Golden Globes 2020: Female directors snubbed yet again
Golden Globe nominations are in, and yet again, no women were nominated in the directing category.
Some predicted Greta Gerwig would snag a nod for directing "Little Women." Others believed Marielle Heller (“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"), Lorene Scafaria ("Hustlers") and Lulu Wang ("The Farewell") were also strong contenders.
This is the second time in two years that Gerwig failed to pick up an expected Golden Globe nomination for best director; she was also snubbed in 2018 for "Ladybird," for which she later earned an Oscar nod.
That year, Natalie Portman took a stand by announcing the "all-male nominees" for best director at the awards ceremony.
“Who directs feature films matters. It affects what stories are told – and how – with far-reaching implications for women across the film industry and our broader society. That’s why Time's Up Entertainment – in partnership with Stacy Smith, Tessa Thompson, and many others – launched the 4 Percent Challenge, asking individuals and companies to commit to a film led by a female director in the next 18 months," Rebecca Goldman, chief operating officer for the Time's Up Foundation, told "Good Morning America" in a statement. “This year, there have been twice as many women-led features than ever, with more films by female directors on the way. And yet, as today’s nominations show, women – and especially women of color – continue to be pushed to the sidelines by a system that holds women back, onscreen and off."
“The omission of women isn’t just a Golden Globes problem – it is an industry-wide crisis, and it’s unacceptable," she continued. "Time's Up will continue to fight until talented female directors get the opportunities and recognition they deserve.”
Historically, only five women have ever been nominated for best director Golden Globe: Barbra Streisand ("Yentl," "The Prince of Tides"), Jane Campion ("The Piano"), Sofia Coppola ("Lost in Translation"), Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker" and "Zero Dark Thirty") and Ava DuVernay ("Selma"). Only Streisand has won.
A few of the biggest snubs and surprises this year include:
Snubs
Julia Louis-Dreyfus has not seen as much success with the Hollywood Foreign Press as she has with the Television Academy -- she's only won one time, and that was for "Seinfeld" -- but many guessed she would have at least been nominated in the best comedic actress category for the last season of "Veep." Perhaps even more shockingly, the show's final season failed to earn a single nomination.
Another HBO series that was largely left out was "Game of Thrones." The only nomination the show received for its final season was a best actor nod for star Kit Harington.
Although "Schitt's Creek," a cult favorite, picked up three Emmy nominations earlier this year, including one for best comedy, it was also not recognized by the Hollywood Foreign Press.
"Marriage Story" fared better than any other film, earning six nominations, though Noah Baumbach was snubbed for best director.
"The Irishman" wasn't far behind, picking up five nods, but left out was Robert DeNiro for best dramatic actor.
"When They See Us," Netflix's limited series about the Central Park Five, won one Emmy and was nominated for 10 -- but received no love from the Hollywood Foreign Press.
Surprises
Cate Blanchett, a three-time Golden Globe winner, has a chance to pick up her fourth, as she landed a surprise nomination for her role in the film "Where'd You Go, Bernadette."
Todd Phillips, the director of "The Joker," broke into the best director category, and the film landed four nods overall, including best dramatic movie, best dramatic lead actor for Joaquin Phoenix and best score.
Annette Bening picked up a best supporting actress nomination for her role in "The Report."
Ramy Youssef surprised oddsmakers by breaking into the best comedic TV actor category for his role in his show, "Ramy."
Christina Applegate earned a best comedic TV actress nod for her role in the Netflix series "Dead To Me."
Another Netflix series, "The Politician," surprised some by picking up two nominations, including one for its star, Ben Platt.
"Catch-22," from Hulu, earned two nominations in the best TV movie or limited series categories.
