. The Screen Actors Guild Awards on February 22 are traditionally the strongest predictor of Oscar acting winners — SAG and Oscar agree in the Best Picture category about 60% of the time and in acting categories roughly 80% of the time.
The BAFTA Awards, scheduled for February 16, will provide the international perspective. British voters often favor different films than American voters, and a BAFTA win can provide crucial late momentum. The Brutalist and Conclave both have strong UK connections that could play in their favor.
One thing is guaranteed: the 2026 award season has more genuine competition than any year in recent memory. There’s no overwhelming frontrunner, no film that feels inevitable, and multiple categories that could go in several different directions. For award watchers, this is the dream scenario.
Who do you think deserves the Oscar? Drop your predictions in the comments — we’ll revisit them on March 3rd to see who got it right!