To misquote 鈥淎 Star Is Born,鈥� awards shows were far from shallow in 2018. Many confronted sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry head on, but as a new year kicks off with the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday one question lingers: Will it continue for another year?
For an event that鈥檚 more known for its boozy moments than promoting social causes, the Golden Globe Awards went all in as the first major show of the #MeToo era last year. It embraced the newly formed Time鈥檚 Up Legal Defence Fund , the red carpet was overtaken by a symbolic sea of black dresses, major stars walked proudly alongside activist leaders, Oprah Winfrey gave a barn-burner of a speech about empowerment and Natalie Portman even got in a jab about the all-male directing nominees while presenting the best director award.
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Every televised and non-televised event to come had to take the stage in the shadow of the Globes, and all did so in their own way, sometimes with jokes and sometimes with statements: The Screen Actors Guild had all-female presenters, guests wore white roses at the Grammys and the Oscars gave a spotlight to Time鈥檚 Up leaders and Harvey Weinstein accusers Ashley Judd, Salma Hayek, and Annabella Sciorra.
But this year will be different. With just days to show time, there are no major statements or demonstrations planned for the Golden Globes show or the red carpet, and it could very well set the tone for what鈥檚 to come with the other awards shows.
鈥淭his year, there鈥檚 no sense of urgency the way there was last year,鈥� said Steve Pond, awards editor for The Wrap. 鈥淏y the same token, there is a sense of 鈥榳e can鈥檛 go back.鈥欌��
Subjects like equality and inclusiveness are now permanent fixtures of awards show discourse, Pond said, and their absence from topics discussed on stage would be 鈥渃onspicuous.鈥�
鈥淏ut the business of everybody wearing black, I think that was kind of a one-time thing until something else that cataclysmic happens and needs to be addressed,鈥� Pond said.
Hosts Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh have said that they don鈥檛 necessarily intend to get political on Sunday night, but will leave the door open for anyone who wants to use their platform to do so. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Samberg said he thinks 鈥減eople could use a little smile.鈥�
鈥淣ot to ignore anything, but we spend so much time every day wallowing in a lot of things that are happening in?our world that are really depressing, and with good reason 鈥� that stuff needs to be paid attention to 鈥� but there鈥檚 also power to being positive and celebratory in the tougher times as well,鈥� Samberg said.
Oh added: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 shallow?to 1) have fun and 2) be honestly celebratory鈥�. What I鈥檓 interested in is pointing to actual real change.鈥�
The 鈥渃hange鈥� Oh referenced includes the cultural phenomena of films like 鈥淏lack Panther,鈥� nominated for three awards (best drama, best original score and best original song) and 鈥淐razy Rich Asians,鈥� nominated for best musical or comedy and best actress (Constance Wu).
In other words, this year it鈥檒l be up to the individual to make a statement. Wendy Shanker, an awards show writer who has also written speeches for individual Oscar winners, marveled at the way the actresses in Time鈥檚 Up took control of the 鈥渁wards season narrative鈥� at the Globes last year.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know that they necessarily need to do the same thing this year. But I do believe that you will see many of the women and men on stage referencing #MeToo, referencing the shift in our culture,鈥� Shanker said.
That also goes for presenters and guests.
鈥淚 think they will book people who have strong vocal public personas,鈥� said Shanker. 鈥淧roducers know that鈥檚 what keeps a show interesting and I think audiences are engaged by the players of social media who have something to say beyond the performances.鈥�
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Jessica Chastain is one of those who was just announced as a presenter for the show. The Oscar-nominated actress has established herself as a leading activist voice for equal pay and representation in Hollywood and has not been shy about making statements.
鈥淚 think people will still have a lot of fun 鈥�. people will be looking for fun and glamour,鈥� Shanker said. 鈥�(But) the Globes were always 鈥榯he party鈥� and now this is 鈥榯he party with a message.鈥� It鈥檚 a protest party.鈥�
And Pond said it makes for a more interesting and powerful show.
鈥淚n a way the Globes are kind of uniquely suited to doing that because nobody really cares who wins,鈥� Pond said. 鈥淵ou can put the focus on something else and it鈥檚 fine.鈥�
Also, for groups like Women in Film, a non-profit organization that advocates for and advances the careers of women in entertainment, having someone like Winfrey speak about #MeToo and Time鈥檚 Up on a national platform is undeniably important and has a ripple effect on the culture.
鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 have seen the changes we have this year, for example Les Moonves getting fired, if it weren鈥檛 for the consistent media attention on the issue,鈥� said Kirsten Schaffer, Executive Director of Women In Film, LA. 鈥淣ext up (is) bringing this same attention to gender parity, because when more women are in power there is less sexual harassment and abuse.鈥�
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
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