The 74th Golden Globe Awards Sunday night kicked off with a nod to”La La Land.”
Host Jimmy Fallon enlisted some famous friends and nominees including Nicole Kidman, John Travolta and Amy Adams to recreate the critically acclaimed musical’s opening scene in a taped segment.
With seven nominations, the musical motion picture starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling is leading at this year’s Golden Globe Awards in the film categories. And if the opening was any indication, it could be a big night for the film.
Fallon’s monologue included some political humor — noting the Globes is “one of the few places left that still honors the popular vote”– and a small snafu.
“Already the teleprompter is down, so this is a great way to start the show,” Fallon said right off the bat.
The first award of the night went to for best supporting actor in a motion picture to Aaron Taylor-Johnson for his work in “Nocturnal Animals.”
There was also history made early on in the night.
Tracee Ellis Ross won for best actress in a musical or comedy TV series. She became the first black woman to win in that category since Debbie Allen won for “Fame” in 1983.
“This is for all of the women, women of color and colorful people whose stories, ideas, thoughts are not always considered worthy, valid and important,” Ross said. “But I want you to know I see you. We see you.”
Newbie “Atlanta” won for best musical or comedy TV series.
“This is incredible,” exclaimed creator and star Donald Glover after his show, which has a majority black cast, won. “I really just want to thank Atlanta and all the black folks in Atlanta. For real, just for being alive…and being amazing people. I couldn’t be here without Atlanta.”
FX’s “People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” held the most TV category nominations and won for best TV movie/limited series. Sarah Paulson, who portrayed prosecutor Marcia Clark, picked up a statuette for her performance in the series.
The Golden Globe Awards are voted on by about 90 entertainment journalists who make up the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).
Eight-time Golden Globe winner Meryl Streep will be honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in the film industry.
“Meryl’s enthralling body of work across a diverse set of genres has made her a role model over the past 40 years, and she will continue to do so for generations to come,” Lorenzo Soria, the President of the HFPA, said of Streep.
Streep, 67, has received 30 Golden Globe nominations throughout her career — more than any other performer.
The show is sure to also pause to memorialize the many stars lost in the past year, most recently Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher.