Golden Globes 2020: A full recap of what you missed
The awards have been handed out, the champagne has been sipped and the 2020 Golden Globes are officially behind us.
From the zingers from host Ricky Gervais -- was anything or anyone off limits? -- to the sweet and serious acceptance speeches, it was a night to remember for some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Here's a recap of the night's most talked about moments.
1. Ricky Gervais takes aim at Hollywood: Ricky Gervais joked that because this would be the last time he hosted the Golden Globes -- he'd been at the helm four times previously -- he wasn't holding back, and he didn't. Although he skewered everyone from Felicity Huffman to Leonardo DiCaprio to Dame Judi Dench, perhaps his most blistering commentary was directed toward the audience at large. "If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech," he said. "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 [17-year-old environmentalist] Greta Thunberg. So if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent and your god, and f--k off."
2. And yet, a few stars did get political: Although the majority of speeches focused solely on the honor of winning, a few celebrities used their time on stage to speak to issues that matter to them. "The Act"'s Patricia Arquette, who won best supporting actress in a limited series or TV movie, mentioned the United States' heightening tensions with Iran and the Australian wildfires in a plea to viewers to give the next generation a "better world." "We have to vote in 2020 and we have to beg and plead for everyone we know to vote in 2020," she said. Soon after, "Fosse/Verdon" star Michelle Williams, the winner of the best actress in a limited series or TV movie honor, spoke out about women's reproductive rights. Williams said that she's tried to live a life "that I carved with my own hand, and I wouldn't have been able to do this without employing a woman's right to choose." "I know my choices might look different than yours, but thank god for whoever you pray to that we live in a country founded on the principle that I am free to live by my faith and you are free to live by yours," she added. And although "The Loudest Voice" star Russell Crowe skipped the ceremony to remain at home in Australia, where fires are ravaging the country, he sent in a statement about the importance of preserving the environment. "Make no mistake: The tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change based," he wrote. "We need to act based on science, move our global workforce to renewable energy and respect our planet for the unique and amazing place it is. That way we all have a future."
3. Ellen DeGeneres and Tom Hanks win hearts: Two of Hollywood's most popular personalities, Ellen DeGeneres and Tom Hanks, picked up the Carol Burnett Award and the Cecil B. DeMille Award, respectively, making for two of the night's most heartwarming moments. "Saturday Night Live" comedian Kate McKinnon introduced DeGeneres, noting that she made her feel more comfortable about coming out as gay. "In 1997, when Ellen’s sitcom was at the height of its popularity, I was in my mother’s basement lifting weights in front of the mirror and thinking, ‘Am I … gay?’ And I was," McKinnon said. "And I still am. But that’s a very scary thing to suddenly know about yourself. It’s sort of like doing 23 and Me and discovering that you have alien DNA. And the only thing that made it less scary was seeing Ellen on TV." DeGeneres was touched by McKinnon's words, and said that having that type of impact on others was the most gratifying part of her job. "The real power of television for me is not that people watch my show, but people watch my show and then they're inspired to go out and do the same thing in their own lives," she said. "They make people laugh or be kind or help someone that's less fortunate than themselves." Meanwhile, Hanks grew emotional when accepting his award, tearfully acknowledging his wife, actress Rita Wilson, and stating that his four children are "braver and stronger and wiser than their old man." "I can't tell you how much your love means to me," he said.
4. "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" wins big: "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," a film that's been largely regarded as director and writer Quentin Tarantino's love letter to Los Angeles, had the most successful night of any film or television show, winning three of the five awards for which it was nominated: best screenplay for Tarantino, best supporting comedic actor for Brad Pitt, and best comedic film. Pitt earned a standing ovation, and went on to make jokes that had the audience in stitches. Other films that won more than one Golden Globe were "1917," "Joker," and "Rocketman"; television shows that earned two were "Chernobyl," "Fleabag," and "Succession."
5. Awkwafina makes history: "The Farewell" star Awkwafina became the first actress of Asian descent ever to win best actress in a musical or comedy, a fact she called "pretty mind-blowing." "It feels incredible," she said backstage. "I hope this is just the beginning."
