The 2026 Golden Globe Awards ceremony unfolded as a glittering spectacle, honouring the finest in global entertainment with a mix of predicted triumphs and surprising victories. This year's event marked a significant expansion, becoming the first major awards show to formally recognise excellence in podcasting alongside its traditional film and television categories. Comedian Nikki Glaser presided over the evening's festivities, returning as host for a consecutive second time.
Major Motion Picture Winners Take the Spotlight
The night's top honours were swept by a few key productions. Leonardo DiCaprio's historical drama 'One Battle After Another' emerged as a major force, clinching the coveted Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy award. The film's creator, Paul Thomas Anderson, also secured dual wins for Best Director and Best Screenplay. In the dramatic category, the film 'Hamnet' secured the Best Motion Picture Drama prize.
Animated cinema saw a standout winner in Netflix's 'KPop Demon Hunters', which was named Best Motion Picture – Animated. The film's original song, "Golden," also won its category. The newly established Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award, now in its third year at the Globes, went to the Warner Bros. blockbuster 'Sinners', which also won for Best Original Score thanks to composer Ludwig Göransson.
Television and New Podcast Category Celebrate Diverse Stories
The television categories spread recognition across a range of genres and platforms. 'The Pitt' won Best Television Series - Drama, while 'The Studio' took home Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy. The limited series format was dominated by Philip Barantini's 'Adolescence', which won its category and saw acting awards for Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Owen Cooper.
In a historic first for the Golden Globes, the Best Podcast award was presented to 'Good Hang With Amy Poehler'. This inclusion signalled the awards body's adaptation to evolving storytelling mediums. The stand-up comedy special award went to Ricky Gervais for his show 'RICKY GERVAIS: MORTALITY'.
Acting Honors Recognize Global and Veteran Talent
The acting awards highlighted both international and seasoned performers. Wagner Moura won Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for the Brazilian film 'The Secret Agent', which also won Best Non-English Language Film. Jessie Buckley was named Best Actress in a Drama for 'Hamnet'.
In the musical or comedy film categories, Timothée Chalamet won for 'Marty Supreme' and Rose Byrne for 'If I Had Legs I’d Kick You'. Veteran actress Jean Smart continued her winning streak for 'Hacks', and Rhea Seehorn won for 'Pluribus'. The supporting film acting awards went to Teyana Taylor for 'One Battle After Another' and Stellan Skarsgård for 'Sentimental Value'.
The 2026 Golden Globes successfully balanced celebrating mainstream box office hits through its special achievement category while also honouring artistic merit across drama, comedy, animation, and international cinema, all while embracing the new frontier of podcast entertainment.
