2023 Golden Globes Predictions – Television

Happy 2024! It’s a new year, and that means the start of another awards season. As is customary, the Golden Globes will start things off. And as is also customary, I look forward to many of my predictions being proven wrong come January 7. But hell, that’s half the fun. 

This year, I’ve finally wised up and decided to make this prediction post a two-parter – one for television and another for the film categories. So, without further ado, here are my predictions for the television categories for this year’s Golden Globes Awards.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

• “1923” (Paramount+)
• “The Crown” (Netflix)
• “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
• “The Last of Us” (HBO)
• “The Morning Show” (Apple TV+)
• “Succession” (HBO)

Prediction: Succession…period. 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY 

• “The Bear” (FX)
• “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+)
• “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
• “Jury Duty” (Amazon Freevee)
• “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
• “Barry” (HBO)

Prediction: Globes often like to reward freshman shows. However, the voting body of the Globes has changed, and we don’t yet know how this new body will vote. But still, erring on the side of how random the Globes have been in the past, I’ll say Jury Duty for a shocking upset. 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

• Pedro Pascal — “The Last of Us”
• Kieran Culkin — “Succession”
• Jeremy Strong — “Succession”
• Brian Cox — “Succession”
• Gary Oldman — “Slow Horses”
• Dominic West — “The Crown”

Prediction: I know the critics all think Kieran Culkin gave possibly the best performance this year and yes, Succession will likely win Best Drama, but I think voters will swing in Pedro Pascal’s favor here. 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

• Helen Mirren — “1923”
• Bella Ramsey — “The Last of Us”
• Keri Russell — “The Diplomat”
• Sarah Snook — “Succession”
• Imelda Staunton — “The Crown”
• Emma Stone — “The Curse”

Prediction: This category is a bit all over the place. Conventional wisdom would say it’s Sarah Snook’s to lose. However, who knows? Still, I’ll play it safe and pick her, but I wouldn’t be surprised if any of the other women win. 

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY 

• Ayo Edebiri — “The Bear”
• Natasha Lyonne — “Poker Face”
• Quinta Brunson — “Abbott Elementary”
• Rachel Brosnahan — “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
• Selena Gomez — “Only Murders in the Building”
• Elle Fanning – “The Great”

Prediction: Globes typically don’t do repeat winners. However, who knows if this new voting body will do things differently and so we might get a repeat win for Quinta Brunson. That said, I’m putting my money down on either Ayo Edebiri or Natasha Lyonne to take this one. 

BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY 

• Bill Hader — “Barry”
• Steve Martin — “Only Murders in the Building”
• Martin Short — “Only Murders in the Building”
• Jason Segel — “Shrinking”
• Jason Sudeikis — “Ted Lasso”
• Jeremy Allen White — “The Bear”

Prediction: I think this one is a slam dunk for Jeremy Allen White. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, TELEVISION 

• Billy Crudup — “The Morning Show”
• Matthew Macfadyen — “Succession”
• James Marsden — “Jury Duty”
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach — “The Bear”
• Alan Ruck — “Succession”
• Alexander Skarsgård — “Succession”

Prediction: This seems like an easy win for Matthew Macfadyen for Succession. However, don’t be too shocked if voters go with Marsden for Jury Duty. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TELEVISION 

• Elizabeth Debicki — “The Crown”
• Abby Elliott — “The Bear”
• Christina Ricci — “Yellowjackets”
• J. Smith-Cameron — “Succession”
• Meryl Streep — “Only Murders in the Building”
• Hannah Waddingham — “Ted Lasso”

Prediction: Feels like it’d be foolish to bet against Meryl Streep. Also, I can’t say there are any true heavyweights in this category (yes, Hannah Waddingham has won an Emmy for her role on Ted Lasso, but she’s never been a Globes favorite). 

BEST LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION 

• “Beef”
• “Lessons in Chemistry”
• “Daisy Jones & the Six”
• “All the Light We Cannot See”
• “Fellow Travelers”
• “Fargo”

Prediction: A few months ago, I might have said this is an easy win for Beef, but I think it coming out much earlier than most of the other nominees in this category may work against it. I’m going with Fellow Travelers for the win. 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Matt Bomer — “Fellow Travelers”
• Sam Claflin — “Daisy Jones & the Six”
• Jon Hamm — “Fargo”
• Woody Harrelson — “White House Plumbers”
• David Oyelowo — “Lawmen: Bass Reeves”
• Steven Yeun — “Beef”

Prediction: This is a tough category with a couple of big names. Because I noted that I think the voters may lean towards Fellow Travelers, I’m going with Matt Bomer for the win. 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Riley Keough — “Daisy Jones & the Six”
• Brie Larson — “Lessons in Chemistry”
• Elizabeth Olsen — “Love and Death”
• Juno Temple — “Fargo”
• Rachel Weisz — “Dead Ringers”
• Ali Wong — “Beef”

Prediction: This is where I think Beef has the best chance of scoring a win. I’m predicting Ali Wong for the win. 

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A STAND-UP COMEDY OR TELEVISION

• Ricky Gervais — “Ricky Gervais: Armageddon”
• Trevor Noah — “Trevor Noah: Where Was I”
• Chris Rock — “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage”
• Amy Schumer — “Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact”
• Sarah Silverman — “Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love”
• Wanda Sykes — “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer”

Prediction: This really can go in any direction, so I’ll pick Ricky Gervais only because he’s hosted the Globes multiple times (yes, really, that’s my reasoning). 

2022 Primetime Emmy Awards Predictions

So as it turns out, I am genuinely excited for this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards. Unfortunately, that has not been the case in recent years. Last year was understandably not the fault of the Academy or the various networks and streaming companies, as the pandemic wreaked havoc on the filming schedule for many shows. 

As a result, the categories perhaps weren’t as competitive. Not the case this year, where many of the races, particularly Drama and Comedy, are stacked. That also means that most of my predictions may turn out wrong. However, I’m still willing to sift through the tea leaves and give it the ‘old college try. So without further ado, here are my predictions for this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards. 

Best Drama Series 

• Better Call Saul 
• Euphoria 
• Ozark  
• Severance
• Squid Game
• Stranger Things
• Succession  
• Yellowjackets

Will Win – There’s been a lot of buzz in recent months that we’re likely to see history made at this year’s Primetime Emmys when the first non-English speaking series wins Best Drama. I am, of course, referring to Squid Game. However, call me stubborn, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. Not least of all that I think the days of Squid Game mania have died down significantly. Not surprising, as the show came out almost a year ago. I believe the Television Academy voters will play it safe, and Succession will repeat its 2020 win in this category. 

Could Win – Squid Game, for obvious reasons. I would also throw in Severance as a potential dark horse. 

Lead Actor in a Drama Series 

• Jason Bateman (Ozark) 
• Brian Cox (Succession)  
• Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game)   
• Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)  
• Adam Scott (Severance)  
• Jeremy Strong (Succession) 

Will Win – Much like the Drama Series category, there is a lot of talk about the possibility of Lee Jung-jae repeating his SAG and Critics Choice successes in this category. The other heavy favorite is Bob Odenkirk for Better Call Saul’s final season, a show that’s consistently nominated but has never won. Regarding the latter, Academy voters aren’t always susceptible to “it’s the last season, so let’s vote for him or her.” See Steve Carrell for The Office. So I’m not entirely sold on Odenkirk being a sure thing just because Better Call Saul has ended. Television Academy voters have shown many times that they’re not opposed to repeating winners, which is why I think Jeremy Strong will win. 

Could Win – Lee Jung-jae or Bob Odenkirk. And, in fairness, this is just one of the many categories this year where as many as four of the nominees would be more than deserving. 

Lead Actress in a Drama Series 

• Jodie Comer (Killing Eve)
• Laura Linney (Ozark)  
• Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets)  
• Sandra Oh (Killing Eve)  
• Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show)   
• Zendaya (Euphoria) 

Will Win – This is a potential three-way race between Zendaya, Melanie Lynskey, and Laura Linney. The latter is the least likely to win of the three. Most critics and pundits seem to agree that based purely on the nominees’ submitted performances, Zendaya should win this award. However, we all know award shows are as much about the intangibles as they are about the actual performances. And some of the intangibles here are that Zendaya’s already won. Will the Academy vote to award her again, so soon? There’s also been very vocal grassroots support for Lynskey. All that said, I still think Zendaya’s going to win. And yes, I realize that means I think the Drama categories will be a repeat of 2020. Euphoria’s inclusion in the Drama Series category, coupled with the numerous other nominations it received, I believe shows that the Academy has great respect for the show overall. And it’s universally acknowledged that Zendaya’s performance this past season was stellar. 

Could Win – Melanie Lynskey, of course. But don’t sleep on Laura Linney who is an industry veteran with three previous Emmy wins. This is also her final chance to win for her role on Ozark. 

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series 

• Nicholas Braun (Succession)
• Billy Crudup (The Morning Show)
• Kieran Culkin (Succession)
• Park Hae-soo (Squid Game)
• Matthew Macfadyen (Succession)
• John Turturro (Severance)
• Christopher Walken (Severance)
• Oh Yeong-su (Squid Game)

Will Win – The consensus appears to be that this is a fight between the Succession guys – well, two of them (no offense Nicholas Braun – but the nomination was the win here). That is, Kieran Culkin and Matthew Macfadyen, with many pundits predicting Macfadyen to take it. However, I think this is finally Kieran Culkin’s time. He’s been a standout on the show from the start but has yet to get Emmy glory. I believe it’ll happen this year. 

Could Win – Matthew Macfadyen. However, I wouldn’t completely discount the Severance actors, as we saw Billy Crudup sweep in and win for The Morning Show two years ago. Turturro and Walken are both legendary, well-respected actors on a critically acclaimed show. That’s always a great recipe for a win. 

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series 

• Patricia Arquette (Severance)
• Julia Garner (Ozark)
• Jung Ho-yeon (Squid Game)
• Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets)
• Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul)
• J. Smith-Cameron (Succession)
• Sarah Snook (Succession)
• Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria)

Will Win – I admit I’m the most unsure with this category. So I’ll defer to the critics, and go with Rhea Seehorn. 

Could Win – It’d certainly be silly to bet entirely against someone who’s won this category multiple times. And for that reason, I have to say Julia Garner is a strong possibility to win.

Best Limited Series 

• Dopesick 
• The Dropout 
• Inventing Anna 
• Pam and Tommy 
• The White Lotus 

Will Win – Contrary to the above, I’m going to go against the popular opinion, which predicts a win for The White Lotus, and say Dopesick is going to win. It’s my belief that everything about Dopesick is perfect for a win in this category – great acting, an important story that explores a very real and complex issue, character-driven, etc. 

Could Win – This is a two-way race between Dopesick and The White Lotus. So if the former doesn’t win, it’ll be the latter. 

Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie 

• Colin Firth (The Staircase) 
• Andrew Garfield (Under the Banner of Heaven)
• Oscar Isaac (Scenes From a Marriage)  
• Michael Keaton (Dopesick)  
• Himesh Patel (Station Eleven)  
• Sebastian Stan (Pam and Tommy) 

Will Win – This may be the most sewn-up category of the night. It’s going to be Michael Keaton for Dopesick, without question. 

Could Win – Michael Keaton. Okay, yes, I should acknowledge the buzz around Himesh Patel’s performance in Station Eleven. But I don’t think voters will switch from Keaton in this category. 

Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie 

• Toni Collette (The Staircase) 
• Julia Garner (“Inventing Anna”)  
• Lily James (“Pam and Tommy”)  
• Sarah Paulson (“Impeachment: American Crime Story”)
• Margaret Qualley (“Maid”)  
• Amanda Seyfried (“The Dropout”) 

Will Win – This is a tough category because at least four of these women gave stellar performances. That said, it’s still mostly a one-woman race, and that’s Amanda Seyfried. She gave herself completely over to embody every facet of Elizabeth Holmes. 

Could Win – I think both Margaret Qualley and Toni Collette are significant threats in this category. I’ve heard the talk about Lily James possibly winning. However, I don’t see it happening. 

Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie 

• Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus) 
• Jake Lacy (The White Lotus)
• Will Poulter (Dopesick)
• Seth Rogen (Pam & Tommy)
• Peter Sarsgaard (Dopesick)
• Michael Stuhlbarg (Dopesick)
• Steve Zahn (The White Lotus)

Will Win – Another category I’m not as confident about, so I’ll defer to the pundits, who all appear to believe it’s a slam-dunk for Murray Bartlett. 

Could Win – There’s been a lot of talk about Seth Rogen’s performance in Pam & Tommy. So a possible win here would not be that shocking. 

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie 

• Connie Britton (The White Lotus)
• Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)
• Alexandra Daddario (The White Lotus)
• Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick)
• Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus)
• Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus)
• Mare Winningham (Dopesick)

Will Win – Putting aside that the Television Academy apparently didn’t think any actress outside of The White Lotus and Dopesick gave a strong supporting performance, this is a likely sure thing for Jennifer Coolidge. 

Could Win – Mare Winningham gave the type of performance in Dopesick that voters love – emotional, heart-wrenching, and deeply internalized. 

Outstanding Comedy Series 

• Abbott Elementary 
• Barry
• Curb Your Enthusiasm 
• Hacks 
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 
• Only Murders In the Building 
• Ted Lasso
• What We Do In the Shadows 

Will Win – Whoo boy the comedy categories are a doozy this year. For most of the categories, there are at least three or four potential winners. And the Comedy Series category is no different. Ted Lasso still has a lot of buzz around it, Hacks has only gone from strength to strength, Barry is back after a long wait, Only Murders in the Building is in the mix for the first time, and of course, there’s the network darling, Abbott Elementary. So which one will take it? I am genuinely torn on this one and so I’m going with my gut and picking Abbot Elementary. 

Could Win – Ted Lasso or Only Murders in the Building. I don’t think it will be Hacks or Barry, great as they are. 

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 

• Donald Glover (Atlanta) 
• Bill Hader (Barry)  
• Nicholas Hoult (The Great)
• Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)   
• Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)  
• Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso) 

Will Win – As I said, the comedy categories are a doozy. Either of the four of Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, Steve Martin, and Martin Short could win here. That said, I will go against the consensus that seems to believe Bill Hader is the likely winner and pick Jason Sudeikis. 

Can Win – Bill Hader or Steve Martin. Martin may win just for that brilliant elevator scene alone. And it would be well-deserved. 

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series 

• Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)  
• Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant)  
• Elle Fanning (The Great)  
• Issa Rae (Insecure)
• Jean Smart (Hacks)

Will Win – Unlike Comedy Series and Lead Actor, this category is less competitive, with the winner likely coming down to just two women – Jean Smart and Quinta Brunson. My gut says it will be the former. I believe Brunson’s glory will come for writing for a Comedy Series, for which she’s nominated. 

Could Win – Quinta Brunson. 

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series 

• Anthony Carrigan (Barry)
• Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)
• Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso)
• Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso)
• Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary)
• Henry Winkler (Barry)
• Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live)

Will Win – There’s been a lot of talk that this category will likely come down to the Ted Lasso actors, with Toheeb Jimoh edging out last year’s winner, Brett Goldstein. I don’t think that will be the case. I think Goldstein, like Sudeikis, will repeat. 

Could Win – Toheeb Jimoh and Henry Winkler. I wouldn’t count Henry Winkler out here. 

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 

• Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) 
• Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)
• Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)
• Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
• Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso)
• Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary)
• Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)
• Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)

Will Win – Many pundits believe this will be a battle of the two Hannahs, with Hannah Waddingham edging out the win. Not a wild prediction as Waddingham has been on a roll, winning everything last year, including the Emmy. And she had another stellar performance this past season of Ted Lasso. However, I’m going to swerve away from the consensus and say Janelle James will win for Abbott Elementary. While the entire cast of Abbott Elementary is amazing, and it would be nice to see an industry vet like Sheryl Lee Ralph get her flowers, James’ Ava was the true scene stealer of the season.

Could Win – Hannah Waddingham or Hannah Einbinder. Unfortunately, I don’t think Ralph has a real shot in this category. If the voters stick to the predictable choices, the winner will likely be one of the Hannahs.

2020 Golden Globes Recap

One Awards Show, down as we inch ever closer to this year’s Academy Awards. As a precursor to the Academy Awards, this year’s Golden Globes ceremony was a mixture of surprises (oh hey, 1917) and predictability (can we just all agree that Best Foreign Language Film is a done deal). Not unlike last year to be honest. So it will be interesting to see if things pan out as they did last year, where HFPA voters turned out to be pretty on the money with most of their choices.

As for my predictions made before the show, well I’m happy to say that I correctly predicted 15 out of the 25 categories. Not too shabby. And I would also like to point out that once again, while I was wrong on the actual winner, I correctly predicted that the critics were all wrong with their pick for Best Motion Picture – Drama. And now with my gloating out of the way, here are my key takeaways from this year’s ceremony.  

• Ricky Gervais’ Monologue – Yes he was rude, crude, possibly offensive and very likely tipsy. And once again, it was hilarious. Especially as the crowd of nominees grew increasingly uncomfortable and squirmy. That said, for as much as I enjoyed Ricky’s monologue, outside of that, he really didn’t add much to the show, in my opinion. As is often the case with most award show hosts, he seemingly vanished 1/3 of the way through the ceremony and at one point, I’d all but forgotten about him. So sure he provided 10-15 minutes of laughs at the start of the show but truthfully, we could have done without him. Then again, I’m all for host-less award shows.  

 

• 1917 Shows Up Out of Nowhere – Come on, no one was really talking about 1917 as a serious contender for any of the major categories it was nominated in. My guess is a big part of this is due to the fact that it hasn’t even had a full-scale theatrical release, which means many critics probably haven’t seen it. Don’t get me wrong, we know the critics get screeners of films sent to them and the film did have a very limited release in the U.S. on Christmas Day, so as to ensure its eligibility for this year’s awards season. But my assumption is that much like If Beale Street Could Talk last year, which also only did a late December limited release, the film simply wasn’t on most critics’ radar in the way heavier campaigned films were. Apparently, it was certainly on the HFPA’s radar. The first surprise came when Sam Mendes upset predicted favorites Bong Joon Ho and Martin Scorsese for Best Director. And then came the biggie – the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, which critics were certain was a lock for The Irishman. It will be interesting to see if this was the start of a major momentum shift in this year’s Awards Season or just one of those random Golden Globes moment.  

 

• Hooray to “Hollywood” – HFPA voters clearly loved Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. We knew Brad Pitt’s win was a strong likelihood, but the film also walked away with a Best Screenplay win for Quentin Tarantino and the Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical win. If things go as they did last year, when Green Book, the winner in this category, was the ultimate Best Picture winner at The Oscars, then things may be looking very good for Tarantino’s dark comedic ode to a specific and troubling time in old Hollywood.  

 

• Streaming Networks Not So Powerful After All – Despite the dominance of streaming services among the nominations (Netflix led the overall pack with 34), when it was all said and done, only four wins went to a streaming service – Netflix with two and Amazon Prime Video with two. HBO was the big winner of the night for television, with four wins, for its one-two punch of Succession and Chernobyl. But don’t cry for Netflix just yet. There’s still the SAG and Oscars to come. 

 

• Oscar Glory Awaits Brad Pitt – Yes, I know it’s bad to count your chickens before they’re hatched. But like I said in my predictions post, I can’t shake the sense that this feels like it’s Brad Pitt’s time. And Sunday night’s win just solidified that to me. The man practically got a standing ovation. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The industry loves Brad and this year that love will be celebrated with an Oscar win.  

 

• Two Very Deserving Honorees – Tom Hanks (Cecil B. Demille Award) and Ellen Degeneres (newly introduced last year, Carol Burnett Award) were both deservingly honored for their contribution to film and television, respectively and both honors were high points of the evening, with moving, excellently produced tribute packages and even better heartfelt speeches. I cannot say I am as big a fan of Ellen’s work as I am of Tom Hanks, but I do recognize the contribution she’s made to television and comedy. And what can you say about Tom Hanks – comedy, drama, writer, producer, etc., he’s done it all. And has done it all with immeasurable class, talent, and humility.  

And there you have it. Usually, I talk about the night’s fashion but frankly, this year left me mostly bewildered (looking at you J-Lo) and incredibly underwhelmed (it was a cool outfit Billy but a bit tame for you). So trying to pick a favorite out of these drecks was virtually impossible. As for the worse, well that would take up this whole post. So with regard to the fashion, I’ll just say maybe things will look better for the SAG Awards.

2020 Golden Globes Predictions

Ah, it’s that time again. When movies and television stars collide for one of Hollywood’s biggest parties. The Oscars may be considered the most prestigious of all the awards, but there’s no question that the Golden Globes is the “funnest” award show of them all.

This year’s ceremony promises a barrage of Hollywood heavyweights. From Brad to Leo to J-Lo, the stars will all be out in grand style come this Sunday night. But the big question is just who among them is going to walk away with a Globe in hand. I have some predictions.

I’ll probably be wrong for a bunch of categories but I’ll probably be right a lot too. Hey, I said A Star is Born was not winning Best Motion Picture – Drama last year, when all the pundits and “experts” predicted it would. Granted I did not predict Bohemian Rhapsody for the win but I was right about A Star is Born losing.

Admittedly I haven’t seen a number of the nominated films and television shows and so this year, I decided to do a Will Win vs. Could Win, as opposed to Will Win vs. Should Win.

Because I think it’s a little disingenuous to say someone should absolutely win over someone else when I haven’t seen all the performances. So without further ado, here are my predictions for this year’s Golden Globe Awards.

MOVIES

Best Motion Picture – Drama

• 1917
• The Irishman
• Joker
• Marriage Story
• The Two Popes

Will Win: Joker. I know all the pundits are saying The Irishman will win. But just like they were all wrong last year about A Star is Born, I think they will be again this year. I truly believe HFPA voters love Joker, much like they did Bohemian Rhapsody last year. And like Bohemian Rhapsody, Joker will also win this category.

Could Win: Marriage Story. Yup, I’m really not picking The Irishman here. If I am wrong about Joker’s winning, my gut says that Marriage Story will triumph instead.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

• Christian Bale – Ford v Ferrari
• Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory
• Adam Driver – Marriage Story
• Joaquin Phoenix – Joker
• Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes

Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix. This is a really tough one. And I’m fully prepared to be wrong here and hell, we may even see Antonio Banderas win this category on Sunday night. But sticking to my belief that HFPA voters love Joker, I’m giving the edge to Phoenix.

Could Win: Adam Driver. Let’s face it, this seems to be shaping up as a two-man fight between Adam Driver and Joaquin Phoenix. Driver had an exceptional year on screen with not just one, but three very memorable and yet very different, roles. And he shone in them all. And that might be the very thing that creates a win for him.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

• Cynthia Erivo – Harriet
• Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story
• Saoirse Ronan – Little Women
• Charlize Theron – Bombshell
• Renee Zellweger – Judy

Will Win: Renee Zellweger. It feels like Renee sewed this category up back in early 2019. That can sometimes be a negative, as more recent performances and actors build momentum, due to their being fresher in voters’ minds. But the consensus appears to be that this is still Renee’s to lose.

Could Win: Charlize Theron. Yeah what I just said about more recent performances building momentum, well that would be Charlize in Bombshell, a film that came out very late last year. But not late enough to stop voters from noticing Theron’s performance. I also wouldn’t be mad if things swung Johansson’s way.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Dolemite is My Name
• Jojo Rabbit
• Knives Out
• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
• Rocketman

Will Win: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Come on, it’s everything HFPA voters love – huge stars, it’s about Hollywood and the entertainment industry and it’s a dark, twisted comedy. The film has also shown up big for many award shows, getting noms not just for its actors, but director Quentin Tarantino as well. Hard to bet against it here.

Could Win: Jojo Rabbit. Hell, anyone of these other films could win. Rocketman fits the Musical side of things perfectly, Knives Out is a fun whodunit that is filled with a huge cast of actors and Dolomite is a funny and heartwarming movie.  But Jojo Rabbit is the one that was all the talk of the industry and film festivals a few months ago. And I think if any film has serious potential to upset Once Upon a Time here, it’s this one.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Daniel Craig – Knives Out
• Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
• Taron Egerton – Rocketman
• Roman Griffin Davis – Jojo Rabbit
• Eddie Murphy – Dolemite is My Name

Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio. Once again, if things go Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s way on Sunday, expect to see Leo win his fourth Globe. HFPA voters love him. I mean its Leo for crying out loud. But more importantly, he was pretty amazing in the film.

Could Win: Eddie Murphy. Murphy is having a resurgence of sorts right now. And he is wonderful in Dolemite – funny, heartbreaking at times and even inspiring. This is another category where any of the nominees could win and I wouldn’t quibble. But I think if anyone has a serious chance of upsetting DiCaprio here, it’s Murphy.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Awkwafina – The Farewell
• Cate Blanchett – Where’d You Go, Bernadette
• Ana de Amras – Knives Out
• Beanie Feldstein – Booksmart
• Emma Thompson – Late Night

Will Win: Awkwafina – hands down. This, in my opinion, is one of the weakest categories. No offense to the other women, but Awkwafina’s performance in The Farewell is the kind of performance that is truly considered, career-defining.

Could Win: Benie Feldstein. I know many experts think Ana de Armas could pull a charming upset here, but I think if anyone could, it’s Feldstein for a film that was largely lauded across the industry. Plus she’s young, fresh and quirky. Just the way HFPA voters like them. That said, I think Awkwafina’s got this.

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

• Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes
• Al Pacino – The Irishman
• Joe Pesci – The Irishman
• Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: Brad Pitt. I can’t help feeling that like Leo for The Revenant a few years ago, where you just felt that it was time, that nothing was going to stop his finally receiving his more than deserved lead actor Oscar, the same is happening this year with Brad Pitt. It just feels like it’s time. That the industry loves him, he’s paid his dues, weathered the pitfalls of “heartthrob status” and come out on the other side as one of the most respected and likable men in the industry. The road to Oscar will start this Sunday.

Could Win: Joe Pesci. It’s hard to imagine The Irishman leaving Sunday night empty-handed and by all accounts, Pesci is a revelation in The Irishman. That said, you have to wonder if like Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone last year for The Favourite, he and Pacino will essentially cancel each other out.

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

• Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell
• Annette Bening – The Report
• Laura Dern – Marriage Story
• Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
• Margot Robbie – Bombshell

Will Win: Kathy Bates. Yeah, yeah I know. That’s a “where did that come from” choice. But hear me out. Bates has won a major precursor award coming into Sunday’s night’s ceremony – National Board of Review. And Supporting Categories is often where HFPA voters tend to skirt what is expected and do their own thing. Think Aaron Taylor Johnson winning Supporting Actor for Nocturnal Animals, beating out Mahershala Ali for Moonlight. Bates is a legendary actor who while the movie she’s in may not be perfect, her performance often is.

Could Win: Jennifer Lopez. Ah, J-Lo. It’s been quite a ride to her getting another Golden Globe nomination, more than 20 years after she was nominated for her breakout performance in Selena. There does seem to be some strong buzz behind her at the moment and that momentum could build to a win on Sunday.

Best Director – Motion Picture

• Bong Joon Ho – Parasite
• Sam Mendes – 1917
• Todd Phillips – Joker
• Martin Scorsese – The Irishman
• Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: Bong Joon Ho. The Parasite momentum is coming on strong. Think about Roma last year. And just as Cuaron quickly locked down this category, I have a feeling the same will happen with Bong Joon Ho this year, starting with the Globes.

Could Win: Martin Scorsese. Because it’s Scorsese and The Irishman is one of those big, sweeping, dramatic films he’s known for. Don’t count out a potential Tarantino surprise either.

TELEVISION

Best Television Series – Drama

• Big Little Lies
• The Crown
• Killing Eve
• Morning Show
• Succession

Will Win: The Crown. It has the most nominations in total within this group, including three nods in the individual acting categories. Plus it’s a big sweeping drama about real-life Royalty –something that’s right up HFPA voters’ alley.

Could Win: Succession. Fans of this show have been touting its brilliance for a while now and it seems the various Guilds are finally taking notice. A wave of momentum may be in play, which will culminate in the big prize on Sunday.

Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama

• Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show
• Olivia Colman – The Crown
• Jodie Comer – Killing Eve
• Nicole Kidman – Big Little Lies
• Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show

Will Win: Olivia Colman. I know what all the experts are saying. HFPA, which loves its big stars is not going to let Aniston walk away empty handed. Well the same could have been said last year when Julia Roberts was nominated in this same category for Homecoming. And she lost. Colman is beloved in the industry and again, I have a feeling HFPA voters likely loved The Crown.

Could Win: Jodie Comer. I know most will say that the Globes often don’t do what the Emmys do but not always. See their love for Rachel Brosnahan and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. So with that said, I think, the potential spoiler to Olivia Colman’s winning is Comer, fresh off her Emmy win.

Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama 

• Brian Cox – Succession
• Kit Harrington – Game of Thrones
• Rami Malek – Mr. Robot
• Tobias Menzes – The Crown
• Billy Porter – Pose

Will Win: Rami Malek. Okay, I know what you’re thinking – of course, I picked Malek, who I am an unapologetic huge fan of. However, if I really believed he had no shot, I would admit it. That said, I can’t shake this gut feeling that this is the HFPA’s way of awarding him for a brilliant role that he’s never won a Globe for. Especially as this is their last chance to do so, with the show airing its series finale a few weeks ago. Keep in mind that many considered this nomination a long shot and even maybe impossible, considering how long it had been between seasons, and the show has lost favor with the critics and Guilds, during its last season. So the fact that Rami Malek is even nominated here, cannot be a coincidence in my opinion. But more importantly, if he does win, it will be more than deserved. He was masterful throughout the final season of Mr. Robot.

Could Win: Billy Porter. Billy Porter is certainly having a moment. And the Globes were the first to recognize his brilliant performance on Pose, with a nomination last year. This could be the moment he gets the win.

Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical

• Barry
• Fleabag
• The Kominsky Method
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• The Politician

Will Win: Fleabag. Conventional wisdom will suggest that Fleabag is clearly having a major moment right now and is likely to ride that momentum to a win.

Could Win: The Politician or The Kominsky Method. As we know, HFPA voters have shown numerous times in the past that conventional wisdom isn’t really their thing. So it’s more than possible to see a win for The Politician here (HFPA voters love Ryan Murphy) or a repeat for last year’s winner, The Kominsky Method.

Best Actress in a Television Series – Comedy

• Christina Applegate – Dead to Me
• Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Kirsten Dunst – On Becoming a God in Central Florida
• Natasha Lyonne – Russian Doll
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag

Will Win: Christina Applegate. No idea why, but I just feel like Applegate’s dark comedic performance will be hard to resist for HFPA voters.

Could Win: Kirsten Dunst. Let’s be honest, how many people had even heard of this show before Dunst’s nomination? So the fact that she was able to even get in here for a mostly ignored show, speaks volumes.

Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical

• Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method
• Bill Hader – Barry
• Ben Platt – The Politician
• Paul Rudd – Living With Yourself
• Ramy Youssef – Ramy

Will Win: Paul Rudd. Can I just say how much I adore Paul Rudd? I have since Clueless. But my fondness for him aside, I feel like HFPA voters might see this as a moment for an actor who’s been around for some time, quietly doing brilliant work, but never truly rewarded for said work.

Could Win: Ramy Youssef. Globes love rewarding freshman shows and faces. This may be the category where it’ll happen this year.

Best Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Catch-22
• Chernobyl
• Fosse/Verdon
• The Loudest Voice
• Unbelievable

Will Win: Chernobyl. Traditionally, Limited Series is where the Globes most mirror what happens at the Emmys. See last year’s sweep by American Crime Story, much as it did at the Emmys. And so with that said, I think this is Chernobyl’s to lose.

Could Win: Unbelievable. If Chernobyl is to lose, my money’s on this Netflix sleeper hit that seemed to come out of nowhere, when the nominations were announced. The film received individual acting nominations for all its three lead actresses, which is pretty impressive.

Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

• Kaitlyn Dever – Unbelievable
• Joey King – The Act
• Helen Mirren – Catherine the Great
• Merritt Wever – Unbelievable
• Michele Williams – Fosse/Verdon

Will Win: Michele Williams. I don’t think this category is particularly competitive, to be honest. Therefore I can see Williams continuing her winning streak from the Emmys and winning this easily.

Could Win: Merritt Wever. Considering the overwhelming love for the film, based on the number of nominations it received, a potential upset could happen. That said, you do have to wonder if the actresses will, unfortunately, cancel each other out.

Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

• Christopher Abbott – Catch-22
• Russell Crowe – The Loudest Voice
• Jared Harris – Chernobyl
• Sam Rockwell – Fosse/Verdon
• Sacha Baron Cohen – The Spy

Will Win: Jared Harris. With Jharrel Jerome’s snub in this category, which had many scratching their heads, the door for Harris to pull off the win, is wide open. If the Chernobyl love is strong on Sunday night, expect to see Harris walk away with the win.

Could Win: Sam Rockwell. He’s an Oscar winner, voters clearly seem to love the film and once again, HFPA voters love to go left when everyone expects them to go right.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Patricia Arquette – The Act
• Toni Collette – Unbelievable
• Meryl Streep – Big Little Lies
• Emily Watson – Chernobyl
• Helena Bonham Carter – The Crown

Will Win: Patricia Arquette. I know what all the experts are saying. That this is Bonham Carter’s to lose, especially as she’s 0-8 at the Globes. But I think HFPA voters are going to find it hard to reject Arquette’s brilliantly deranged performance of an abusive mother.

Could Win: Helena Bonham Carter. No, this is not a cop-out on my part. I do think Helena Bonham Carter has a legitimate shot in this category. I just personally still think Arquette will win.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Alan Arkin – The Kominsky Method
• Kieran Culkin – Succession
• Andrew Scott – Fleabag
• Stellan Skarsgard – Chernobyl
• Henry Winkler – Barry

Will Win: Andrew Scott. Fleabag is predicted to have a good night on Sunday and if that is indeed the case, Scott is likely to walk away with the win in this category.

Could Win: Kieran Culkin. Of course, if as I noted above, momentum is strong for Succession, Culkin could be the big winner here.

As for some of the other categories, my money’s on Noah Baumbach to win Best Screenplay for Marriage Story, Parasite to win Best Foreign Language Film, Joker to win Original Score, Elton John and Bernie Taupin to win Original Song (or Beyonce, lol. Wouldn’t that make for a Globe Moment?) and of course Toy Story 4 to likely win Best Animated Feature.

And there you have it. My predictions for this year’s ceremony, coming in just under the wire. I’ll be back after Sunday night’s show to break down all the highs and lows and all the predictions I called incorrectly as well.