This year, the Golden Globes was hosted by Ricky Gervais, and from the moment he climbed on the stage it was clear that he wouldn’t spare anyone. He warned the Hollywood celebrities to refrain from making any political comments. “If you win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech,” Ricky said in his opening monologue.
He further added that celebrities are in no position to lecture people. “You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything, you know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.”
However, quite a few of the award winners turned a deaf ear to Ricky’s words. Patricia Arquette, who won the Best Supporting Actress for The Act, made a reference to the forthcoming US presidential election. “I am so grateful to be here to celebrate this, but I also know tonight, 5 January, it’s 2020. We are not going to look back on this night. In the history books we will see a country in the brink of war, the United States of America. A president tweeting out a threat of 52 bombs, including cultural sites. Young people risking their lives and travelling across the world, people not knowing if bombs are going to drop on their kids’ heads. We have to give our kids a better world. For our kids and their kids, we have to vote in 2020,” she said.
Other actors touched upon the topic of climate change. Best drama actor winner Joaquin Phoenix praised the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for only serving vegan meals to stars at the ceremony. “I’d like to thank the HFPA for recognizing and acknowledging the link between animal agriculture and climate change,” he said.
“It was a very bold move making tonight plant-based, and it really sends a powerful message.”
Sam Mendes, who won the Best Director (Motion Picture) for 1917, paid a tribute to his grandfather, who fought in World War I, adding that he “fervently hopes [a world war] never, ever happens again.”
Even Michelle Williams, won in the category of Best Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television for Fosse/Verden, said that, “I’ve tried my very best to live a life of my own making... and I wouldn't have been able to do this without employing a woman's right to choose.”
Sacha Baron Cohen did not shy away from alluding to the current state of affairs while presenting Jojo Rabbit. “The hero of my next movie is a naive, misguided child who spreads Nazi propaganda and only has imaginary friends. His name is Mark Zuckerberg.”
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