Here Are The Most Controversial Golden Globes Moments In Recent Years

"They needed me, I didn't need them. Because it wouldn't be meaningful to me," Brendan Fraser said of the Golden Globes in 2023.

The 2024 Golden Globes Awards are set to go ahead live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7. After years of scandals, it's set to look fairly different as it's the first time the awards will happen on CBS and without the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

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So, here's how we got here:

When did controversy with the Golden Globes start?

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There's been controversy around the Globes for decades. But if you want to go for recent history, it's worth noting that the critically-panned movies Burlesque and The Tourist  sparked bribery rumors in 2010 when they were nominated for Best Picture. Host Ricky Gervais even joked that The Tourist was only nominated due to bribes while hosting. 

What happened in 2021 with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association?

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So, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is the voting organization behind the Golden Globes. The 2021 nominations were already facing some controversy, as many well-received Black-led TV shows and movies — including Da 5 Bloods, One Night in Miami..., Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Bridgerton, I May Destroy You, and Judas and the Black Messiah  — were all snubbed in various ways. Comparatively, the show Emily in Paris received two nominations. 

Shortly after the nominees were announced in February 2021, the Los Angeles Times broke a story saying that none of the 87 members of the HFPA were Black. Reports of corruption further surfaced, as another piece claimed that over 30 HFPA members visited the set of Netflix’s Emily in Paris and received a two-night stay at a five-star Peninsula Paris hotel.

Two months later, voter and eight-time HFPA president Philip Berk was expelled by the HFPA for sending an email to voters calling the Black Lives Matter movement a "racist hate movement."

What did the HFPA do to address the controversy?

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Initially, the HFPA announced in May 2021 that they would enact "a roadmap for transformational change in our organization" that would increase diversity within its ranks. The plan was not met well, resulting in boycotts from Netflix, Amazon Studios, and various actors.

What did backlash against the HFPA look like?

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As alluded to in the nifty previous beat, it was pretty gnarly. Celebs like Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo criticized the HFPA. Tom Cruise returned three of his trophies amid protests. NBC canceled the 2022 broadcast. 

Let's talk about what ScarJo said for a moment. In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, she said, “In the past, [attending press conferences] has often meant facing sexist questions and remarks by certain HFPA members that bordered on sexual harassment. It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences. The HFPA is an organization that was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein to amass momentum for Academy recognition, and the industry followed suit."

What happened with Brendan Fraser?

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Remember former president Philip Berk? Brendan accused him of sexually assaulting him in 2003. The actor further alleged that the HFPA subsequently blacklisting him from the industry (Berk denied the allegations). When Brendan was nominated for his role in The Whale in 2023, he subsequently boycotted the event. "I didn't ask to be considered even, that was presumed," Brendan later said. "They needed me, I didn't need them. Because it wouldn't be meaningful to me. Where am I gonna put that hood ornament? What would I do with that?"

Was there a 2022 and 2023 Golden Globes?

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There was a 2022 ceremony, but there was no red carpet, media, or celebs in attendance — and, of course, it wasn't broadcast (shoutout to the shambolic tweets announcing the winners). 

The 2023 ceremony was broadcast by NBC and hosted by Jerrod Carmichael. “I’m here because I’m Black,” the comedian said in his opening monologue. "This show, the Golden Globe Awards, did not air last year because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which I won’t say were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single Black member until George Floyd died. So do with that information what you will.”

Where's the HFPA at now?

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Crucially for the 2024 Globes, the HFPA doesn't exist anymore. Eldridge Industries bought the Golden Globe assets with Dick Clark Productions in June of last year. As Eldridge Industries Chairman and billionaire Todd Boehly previously told the Los Angeles Times, he wanted to “transition the organization from a not-for-profit with no accountability and bad governance to an organization where there is employee-based accountability.” The restructure can be said to be an attempt to restore faith in the Globes after so many scandals. 

So, who votes for the 2024 awards?

You can actually see the full list of voters for yourself on the Golden Globes' website. According to the Globes, 300 journalists across the world make up the voters: "The voting body is 47% female with 60% self-identifying as racially and ethnically diverse: 26.3% Latinx, 13.3% Asian, 11% Black, and 9% Middle Eastern."

Tune in for BuzzFeed's coverage of the Golden Globes this Sunday.