After smoldering for months, the awards scene will start sizzling before the New Year is very old.
Ironically, it’s the recently resurrected Golden Globes that will bring the awards world back to life. The HFPA’s 80th annual Globes will be telecast Tue., 1/10 by NBC, which scrapped last year’s show after accusations by publicists & studios of no HFPA diversity & alleged financial improprieties. But after a year in the Hollywood deep freeze, many publicists were eager to have the Globes back again since the media exposure their winning clients get attracts Academy members’ attention.
The real guessing game now is who will or won’t be sitting at those champagne-stocked tables in the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom. Brendan Fraser (pictured), a best actor-drama nominee for THE WHALE, has already said he won’t be there, reminding us of his charges of being groped by ex-HFPA president Phil Berk (who’s denied it) at an HFPA event in 2003.
The big question mark is Tom Cruise, who’s a producer of TOP GUN: MAVERICK, which is a best picture-drama nominee. Cruise made a point last year of returning the three Globes he’d previously won. Heads would definitely turn if he turned up for what used to be known as Hollywood’s Party Night of the Year.
Happily, in the days immediately after the Globes, some prime awards givers will announce their noms or the start of noms voting. On the calendar for 1/11 are DGA & SAG noms. 1/12 will bring the Academy’s start of nominations voting (through 1/17) and the PGA’s announcement of noms. The Critics Choice Awards will be handed out on 1/15 & SAG will start voting for winners on 1/18.