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). 

2023 Golden Globes Predictions

Image Courtesy Google Images

The Golden Globes are officially back, albeit with an odd Tuesday airdate. The ceremony once dubbed the “biggest party in Hollywood,” is back on air after two years mired in controversy that saw NBC choosing not to air it in 2022. There’s still a huge question mark on whether or not all is forgiven or if a significant segment of the industry remains wary of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). 

It was hard to miss that unlike previous years and compared to other award shows, many of the nominees barely reacted to their nominations. Jerrod Carmichael is this year’s host, a decision that I’m sure some view as a bit of “pandering,” as much of the HFPA’s controversy is intermingled with racial discrimination by the organization. 

Full disclosure, I’m excited to have the ceremony back. I’ve made no secret that the Globes were consistently one of my favorite award show ceremonies. And while I am not dismissing the problematic aspects of the HFPA, as I stated in my blog post addressing the controversy, I believe that much of Hollywood’s reaction to the controversy has been a bit performative. 

That said, with the show back on the air, it’s time for me to make some predictions, half of which will probably be wrong. Because predicting how the HFPA will vote is always a crapshoot, which is half the fun. 

Best Motion Picture, Drama

• Avatar: The Way of Water 
• Elvis
• The Fabelmans 
• Tár 
• Top Gun: Maverick

Will Win – Right off the bat, I’m going to hedge my bets and pick two options. I think the winner will likely be Avatar or Elvis. HFPA loves films like Elvis and are more receptive to Baz Luhrmann’s aesthetic, more so than perhaps the Oscars might be. That said, I also think a big-budget, extravagant production like Avatar is also right up their alley. So my money is on one of these two to take it. 

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy

• Babylon
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Everything Everywhere All at Once
• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
• Triangle of Sadness

Will Win – A few months ago, I would have said this is a lock for The Banshees of Inisherin. However, Babylon appears to have picked up some serious momentum in recent weeks and of course Everything Everywhere All at Once has topped almost every critic’s list in the last year. Still, I’m putting my money on The Banshees of Inisherin to win. 

Best Director, Motion Picture

• James Cameron (“Avatar: The Way of Water”) 
• Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 
• Baz Luhrmann (“Elvis”) 
• Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
• Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”)

Will Win – Another category where I’m going to hedge my bets. A small voice in my head says that the HFPA voters will be swayed by the grandiosity of Avatar and reward James Cameron for pulling it all together. Another little voice however, says they will not be able to resist rewarding a legend like Steven Spielberg for a project that is so deeply personal to him. 

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture

• Tár — Todd Field 
• Everything Everywhere All at Once — Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert 
• The Banshees of Inisherin — Martin McDonagh 
• Women Talking — Sarah Polley 
• The Fabelmans — Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner

Will Win – This category is always a total crapshoot, only because, unlike the other major award shows, Globes do not make a distinction between Original and Adapted Screenplay. A distinction that can often skew the final results. However, since I have to make a prediction, I’m going to say The Banshees of Inisherin will win for a screenplay that is quirky, offbeat, and overall, fun. 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Austin Butler (“Elvis”) 
• Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) 
• Hugh Jackman (“The Son”)
• Bill Nighy (“Living”) 
• Jeremy Pope (“The Inspection”)

Will Win – Let me first say that I still believe the Academy Award will come down to Brendan Fraser versus Colin Farrell. That said, I think Austin Butler is going to take this one. Once again, it’s the type of role that HFPA voters love – think Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody and Taron Edgerton in Rocketman. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Cate Blanchett (“Tár”) 
• Olivia Colman (“Empire of Light”) 
• Viola Davis (“The Woman King”) 
• Ana de Armas (“Blonde”) 
• Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”)  

Will Win – Queen Blanchett will begin her likely run toward a third Oscar. With her toughest challenger, Michelle Yeoh, competing in Comedy or Musical, this is a slam dunk for Cate. 

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

• Lesley Manville (“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”) 
• Margot Robbie (“Babylon”) 
• Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Menu”) 
• Emma Thompson (“Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”) 
• Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 

Will Win – As noted above, with Michelle Yeoh the only one to conceivably pose a real threat to Cate Blanchett’s winning the Oscar for Best Actress, it’s hard to bet against her in this category. A potential spoiler could be Margot Robbie, depending on how big the love for Babylon is. However, I believe this is Yeoh’s to lose. 

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

• Diego Calva (“Babylon”) 
• Daniel Craig (“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”)
• Adam Driver (“White Noise”) 
• Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
• Ralph Fiennes (“The Menu”) 

Will Win – In recent weeks, Colin Farrell has emerged as a heavy favorite to win Best Actor, come Oscar Sunday. We’ll have to wait and see if that comes to fruition, but right now, I’ll say he’s a definite lock to win this category. 

Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture

• Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
• Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
• Brad Pitt (“Babylon”)
• Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 
• Eddie Redmayne (“The Good Nurse”)

Will Win – There’s always a concern about the possibility of splitting votes when two actors from the same film are in a category. I don’t think this will be an issue for Brendan Gleeson, who is still a heavy Oscar favorite. That said, I believe this category may come down to which film the HFPA voters love more – Everything Everywhere All at Once or The Banshees of Inisherin. I know Ke Huy Quan is the oddsmaker’s favorite to win the Oscar, but I think Brendan Gleeson, a legendary actor, will ultimately prevail here. 

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

• Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) 
• Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
• Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 
• Dolly De Leon (“Triangle of Sadness”)
• Carey Mulligan (“She Said”)

Will Win – There were some surprising snubs in this category, namely Claire Foy for Women Talking and Stephanie Hsu for Everything Everywhere All at Once. With those omissions, it is hard to bet against Kerry Condon, a consistent presence in the Supporting Actress race. 

Best Television Series, Drama

• Better Call Saul
• The Crown
• House of the Dragon
• Ozark
• Severance 

Will Win – I always say that HFPA loves quirky, and fresh new shows, which would suggest that Severance is the likely winner. That said, the voters also love big productions, which fall right in the House of the Dragon’s wheelhouse. So which one will it be? My guess; the House of the Dragon will emerge victorious. 

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy

• Abbott Elementary
• The Bear
• Hacks
• Only Murders in the Building
• Wednesday

Will Win – About that whole thing of HFPA voters loving fresh, offbeat, and quirky shows – look for The Bear to pull out the win in this category. That said, I wouldn’t be too shocked by a surprise win in Wednesday’s favor. Because once again, it’s the kind of move that’s right up the HFPA alley. 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama

• Jeff Bridges (“The Old Man”) 
• Kevin Costner (“Yellowstone”)
• Diego Luna (“Andor”)
• Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”)
• Adam Scott (“Severance”)

Will Win – This is an intriguing category. Although I think House of the Dragon will win Best Drama, interestingly, none of the actors from the show were nominated. Yellowstone has been an underrated cult favorite that finally seems to be getting its due. All that said, I think this may come down to Jeff Bridges or Adam Scott. Bridges because he’s a legendary, well-respected actor in a little-watched yet critically acclaimed show, and Scott for being in the aforementioned fresh and quirky new show. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama

• Emma D’Arcy (“House of the Dragon”) 
• Laura Linney (“Ozark”) 
• Imelda Staunton (“The Crown”)
• Hilary Swank (“Alaska Daily”)
• Zendaya (“Euphoria”)

Will Win – Zendaya has been on a winning streak for her performance in Euphoria and that is unlikely to change on Tuesday night.

Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

• Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”) 
• Kaley Cuoco (“The Flight Attendant”) 
• Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”) 
• Jenna Ortega (“Wednesday”) 
• Jean Smart (“Hacks”) 

Will Win – I’m sure you’re all sick of me saying it, but once again, HFPA loves to reward new fresh faces. While this category will consistently be a fight between Jean Smart and Quinta Brunson at all other big award shows, look for Jenna Ortega to pull off the big upset on January 10. 

Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

• Donald Glover (“Atlanta”) 
• Bill Hader (“Barry”) 
• Steve Martin (“Only Murders in the Building”) 
• Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building”) 
• Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”) 

Will Win – There are some big names and heavy hitters in this category. However, the winner will be the underdog, Jeremy Allen White. Like Jenna Ortega, HFPA voters will reward the fresh face (well fresh relative to the other actors who’ve all been in this category before) from the new breakout show. 

Best Supporting Actor, Television

• John Lithgow (“The Old Man”) 
• Jonathan Pryce (“The Crown”) 
• John Turturro (“Severance”) 
• Tyler James Williams (“Abbott Elementary”) 
• Henry Winkler (“Barry”)

Will Win – Lithgow is always a formidable force in any category, so look for him to be the heavy favorite. My guess is this will come down to either him or John Turturro. 

Best Supporting Actress, Television

• Elizabeth Debicki (“The Crown”) 
• Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) 
• Julia Garner (“Ozark”) 
• Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”) 
• Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”) 

Will Win – Personally my vote in this category would go to Janelle James for her always hilarious portrayal of Principal Ava Coleman on Abbott Elementary. That said, I believe this will be an Ozark vs. Hacks battle, with the winner either Hannah Einbinder or Julia Garner. 

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television

• Black Bird
• Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
• The Dropout
• Pam & Tommy
• The White Lotus

Will Win – It’s interesting seeing some of these nominees next to newer, more recent shows. At this point, it almost feels like Pam & Tommy came out two years ago. As lauded as The White Lotus has been, I believe Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story will steal its thunder. One, because it was a popular and hotly-debated limited series, and two, both of Ryan Murphy’s previous limited series in this vein were rewarded by the Globes – The People vs. OJ Simpson and The Assassination of Gianni Versace.  

Best Performance by an Actor, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture made for Television

• Taron Egerton (“Black Bird”) 
• Colin Firth (“The Staircase”) 
• Andrew Garfield (“Under the Banner of Heaven”) 
• Evan Peters (“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”) 
• Sebastian Stan (“Pam & Tommy”) 

Will Win – Whatever one’s personal feelings about the show, no one could deny the career-defining performance Evan Peters delivered in Monster. He will be rewarded for it. 

Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture made for Television

• Jessica Chastain (“George and Tammy”) 
• Julia Garner (“Inventing Anna”) 
• Lily James (“Pam & Tommy”) 
• Julia Roberts (“Gaslit”) 
• Amanda Seyfried (“The Dropout”) 

Will Win – There are certainly some big names in this category. However, I believe HFPA voters will stay the course on this one and give Amanda Seyfried another award to add to her growing trophy cabinet. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture made for Television

• Jennifer Coolidge (“The White Lotus”) 
• Claire Danes (“Fleishman Is in Trouble”) 
• Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Under the Banner of Heaven”) 
• Niecy Nash-Betts (“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”) 
• Aubrey Plaza (“The White Lotus”) 

Will Win – Though not the lead, Niecy Nash-Betts, like Evan Peters, delivered what is to this point, the performance of her career in Monster. She is my favorite to win but depending on how much HFPA is feeling The White Lotus love, Jennifer Coolidge has a strong chance of repeating her Emmy glory. 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture made for Television

• F. Murray Abraham (“The White Lotus”) 
• Domhnall Gleeson (“The Patient”) 
• Paul Walter Hauser (“Black Bird”) 
• Richard Jenkins (“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”) 
• Seth Rogen (“Pam & Tommy”) 

Will Win – This one is a big toss-up for me so I’m going to go with my gut and say Richard Jenkins will win, assuming HFPA voters aren’t as enamored as the Television Academy was by White Lotus. In which case, then F. Murray Abraham will win.

Best Original Score, Motion Picture

• The Banshees of Inisherin — Carter Burwell
• Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio — Alexandre Desplat 
• Women Talking — Hildur Guðnadóttir 
• Babylon — Justin Hurwitz 
• The Fabelmans — John Williams  

Will Win – The Fablemans is the type of film that fits perfectly with a classic John Williams score. And come Tuesday night, it will very likely win.  

Best Picture, Non-English Language

• All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany) 
• Argentina, 1985 (Argentina) 
• Close (Belgium) 
• Decision to Leave (South Korea) 
• RRR (India) 

Will Win – With no clear favorite this year, a la Roma or Parasite a few years ago, this can go many ways. However, RRR is the only nominee that shows up in another category (Original Song), and for that, I’ll go with it as the likely winner. 

Best Original Song, Motion Picture

• “Carolina” from “Where the Crawdads Sing” — Taylor Swift 
• “Ciao Papa” from “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” — Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro 
• “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick” — Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice
• “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” — Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler 
• “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR” — Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj 

Will Win – While it seems like the entire world is currently obsessed with all things Taylor Swift, HFPA has shown that they love Lady Gaga. With the massive success of Top Gun, I see this as the surefire category to show the movie some love. That and also, Hold My Hand is just a freaking awesome song. 

Best Motion Picture, Animated

• Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 
• Inu-Oh
• Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 
• Turning Red

Will Win – Hard to bet against a uniquely constructed film from an Oscar-winning legendary director. Pinnochio is the obvious winner here. 

2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) Predictions

Courtesy Google Images

The virtual 2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) are set to take place this Sunday. Typically one of the shortest of all the major Awards ceremonies, as it only honors acting categories, this year’s ceremony is expected to be even shorter, with some of the categories pre-taped.

Shortened ceremony or not, the SAGs remain one of the most important predictors of what is likely to happen at the Academy Awards (at least in the acting categories). So with that said, here are my predictions for what may occur this Sunday night. This year I’m going back to predicting who I think will win and who I think could win.

FILM

Best Motion Picture Ensemble

• Da 5 Bloods
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Minari
• One Night in Miami
• The Trial of the Chicago 7

Will Win – I am about 80 percent certain that Nomadland is going to win the Academy Award for Best Picture (and its recent Producer’s Guild Award (PGA) win certainly supports that prediction). So the fact that it is not nominated here (though not surprising as Frances McDormand almost single-handedly carries the film) opens up the category perfectly for a The Trial of the Chicago 7 win. And it would be a very deserving win The Trial of the Chicago 7 is the definition of a strong ensemble. From Michael Keaton’s mesmerizing performance in only 10 minutes of screen-time to Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s enigmatic performance as Bobby Seales and Frank Langella’s perfectly odious performance as Judge Hoffman, everyone delivered.

Could Win – There is a very strong sentiment among many critics that although Nomadland is likely to win the Academy Award, Minari is the Best Picture of the year. And even the much-lauded Parasite last year wasn’t able to pull off individual acting nominations for any of the cast. Minari has two. It’s very possible that SAG voters, much like Parasite last year and Black Panther the year before, may view this category as a way to reward a group of actors who were part of a very important and impactful film.

Best Male Actor in a Leading Role

• Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
• Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Anthony Hopkins – The Father
• Gary Oldman – Mank
• Steven Yeun – Minari

Will Win – Chadwick Boseman.

Could Win – Chadwick Boseman. Yeah, this one is a done deal.  While this year’s acting categories haven’t been as predictable as last year’s, with the same four actors sweeping all the major Awards Shows, this is the one category that’s a lock.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

• Amy Adams – Hillbilly Elegy
• Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman
• Frances McDormand – Nomadland
• Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman

Will Win – It’s surprising to me how much of a clusterfuck this category has turned out to be. A few months ago, many would have said this was solidly between Mulligan and McDormand (and I still believe it is). The Golden Globes, as the first major awards of the year, were supposed to clarify which one would likely win. Except the Globes gave the win to Andra Day, who’s not even nominated here. Then Mulligan won the Critics’ Choice only to somehow not even get nominated for a BAFTA (McDormand is). So like I said – clusterfuck. That said, I’m going to stick with the gut on this one, and my gut says this is still Carey Mulligan’s to lose.

Could Win – Well Ms. McDormand of course. It is the foolish man who would ever count Frances McDormand out of any acting category and after all, Nomadland is looking on a path to sweep Director and Picture. A Best Actress win would not be surprising.

Best Supporting Actor

• Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods
• Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
• Jared Leto – The Little Things
• Leslie Odom Jr. – One Night in Miami

Will Win – Daniel Kaluuya looks to be on his way to a deserving award season sweep and I see that continuing this Sunday night. Not only is he deserving of the win but it’s the kind of performance voters love, particularly fellow actors.

Could Win – One can say that it is a bit telling that SAG voters chose to single out Boseman for an individual nomination from the entire cast of Da 5 Bloods. And it would certainly be a powerful way to honor his memory, with a double win. So while I still strongly believe Kaluuya will win, an upset by Chadwick Boseman would not shock me.

Best Supporting Actress

• Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
• Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy
• Olivia Colman – The Father
• Yuh-Jung Youn – Minari
• Helena Zengel – News of the World

Will Win – The biggest clusterfuck of all the acting categories. This one is a doozy. So like the Lead Actress category, the Globes were no help in clarifying things, awarding Jodie Foster the win, who of course, is not nominated. BAFTA was even more useless, with only one of the nominees showing up in their list. And that nominee – Maria Bakalova, who also just happens to have won the Critics’ Choice for Best Supporting Actress. Now just to be clear, these are not the sole reasons why I’m picking her to win here. It’s more so that it’s what my gut is telling me will happen. So Bakalova it is.

Could Win – So I’m seeing a lot of critics predicting a possible win for Glenn Close. It would certainly be interesting, as she’s currently nominated for a Razzie Award for the same performance. I don’t see it. If Bakalova doesn’t win, I have a very strong feeling that voters are going to lean towards Olivia Colman.

TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

• Better Call Saul
• Bridgerton
• The Crown
• Lovecraft Country
• Ozark

Will Win – It’s been all about The Crown this Awards Season and look for that to continue.

Could Win – Probably the only other drama that came close to the buzz of this past season of The Crown was Shonda Rimes’ latest soapy offering, Bridgerton. The show wasn’t perfect by any means but it had many interesting elements that, despite the soapiness, got a lot of people talking about some complex social issues. I could see SAG voters being swayed by the show’s impact and rewarding the cast accordingly.

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

• Dead to Me
• The Flight Attendant
• The Great
• Schitt’s Creek
• Ted Lasso

Will Win – It’s probably a safe bet to go with the obvious and predict that Schitt’s Creek will complete its awards show sweep. Not only has the show been winning everything, but it’s also the finale season, which means the last chance for SAG voters to reward the actors.

Could Win – Ted Lasso is riding a strong high of critical praise and its lead actor, Jason Sudeikis, is the heavy favorite to win Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. So it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility for SAG voters to vote to reward the entire cast.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

• Gillian Anderson – The Crown
• Emma Corrin – The Crown
• Olivia Colman – The Crown
• Julia Garner – Ozark
• Laura Linney – Ozark

Will Win – It’s the battle of The Crown versus Ozark. And I predict The Crown will come out victorious. But which one will it be? So far, Emma Corrin has been cleaning up, as Gillian Anderson’s been safely tucked away in the Supporting category. However, come Sunday night, I think Gillian Anderson’s going to reign supreme. Wonderfully tragic as Corrin’s performance of the late Princess Diana was, Anderson transformed into Margaret Thatcher, complete with prosthetics. It’s the type of performance the voters love.

Could Win – Well, Emma Corrin. Because like I said, this is all about The Crown and particularly, Corrin vs. Anderson. So look to Corrin to possibly continue her winning streak.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

• Jason Bateman – Ozark
• Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us
• Josh O’Connor – The Crown
• Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul
• Rege-Jean Page – Bridgerton

Will Win – Josh O’Connor managed to make an entire internet of Crown watchers loathe him or at least loathe Prince Charles. That’s got to count for something. But in all seriousness, O’Connor was mesmerizing in this season of The Crown, holding his own against a stellar cast of female performers.

Could Win – SAG voters can be a bit erratic when it comes to the television categories, so any one of these men winning wouldn’t shock me. But if I had to make one guess as to the true potential spoiler to O’Connor, it’s likely Jason Bateman.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

• Christina Applegate – Dead to Me
• Linda Cardellini – Dead to Me
• Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant
• Annie Murphy – Schitt’s Creek
• Catherine O’Hara – Schitt’s Creek

Will Win – Catherine O’Hara for the win. I feel like this is one of the many slam dunk categories of the night.

Could Win – A little voice in my head is saying not to sleep on Christina Applegate. I believe that if anyone has a chance to upset O’Hara in this category, it’s Christina Applegate.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

• Nicholas Hoult – The Great
• Dan Levy – Schitt’s Creek
• Eugene Levy – Schitt’s Creek
• Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso
• Ramy Youssef – Ramy

Will Win – It’s all about Jason Sudeikis right now in this category and look to that streak to continue.

Could Win – Depending on how much SAG voters are feeling the Schitt’s Creek love, Dan Levy could just pull out the win. However, I feel like the voters will save their appreciation for the entire cast with the Ensemble category.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

• Cate Blanchet – Mrs. America
• Michaela Cole – I May Destroy You
• Nicole Kidman – The Undoing
• Anya Taylor-Joy – The Queen’s Gambit
• Kerry Washington – Little Fires Everywhere

Will Win – Anya Taylor-Joy has been a force to be reckoned with thus far in this category. But I can’t shake this feeling that SAG voters may swing in a completely different direction and award the win to Michaela Cole for her wildly acclaimed performance in I May Destroy You. Or maybe I’m just trying to be contrary, lol.

Could Win – Well Anya Taylor-Joy of course who most will say is the sure bet in this category.

And there you have it, my predictions for the 2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

2021 Golden Globes Awards Predictions

Ah, the sights and sounds of another Award Season are upon us. And if it feels like the last one was a lifetime ago, on account of the pandemic that took over the world soon after last year’s Academy Awards, rest assured that you’re not alone in that feeling.  Oh and if you’re also wondering just how exactly an Awards Season is going to work within this continuing pandemic, you’re again, not alone. But happen it apparently will. 

And so naturally, it’s only fair that I give my predictions – half of which will likely be wrong but hey, that’s half the fun. Let’s face it, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is kind of nutty and random as hell at times. And so trying to predict what they’ll do is like trying to predict lottery numbers. But man is it fun to try. And so without further ado, here are my predictions for the 2021 Golden Globe Awards.

FILM

Best Motion Picture – Drama                                                              

• The Father
• Mank
• Nomadland
• Promising Young Woman
• The Trial of the Chicago 7

Will Win – I hear the argument that Mank, a Hollywood film about Hollywood, is right up the HFPA’s alley and Nomadland has been one of the most critically acclaimed and lauded films of the year. However, when it comes to the Globes, in particular, I tend to go with the gut and my gut is saying voters are going to swing in the direction of the Aaron Sorkin led The Trial of the Chicago 7. It has all the elements that appeal to voters – it’s based on a real-life event, it features a stellar ensemble cast, and it mixes light humor with real human tragedy. So it’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 for the win.

Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama

• Viola Davis –  Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday
• Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman
• Frances McDormand – Nomadland
• Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman

Will Win – While Ms. Davis is always a formidable opponent in any acting category, unfortunately, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was more Chadwick Boseman’s vehicle than hers. And while I’m glad the Shia Lebouf scandal has not hurt Vanessa Kirby’s deserving award nominations, I don’t see her pulling off the win. And Andra Day, let’s be honest, is in the “just happy to be nominated” spot. This means that this is likely a battle between Frances McDormand and Carey Mulligan. And while it may seem foolish to ever bet against a powerhouse like McDormand, I’m putting my money on Mulligan’s darkly twisted performance in Promising Young Woman to take this.

Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama

• Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
• Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Anthony Hopkins – The Father
• Gary Oldman – Mank
• Tahar Rahim – The Mauritanian

Will Win – It’s going to be bittersweet when Chadwick Boseman posthumously receives his first-ever Golden Globe award. Now let me be very clear, having seen Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, this will not be a “we’re sad that you’re dead, so we’re giving you this award”. Boseman delivered a stellar and utterly devastating performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and deserves to be lauded accordingly. The only potential spoiler to this is if HFPA voters turn out to love Mank even more than we imagine, and award Gary Oldman.

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical

• Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
• Hamilton
• Palm Springs
• Music
• The Prom

Will Win – I know what all the pundits are saying – that there’s no way the HFPA voters will resist awarding one of the most critically acclaimed and lauded musicals in recent years. I don’t buy it though. I believe when you factor social relevancy, along with critical buzz and acclaim, it’s hard to bet against Borat. So Borat it is for me.

Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical

• Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
• Kate Hudson – Music
• Michelle Pfeiffer – French Exit
• Rosamund Pike – I Care A Lot
• Anya Taylor-Joy – Emma

Will Win – This may be one of the more slam dunk categories of the night. It’s not easy to steal the attention away from Sacha Baron Cohen when he’s being his most outrageous. But that’s exactly what Maria Bakalova did, seemingly coming out of nowhere to own the Borat sequel. Bakalova for the win.

Best Actor – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical

• Sacha Baron Cohen – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
• James Corden – The Prom
• Lin-Manuel Miranda – Hamilton
• Dev Patel – The Personal History of David Copperfield
• Andy Samberg – Palm Springs

Will Win – With a double nomination, it seems a safe bet to go with Baron Cohen, as he’s unlikely to win Supporting Actor. However, a little nagging voice is telling me to not sleep on Dev Patel here. So I’ll play it safe and predict Sacha Baron Cohen for the win, but won’t be too surprised if Dev Patel pulls off a surprise win.

Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture

• Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy
• Olivia Colman – The Father
• Jodie Foster – The Mauritanian
• Amanda Seyfried – Mank
• Helena Zengel – News of the World

Will Win – HFPA voters love Olivia Colman. That’s obvious by now. And judging by the number of nominations it received, they are obviously fans of The Father. So it’s hard to bet against Colman. I hear the overwhelming arguments in Seyfried’s favor and I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if she won but I’m going to go with the gut on this one and say Olivia Colman for the win.

Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture

• Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
• Jared Leto – The Little Things
• Bill Murray – On the Rocks
• Leslie Odom Jr. – One Night in Miami

Will Win – Another category with a clear favorite. It’s hard to bet against Kaluuya here, who delivers an electrically mesmerizing performance as the late Black Panther activist, Fred Hampton. On a personal note, while I like Sacha Baron Cohen and loved The Trial of the Chicago 7, were it up to me, I’d have singled out Yahya Abdul-Mateen II instead, for his brilliant performance of Bobby Seale.

Best Director

• Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
• David Fincher – Mank
• Regina King – One Night in Miami
• Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Chloe Zhao – Nomadland

Will Win – First, score one for diversity and women’s power as for the first time in Globes history, three women are nominated in the Director category. Saying this, a tiny part of me feels for Fincher who is way overdue in my opinion for a Director win. As to who will win, it certainly seems like Regina King is a sure bet in any category she’s ever nominated in. But I can’t imagine even she’s this much of a badass to pull this off and so I’m going to go with the consensus on this, and what the early predictors have shown, and pick Chloe Zhao to take it home.

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language

• Another Round
• La Llorona
• The Life Ahead
• Minari
• Two of Us

Will Win – The last few years have been pretty straightforward in the Foreign Language category. Think Roma and of course, Parasite. And this year is likely shaping up to be no different. Look to Minari to take this and ride the wave to the Academy Awards.

Best Animated

• The Croods: A New Age
• Onward
• Over the Moon
• Soul
• Wolfwalkers

Will Win – Admittedly, since I haven’t been as invested in the animated films this year, I’ll defer to the pundits on this one and go with Soul, as that seems to be the overwhelming consensus.

TELEVISION

Best Television Series – Drama

• The Crown
• Lovecraft Country
• The Mandalorian
• Ozark
• Ratched

Will Win – The Crown was always going to be a heavy favorite in this category, but I believe this latest season in particular and all the buzz it generated, has made this win an almost sure thing. But of course, it is the Globes, so don’t be surprised when the unexpected happens. Still, I’m putting my money on The Crown.

Best Actress – Television Drama

• Olivia Colman – The Crown
• Jodie Comer – Killing Eve
• Emma Corrin – The Crown
• Laura Linney – Ozark
• Sarah Paulson – Ratched

Will Win – Yes, HFPA voters love Olivia Colman but the particular breakout of The Crown’s much buzzed about season, was Corrin. And so it’s hard to bet against here. That said, if there is potential for an upset, we should watch out for Paulson. It’s clear that HFPA voters were more in love with Ratched than many critics and that may sway the votes Paulson’s way.

Best Actor – Television Drama

• Jason Bateman – Ozark
• Josh O’Connor – The Crown
• Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul
• Al Pacino – Hunters
• Matthew Rhys – Perry Mason

Will Win – This one is a toss-up for me. I don’t feel like there’s a clear favorite here and so it can go either way. My feeling is that it may be a battle between Al Pacino because HFPA voters love awarding legendary actors in television categories and Matthew Rhys, who has gotten incredible buzz for his performance in the Perry Mason reboot.

Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical

• Emily in Paris
• The Flight Attendant
• The Great
• Schitt’s Creek
• Ted Lasso

Will Win – Schitt’s Creek appears to be riding an incredible wave, much like Fleabag did a year ago and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel the previous two years, and so it’s hard to bet against them. Would be hilarious if Emily in Paris pulls out the shocking win, if for no other reason than for the outraged reactions it should illicit. But yeah, I’m going with Schitt’s Creek.

Best Actress – Television Comedy or Musical

• Lily Collins – Emily in Paris
• Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant
• Elle Fanning – The Great
• Jane Levy – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
• Catherine O’Hara – Schitt’s Creek

Will Win – Continuing on the assumption that Schitt’s Creek is going to continue riding the high that began at last year’s Primetime Emmy Awards, I’m going to say this is going to be a win for Catherine O’Hara. Possible spoiler – Kaley Cuoco, who’s a double nominee as an executive producer of her show, The Flight Attendant.

Best Actor – Television Comedy or Musical

• Don Cheadle – Black Monday
• Nicholas Hoult – The Great
• Eugene Levy – Schitt’s Creek
• Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso
• Ramy Youssef – Ramy

Will Win – The Globes don’t often do repeat winners, so that reduces Ramy Youssef’s chances. Once again, this could very likely turn into an Emmy’s repeat of a clean sweep for Schitt’s Creek and Eugene Levy’s gets the win. But a little voice in my head is saying to not count out Jason Sudeikis. So head says Levy, but the gut is saying Sudeikis.

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Normal People
• The Queen’s Gambit
• Small  Axe
• The Undoing
• Unorthodox

Will Win – Before there was Bridgerton, the biggest buzz surrounding Netflix, was all about The Queen’s Gambit. Which sucks for Normal People who I suspect had this in the bag, were it not for the former. I still think it’s a tight race though. While I believe Anya Taylor-Joy’s win for Leading Actress in a Limited Series is a done deal, I still think there’s the possibility of a Normal People win here. So I’m going to be a coward and play it safe and say Normal People or The Queen’s Gambit for the win.

Best Actress – Limited Series or Made for Television Movie

• Cate Blanchett – Miss America
• Daisy Edgar-Jones – Normal People
• Shira Haas – Unorthodox
• Nicole Kidman – The Undoing
• Anya Taylor-Joy – The Queen’s Gambit

Will Win – Talk about a category with some heavy hitters. However, it won’t matter. This one is a slam dunk for Anya Taylor-Joy.

Best Actor – Limited Series or Made for Television Movie

• Bryan Cranston – Your Honor
• Jeff Daniels – The Comey Rules
• Hugh Grant – The Undoing
• Ethan Hawke – The Good Lord Bird
• Mark Ruffalo – I Know This Much is True

Will Win – This is another category that feels like a toss-up for me where any one of these men could win and I wouldn’t be particularly surprised. But if I go by my gut, which for the record, has steered me wrong many times when it comes to the Globes, (because did I mention that they’re very unpredictable), I’d say this may come down to Bryan Cranston or Mark Ruffalo.

Best Supporting Actress – Series, Limited Series or Made for Television Movie

• Gillian Anderson – The Crown
• Helena Bonham Carter – The Crown
• Julia Garner – Ozark
• Annie Murphy – Schitt’s Creek
• Cynthia Nixon – Ratched

Will Win – Gillian Anderson was Margaret Thatcher. Do I need to say any more? Yeah, Gillian Anderson’s got this one in the bag.

Best Supporting Actor – Series, Limited Series or Made for Television Movie

• John Boyega – Small Axe
• Brendan Gleeson – The Comey Rule
• Dan Levy – Schitt’s Creek
• Jim Parsons – Hollywood
• Donald Sutherland – The Undoing

Will Win – The pundits seem to be leaning toward John Boyega, which would be a nice win for him. But it’s hard for me to dismiss a legendary actor like Donald Sutherland in a category like this. It’s just the type of category where HFPA voters will swing more in the favor of an industry legend like Sutherland.

2020 SAG Awards Predictions

The Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG), the second major pre-Oscar ceremony, takes place this coming Sunday night. And with Oscar nominations officially announced a few days ago, it will be interesting to see if that plays a part in some of the night’s winners (or not).

For example, theoretically, we could say Jennifer Lopez now has zero shot of winning Supporting Actress, as she didn’t even get the Oscar nomination many were certain she would. Except not really, as we have seen SAG voters repeatedly award nominees, particularly in the Supporting categories, who didn’t get an Oscar nomination. See Emily Blunt last year for A Quiet Place and Idris Elba a few years ago for Beasts of No Nation.

So Sunday night’s ceremony may prove to be a night of little to no surprises or it could shake up this year’s Award Season dramatically. My gut feeling – I think the major acting categories are all but sewn up for this year’s Oscars. So without further ado, here are my predictions for who will win.

Yes, I’m being really brave here and simply doing a “Will Win” versus a “Will” and “Could” Win. If I’m wrong, so be it. I expect to be wrong about a lot of these, particularly for the television categories which in itself is a giant cluster of “WTAF…” But that’s for a whole separate rant.

MOVIES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role 

• Christian Bale – Ford v Ferrari
• Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
• Adam Driver – Marriage Story
• Taron Egerton – Rocketman
• Joaquin Phoenix – Joker

Will Win – Joaquin Phoenix. I think this one will be an Award Season sweep. This may have seemed unlikely just a month or two ago, as Phoenix did not pick up any Critics’ precursor awards. They all went to a combination of Antonio Banderas, with Driver often a runner-up and of course, Adam Sandler won the National Board of Review. But the same could have been said about Rami Malek last year and he too, all but swept, losing only the Critics Choice to Christian Bale, which was no surprise considering the critical reception to Bohemian Rhapsody. However, Phoenix just won the Critics Choice, which were presented this past Sunday night. So yeah, it definitely feels like it’s his moment.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

• Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)
• Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story)
• Lupita Nyong’o (Us)
• Charlize Theron (Bombshell)
• Renee Zellweger (Judy)

Will Win – Renee Zellweger. Much like Joaquin Phoenix, it appears that this will likely be an Awards Season sweep for Zellweger. She has quite literally not lost a single thing she’s been nominated for, for her role in Judy. It’s hard to bet against her at this point.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

• Jamie Foxx – Just Mercy
• Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• Al Pacino – The Irishman
• Joe Pesci – The Irishman
• Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win – Because it’s SAG and as I noted above, they seem to love doing something crazy in the Supporting categories, watch this one go to Jamie Foxx. Just kidding (though not completely)… Even though yes, SAG can be unpredictable at times, I’m still going to call this one for Brad Pitt.  Get those Awards Brad…

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role 

• Laura Dern – Marriage Story
• Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit
• Nicole Kidman – Bombshell
• Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
• Margot Robbie – Bombshell

Will Win – Okay, now this is where I do think there may be a surprise win and I think it will be Scarlett Johansson for Jojo Rabbit. It’s not because she’s a double nominee that I think she’s guaranteed to win in at least one of the categories. Because we have seen multiple actors and actresses receive double nominations and lose in both categories (still love you, Amy Adams). But I can’t help feeling like there’s a bit of a late-season push for Johansson, particularly in this category, as Actress seems much tougher with Renee’s stranglehold there. It’s more than likely I’ll be wrong but I wouldn’t be surprised if an upset happens and Dern loses here, whether it’s to Johansson or someone else.

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 

• Bombshell
• The Irishman
• Jojo Rabbit
• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
• Parasite

Will Win – This is a tough one. I could see The Irishman winning, just as a way of awarding such a legendary group of actors. And I would love to see Parasite take it, especially as none of the individual acting performances from the film have been singled out for recognition by the various Guilds. However, gut tells me it’s going to be Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which I think will be another push towards the film ultimately winning Best Picture at The Oscars. Yes, I am aware many SAG Ensemble winners don’t win Best Picture – see Black Panther last year, then Hidden Figures, American Hustle, etc. However, I do feel like there’s a crazy momentum around Once Upon a Time right now, which is a bit surprising, considering the film came out back in June of last year.

TELEVISION 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

• Mahershala Ali – True Detective
• Russell Crowe – The Loudest Voice
• Jared Harris – Chernobyl
• Jharrel Jerome – When They See Us
• Sam Rockwell – Fosse/Verdon

Will Win – Crowe is coming off a big win at The Golden Globes, so hard to dismiss him. However, Jerome who won the Emmy in this category was of course not even nominated at the Globes. But he’s back in the mix and it’s hard to bet against him, especially since he also just won the Critics Choice for the same category. So I’m going with Jharrel Jerome for this one.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries 

• Patricia Arquette – The Act
• Toni Collette – Unbelievable
• Joey King – The Act
• Emily Watson – Chernobyl
• Michelle Williams – Fosse/Verdon

Will Win – This is a tough one to call. Because SAG does not do Supporting for the Television categories, Williams and Arquette are going head to head here and both have previously won every time in their respective category. So conventional wisdom would say this is between the two. Which way will the voters go – honestly, hard to say? So I’m going to err on the side of caution with this one and predict Michelle Williams OR Patricia Arquette, for who will win. Now watch and the award goes to Emily Watson or Toni Collette instead.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series 

• Sterling K. Brown – This is Us
• Steve Carell – The Morning Show
• Billy Crudup – The Morning Show
• Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones
• David Harbour – Stranger Things

Will Win – And this category right here is a perfect representation of the WTAF I stated above, regarding the television categories. I mean just why, with so many of the nominees here. My genuine feelings to Who Will Win is a complete “who cares”. But screw it, I guess I need to make a prediction. So whatever, I’ll go with Peter Dinklage. Why – well he’s won a bunch of Emmys and a Globe for his role on Game of Thrones. And he has been nominated here numerous times but never won and it’s his last chance for the win, as the series wrapped last year. So, Dinklage, it is.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

• Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show
• Helena Bonham Carter – The Crown
• Olivia Colman – The Crown
• Jodie Comer – Killing Eve
• Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale

Will Win – Poor Elisabeth Moss, she’s been so lauded and awarded for her role in The Handmaid’s Tale, winning both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance and yet, every time she’s been thwarted at the SAG Awards. Twice it was by Claire Foy, for her performance of Queen Elizabeth in The Crown. And something tells me another version of that performance will win again on Sunday night. That is Olivia Colman for her performance on The Crown. The industry seems to really love Olivia Colman and I could absolutely see that translating to a win here. I would not be totally surprised though if the most recent Emmy winner, Jodie Comer, pulls off the win.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 

• Alan Arkin – The Kominsky Method
• Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method
• Bill Hader – Barry
• Andrew Scott – Fleabag
• Tony Shalhoub – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Will Win – SAG voters’ love repeating winners in this category (remember Alec Baldwin’s string of wins for 30 Rock, followed by William H. Macy’s stranglehold for Shameless). So by that token, Shalhoub would seem the likely winner here. But what the hell, I’ll throw a bone to Hader, who did just recently win the Emmy for his performance in Barry.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

• Christina Applegate – Dead to Me
• Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Catherine O’Hara – Schitt’s Creek
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag

Will Win – I can’t think of anyone having a bigger moment right now in entertainment, particularly with regards to television than Phoebe Waller-Bridge. And every time I’ve underestimated her, she’s won. So it’s probably high time I just give in and predict her for a win. So there you go – my prediction for this category is Waller-Bridge. Now of course, with my luck, Brosnahan will pull a repeat.

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

• Big Little Lies
• The Crown
• Game of Thrones
• The Handmaid’s Tale
• Stranger Things

Will Win – Again, do I even care? Not really. I can see a scenario where voters would love to award La Streep something, and so Big Little Lies wins this. Game of Thrones had a final season (a meh one if you ask many but let’s not focus on that at the moment) so it could be a nice send-off. The Crown delivered collectively a strong group of performances so it too could win here. Meanwhile, there is The Handmaid’s Tale, which although highly critically acclaimed, has never won here. And I have no clue why Stranger Things is even nominated. So a total toss-up and therefore, I kid you not, I’m literally going to make a prediction based off a random draw. And so drumroll, please…And I got number 5, which means Stranger Things it is. Well why not.

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

• Barry
• Fleabag
• The Kominsky Method
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Schitt’s Creek

Will Win – Fleabag. Because hell, it’s won everything else, so why not?

And there you have it, my predictions for this year’s Screen Actors Guild 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.