The 83rd Golden Globe Awards nominations were unveiled on December 8, 2025, setting the stage for Hollywood's glitzy kickoff to awards season.
Covering the best in film and television from 2025, the list showcases a mix of indie darlings, blockbuster spectacles, and prestige TV staples.
With categories spanning drama, comedy, limited series, and even stand-up comedy, the nominations reflect the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's evolving tastes post-reform.
But as always, the real drama lies in the what-ifs: the shocking inclusions, the clear frontrunners poised for gold, and the glaring omissions that have social media ablaze. Here's our deep dive.
The Frontrunners: Who’s Primed to Shine on January 11?
Frontrunners emerge from films and shows that dominated multiple categories, signaling strong momentum heading into Oscars and Emmys contention.
In film, Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another leads the pack with nominations in Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Best Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn), and Best Supporting Actress (Teyana Taylor).
Its blend of sharp wit and emotional depth positions it as a lock for at least one win, potentially the top musical/comedy prize.
Ryan Coogler's Sinners is another heavyweight in the drama race, earning nods for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Best Original Song ("I Lied to You"), and a spot in Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.
The vampire thriller's critical acclaim and box office haul make it a favorite for the drama crown, with Coogler eyeing his first Globe as director.
Joachim Trier's Norwegian import Sentimental Value also shines brightly, securing Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Non-English Language Film, Best Actress (Renate Reinsve), Best Supporting Actress (Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), and Best Supporting Actor (Stellan Skarsgård).
Its introspective storytelling could propel it to an upset in drama or international categories.
On the TV side, HBO's The White Lotus (Season 3) stormed the drama field with six nominations, including Best Television Series – Drama, three for Supporting Actress (Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Aimee-Lou Wood), and two for Supporting Actor (Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs).
The anthology's satirical bite on wealth and excess makes it the series to beat, especially after its Emmy dominance.
In comedy, FX's The Bear (Season 4) remains a juggernaut with noms for Best Series – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress (Ayo Edebiri), and Best Actor (Jeremy Allen White), building on its prior sweeps.
Hulu's Only Murders in the Building (Season 5) isn't far behind, with three acting nods (Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Martin Short) plus a series bid, its whodunit charm a perennial favorite.
Don't sleep on limited series frontrunners like Netflix's The Beast in Me (Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys) and Apple's The Girlfriend (Robin Wright), both vying for top limited series honors amid a stacked field.
Pre-nomination buzz had pegged One Battle After Another and Sinners as locks, and they've delivered, while The White Lotus exceeded expectations with its haul.
Biggest Surprises: The Nods That Dropped Jaws
The Globes have a reputation for curveballs, and 2026 delivered plenty.
Norwegian actress Eva Victor's nomination for Best Actress in a Drama for Sorry, Baby stunned observers, marking her English-language breakthrough in a field dominated by heavyweights like Jessie Buckley and Julia Roberts.
Critics hail her raw portrayal of grief as "career-defining," but few predicted it'd eclipse more established names.
Jacob Elordi's dual nods—as Supporting Actor in Frankenstein and Lead in Limited Series for The Narrow Road to the Deep North—cement his rising star status, but the Frankenstein inclusion raised eyebrows given the film's mixed reviews.
His brooding intensity apparently won over voters, positioning him as a dark horse in both races.
Natasha Lyonne's comedy actress nod for Poker Face (Season 2) was another head-scratcher, as the procedural's quirky vibe felt more drama-adjacent, but her magnetic presence snagged it over flashier competitors.
In film, Sentimental Value's eight total nominations (a surprise sweep across drama, international, and acting) underscore Trier's quiet mastery, outpacing flashier entries like Wicked: For Good.
And Glen Powell's comedy actor bid for Chad Powers? A rom-com lark that somehow charmed the HFPA, proving underdogs can still sneak in.
The Snubs: Omissions That Sting
No awards list is without its heartbreaks, and 2026's are already fueling think pieces.
The elephant—or rather, the emerald green witch—in the room: Wicked: For Good earned Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, two Original Song nods, and acting noms for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, but zero for Best Musical/Comedy.
Its blockbuster status and fan fervor made the category miss a colossal oversight, relegating it to "popcorn" status despite $1.2 billion in global earnings.
Avatar: Fire and Ash suffered a similar fate, landing in Box Office and a song nom for Miley Cyrus's "Dream as One," but nowhere else—snubbing James Cameron's visual wizardry and a potential directing bid.
Sydney Sweeney's much-hyped turn in Christy vanished entirely, a blow after her tabloid-fueled year; insiders whisper HFPA fatigue with her persona played a role.
TV took hits too: Stranger Things (final season) was blanked in drama, a shocking erasure for its cultural footprint.
Andor's snub from Best Drama Series despite Diego Luna's nod feels like a category misfire, ignoring its Star Wars prestige.
Emily Blunt's lead work in The Smashing Machine got demoted to supporting (where she's nominated), but many argue it deserved drama actress contention alongside Dwayne Johnson.
Wunmi Mosaku's chilling Sinners performance? Criminally overlooked in supporting actress.2871c1
As the ceremony approaches on January 11 at the Beverly Hilton (airing on CBS), these noms promise a night of vindications and vendettas.
Will One Battle After Another dominate, or will a surprise like Sentimental Value steal the spotlight?
One thing's certain: awards season just got a whole lot more unpredictable.
