'Hamnet' and 'One Battle After Another' take top honors at Golden Globes
[January 12, 2026]
By JAKE COYLE
Paul Thomas Anderson’s ragtag revolutionary saga “One Battle After
Another” took top honors at Sunday’s 83rd Golden Globes in the comedy
category, while Chloé Zhao's Shakespeare drama “Hamnet” pulled off an
upset over “Sinners” to win best film, drama.
“One Battle After Another” won best film, comedy, supporting female
actor for Teyana Taylor and best director and best screenplay for
Anderson. He became just the second filmmaker to sweep director,
screenplay and film, as a producer, at the Globes. Only Oliver Stone,
for “Born on the Fourth of July,” managed the same feat.
In an awards ceremony that went almost entirely as expected, the night's
final award was the most surprising. While “One Battle After Another”
has been the clear front-runner this awards season, most have pegged
Ryan Coogler's Jim Crow-era vampire thriller as its closest competition.
But “Hamnet,” a speculative drama about William and Agnes Shakespeare
based on Maggie O’Farrell's bestseller, won in the dramatic category
shortly after its star, Jessie Buckley, won best female actor in a
drama.
It was a banner night for Warner Bros., the studio behind “One Battle
After Another” and “Sinners.” Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to be
sold to Netflix in an $83 billion deal. Paramount Skydance has appealed
to shareholders with its own rival offer.
In his speech after winning best director, Anderson praised Warner
co-chief Michael DeLuca.
“He said he wanted to run a studio one day and let filmmakers make
whatever they want,” said Anderson. “That’s how you get ‘Sinners.’
That’s how you get a ‘Weapons.' That’s how you get ‘One Battle After
Another.’”
The final awards brought to, or near, the stage a handful of the most
talented filmmakers together in Anderson, Zhao and Coogler — plus Steven
Spielberg, a producer of “Hamnet.” Regardless of who won what, it was a
heartening moment of solidarity between them, with a shared sense of
purpose. Zhao fondly recalled being at Sundance Labs with Coogler when
they were each starting out.
“As students, let’s keep our hearts open and let’s keep seeing each
other and allowing each other to be seen,” said Zhao, while Coogler
smiled from the front row.
“Sinners” won for best score and cinematic and box-office achievement.
The win for box office and cinematic achievement, over franchise films
like “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” was notable for Coogler's film, a movie
that some reports labeled a qualified success on its release.
Yet “Sinners” ultimately grossed $278 million domestically and $368
million worldwide, making it highest grossing original film in 15 years.
“I just want to thank the audience for showing up,” said Coogler. “It’s
means the world.”
Coming off years of scandal and subsequent rehabilitation, the Globes
and host Nikki Glaser put on a star-studded ceremony that saw wins for
the streaming sensation “KPop Demon Hunters” (best animated film, song),
a meta triumph for Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” and an inaugural award for
podcasting that went to Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang.”
Many of the Oscar favorites won. Timothee Chalamet won his first Golden
Globe, for “Marty Supreme,” after four previous nominations. The
30-year-old is poised to win his first Oscar. Fellow nominees like
Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney stood to applaud his win.
“My dad instilled in me a spirit of gratitude growing up: Always be
grateful for what you have,” said Chalamet. “It’s allowed me to leave
this ceremony in the past empty handed, my head held high, grateful just
to be here. I’d be lying if I didn’t say those moments didn’t make this
moment that much sweeter.”
Glaser comes out swinging
The Globes, held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, got
underway with a pointedly political opening from host Nikki Glaser and
an early award for the night’s favorite, “One Battle After Another.”
Emceeing the show for the second straight year, Glaser kicked off the
show with self-aware satire.
[to top of second column]
|
Sara Murphy, from left, Teyana Taylor, Paul Thomas Anderson, and
Chase Infiniti pose in the press room with the award for best motion
picture – musical or comedy for "One Battle After Another" during
the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly
Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
 “Yes, the Golden Globes, without a
doubt the most important thing happening in the world right now,”
she said.
In a winning, rapid-fire opening monologue that landed some punch
lines on the usual subjects — the age of Leonardo DiCaprio’s dates,
Kevin Hart’s height — Glaser also dove right into some of her most
topical material.
For the on-the-block Warner Bros., Glaser started the bidding at $5.
Referencing the Epstein files, she suggested best editing should go
to the Justice Dept. The “most editing,” however, she suggested
deserved to go to Bari Weiss’ new CBS News — a dig at the Paramount
Skydance-owned network airing the Globes.
Globes mix glitz and gloom
Political tension and industrywide uncertainty were the prevailing
moods heading into Sunday’s awards. Hollywood is coming off a
disappointing box-office year and now anxiously awaits the fate of
one of its most storied studios, Warner Bros. Following the fatal
shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis by a U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement officer, several attendees wore pins reading “Be
Good."
The Globes, formerly presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press
Association, have no overlap or direct correlation with the Academy
Awards. After being sold in 2023 to Todd Boehly’s Eldridge
Industries and Dick Clark Productions, a part of Penske Media, the
Globes are voted on by around 400 people. The Oscars are voted on by
more than 10,500 professionals.
But in the fluctuating undulations of awards season, a good speech
at the Globes can boost an Oscar campaign. Winners Sunday included
Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I'd Kick You”) for best female actor in a
comedy or musical, and Wagner Moura, the Brazilian star of “The
Secret Agent,” for best male actor in a drama. Kleber Mendonça
Filho's period political thriller also won best international film.
“I think if trauma can be passed along generations, values can do,”
Moura said. “So this to the ones who are sticking with their values
in difficult moments.”
Other winners Sunday included the supporting actor front-runner,
Stellan Skarsgård who won for the Norwegian family drama
“Sentimental Value.” It was the first major Hollywood movie award
for the 74-year-old, a respected veteran actor who drew a standing
ovation.
“I was not prepared for this because I, of course, thought I was too
old,” said Skarsgård.
‘The Studio' and 'Adolesence' win
In the television awards, “The Pitt” took best drama series, while
Noah Wyle won, too, brushing past his former “ER”-star Clooney on
the way to the stage. Netflix’s “Adolescence” won four awards: best
limited series, and acting awards for Erin Doherty, Stephen Graham
and 16-year-old Owen Cooper.
Other winners included Rhea Seehorn for “Pluribus” and Jean Smart
for “Hacks.”
But the most comically poignant award of the night went to “The
Studio,” the best comedy series winner. Seth Rogen’s Hollywood
satire memorably included an episode devoted to drama around a night
at the Globes. (Sample line: “I remember when the red carpet of the
Golden Globes actually stood for something.”) Rogen also won best
male actor in a comedy.
“This is so weird,” Rogen said, chuckling. “We just pretended to do
this. And now it’s happening.”
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
