CAA’s Kevin Huvane and Meryl Streep
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“It’s a party in there,” The Holdovers star Da’Vine Joy Randolph said upon making it backstage to the press room after becoming the first Golden Globe winner of the night. She was right, too, as Hollywood’s party of the year went down inside the Beverly Hilton, and a proper bash translates to an overload of action both onscreen and behind the scenes as Golden Globe winners, nominees and guest mingled inside the hotel’s international ballroom by the hundreds. Though the telecast aired for a first time on CBS and Paramount+, cameras could not capture all the noteworthy moments. Below is a wrap-up of some things you didn’t see on television.
Keeping Up With Timothée and Kylie
Timothée Chalamet, nominated for his starring turn in the big-screen musical Wonka, turned up at the big show alongside girlfriend Kylie Jenner in a showing that marked the couple’s first awards show appearance together. They were spotted huddling next to one another before the Golden Globes started near a back corner of the Beverly Hilton’s international ballroom. Later, during a commercial break, they replayed some affectionate action as first seen at last summer’s U.S. Open by staring into each other’s eyes and kissing. To be fair, cameras did catch that but it was only streamed into the backstage press room as witnessed by THR and captured by Variety. By the time the telecast was over, Twitter was ablaze with conspiracy theories claiming that Selena Gomez told Taylor Swift and Keleigh Teller that she had requested a photo with Chalamet only to be denied by Jenner. Judge your lip-reading skills below to see if the claims hold up.
Oprah Winfrey’s Moment With an Oscar Winner
The mogul and producer of The Color Purple turned up to Sunday night’s telecast wearing a custom Louis Vuitton purple dress with matching shoes by Manolo Blahnik slingback pumps. Once inside the ballroom, Winfrey, who delivered an iconic Globes moment in 2017 when she gave a speech after picking up the Cecil B. DeMille Award, made her way to her table where she immediately greeted seatmate and Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh. Keeping it in the CBS family, Winfrey also brought her BFF and star CBS staffer Gayle King. Winfrey helped close the show by presenting the night’s final trophy for best motion picture, drama to Oppenheimer.
Only Friends in the Building
Selena Gomez, nominated for her work in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building opposite Steve Martin, Martin Sheen and Meryl Streep, kept busy during the pre-show and commercial breaks by catching up with a slew of A-list pals. A THR spy noticed an animated encounter when Gomez made her way over to Taylor Swift’s table to have a close confab along with the superstar singer and her seatmate Keleigh Sperry, who is married to Miles Teller. Before the show, we also caught a sweet embrace between Gomez and Jennifer Aniston (who also happen to share a manager, Aleen Keshishian). Others who got close to the star included Streep, Harrison Ford and Florence Pugh, among others. She was all smiles during those encounters and clearly less amused during Jo Koy’s monologue, seen below.
A Shining Good Time for Golden Globes’ Most Nominated Performer
Speaking of Streep, who holds the record for the most nominated actor in Globes’ history, she made a splash on the red carpet. She first posed alongside her longtime agent, CAA partner Kevin Huvane, and rather than head straight into the show, a THR spy watched Streep double back on the step-and-repeat to kiss Amanda Seyfriend while she was taking photos. Streep also made a beeline over to Nyad nominee Annette Bening for a big hug. Later, during the show, a live feed that streamed into the press room showed Streep planting a kiss on another legend, Steven Spielberg.
The Bear’s Golden Globe Winner on Stripping Down to His Skivvies
“It’s been a weird couple of days,” Golden Globe winner Jeremy Allen White said backstage in the press room about his life recently, a run that includes a new accessory for his mantle and a new, body-baring campaign courtesy of Calvin Klein. “It is bizarre. Doing a Calvin Klein ad is even more bizarre and now having it come out … but everything feels OK for now, thank you.” Even more OK for fans of White and Sunset Boulevard drivers is the massive billboard featuring revealing shots of White munching on an apple and taking his clothes off on a New York City rooftop. Also worth noting: White, groomed by KC Fee with Navy Hair Care, put his clothes back on for Sunday night’s telecast also courtesy of Calvin Klein by wearing a custom tuxedo consisting of a double-breasted wool jacket with satin grosgrain lapels, high-waisted trousers and by a sheer silk voile shirt.
Surprise, it’s Me!
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have been best friends for decades. They run a production company, have collaborated on a slew of projects, won an Oscar together and shared a nomination Sunday night for producing Affleck’s film Air starring Damon. But they still somehow managed to pull off a sneaky surprise. Affleck made a stealth entrance to the table he and wife Jennifer Lopez shared with Damon and his wife, Luciana. See the clip below.
New Year, New Menu
If you watched the show, then you know that cameras caught Will Ferrell’s quip while presenting best actor in a drama alongside Kristen Wiig when he said, “It smells like hot sushi in here.” But, to many, that may have been a very good thing because for the first time ever, the Golden Globes recruited celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa to curate the show’s menu. It featured a selection of his signature dishes including salmon tartar with caviar in wasabi soy, sashimi salad with Matsuhisa dressing, yellowtail jalapeño, black cod miso, a trio of assorted traditional nigiri.
“I Am Sitting in Siberia”
Super producer Christine Vachon was in the building on Sunday night as the producer of two of the night’s nominated films, Todd Haynes’ May December and Celine Song’s Past Lives. A new seating chart due to a reconfigured stage setup meant that some industry insiders could not be seated as close to the stage as they may have been in years past. That change led to some grumbling inside the ballroom and online. Vachon took to Twitter to air her grievances, posting, “I am sitting in Siberia. Thank you Golden Globes for making sure producers know their place on the food chain!” Vachon was later overheard having a discussion about seating while huddling in the bar with a Killers of the Flower Moon producer telling her, “If it makes you feel better, come and see [where we are sitting].” Another ticketed guest got in her ear by saying, “I’m in a bush.”
Sealed With a Kiss
Twitter caught fire when Ali Wong’s name was announced as the winner of best actress for her work on Netflix’s Beef as the stand-up star stood and kissed her date, fellow Golden Globe nominee and Barry guru Bill Hader. It was not widely known that the pair were an item; however, nobody needed to remind the diners who were seated near them on New Year’s Day. Per a THR source, Wong and Hader shared a table, a canoodling session and many kisses during brunch at Brentwood hotspot Farmshop located in the Country Mart. Smooches to start 2024!
Ali Wong watches her Beef co-star Steven Yeun accept his award while she holds her new Golden Globe.
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