The nominees for the 79th Annual Golden Globes were announced on Monday, 13 December 2021, by the newly elected Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) president Helen Hoehne and musical artist Snoop Dogg. The list highlights films and performances that defined the year in cinema and television and sets the stage for awards season, even as the HFPA faces intense scrutiny and organizational change.
Despite NBC deciding not to broadcast the ceremony, the event is still scheduled to take place. That network decision followed a highly critical report revealing that the HFPA’s membership of 87 journalists included no Black members, a revelation that prompted widespread criticism and boycotts from actors, filmmakers and studios. High-profile responses included Tom Cruise returning his three Golden Globes, underscoring the reputational challenges the organization faces.
Additional reporting raised questions about the HFPA’s ethics and transparency, citing examples where members accepted costly trips and hospitality from studios and streaming services. One widely reported instance involved a Netflix-organized trip to Paris coinciding with the release of the series Emily in Paris; the show’s mixed reviews did not prevent it from receiving multiple nominations. These revelations prompted calls for reform and greater accountability.
In response, the HFPA announced a range of reforms intended to rebuild credibility and create a more representative membership. The organization added 21 new members with greater diversity, implemented mandatory diversity and inclusion training for existing members, appointed a chief diversity officer, and entered into a partnership with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to help ensure the HFPA’s practices and future ceremonies reflect the breadth of talent in the film and television industries.
Traditionally, the Golden Globes are among the first major awards shows to recognize the year’s achievements and help shape the awards season narrative, second in profile only to the Oscars. Still, the absence of a major broadcast partner and reduced engagement from some talent could affect the ceremony’s visibility and influence for this edition.
The nominations themselves spotlighted a mix of established auteurs, breakthrough filmmakers and acclaimed performances. Leading the film nominations were Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast and Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, each earning seven nominations and attention in categories such as Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director. Belfast had already found favor with audiences and critics at festivals, while The Power of the Dog continued a string of high-profile awards contenders released by streaming platforms.
Other multiple nominees included star-studded titles such as Don’t Look Up, the family and sports drama King Richard starring Will Smith, Paul Thomas Anderson’s period-inspired Licorice Pizza, and Steven Spielberg’s musical adaptation West Side Story. Each of these films received several nominations across acting, writing and production categories, reflecting the wide range of cinematic styles represented in this awards cycle.
The Golden Globes winners were scheduled to be announced on 9 January 2022.
The nominees in film for the 2022 Golden Globes are:
BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Belfast
CODA
Dune
King Richard
The Power of the Dog
BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Cyrano
Don’t Look Up
Licorice Pizza
Tick, Tick … Boom!
West Side Story
BEST DIRECTOR
Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)
Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter)
Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)
Denis Villeneuve (Dune)
BEST ACTOR – DRAMA
Mahershala Ali (Swan Song)
Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)
Will Smith (King Richard)
Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)
BEST ACTRESS – DRAMA
Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)
Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)
Lady Gaga (House of Gucci)
Kristen Stewart (Spencer)
BEST ACTOR – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Leonardo DiCaprio (Don’t Look Up)
Peter Dinklage (Cyrano)
Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick … Boom!)
Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza)
Anthony Ramos (In the Heights)
BEST ACTRESS – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Marion Cotillard (Annette)
Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza)
Jennifer Lawrence (Don’t Look Up)
Emma Stone (Cruella)
Rachel Zegler (West Side Story)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – MOTION PICTURE
Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar)
Jamie Dornan (Belfast)
Ciarán Hinds (Belfast)
Troy Kotsur (CODA)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – MOTION PICTURE
Caitríona Balfe (Belfast)
Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)
Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)
Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)
Ruth Negga (Passing)
BEST SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)
Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)
Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up)
Aaron Sorkin (Being the Ricardos)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The French Dispatch (Alexandre Desplat)
Encanto (Germaine Franco)
The Power of the Dog (Jonny Greenwood)
Parallel Mothers (Alberto Iglesias)
Dune (Hans Zimmer)
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Be Alive” (King Richard)
“Dos Orugitas” (Encanto)
“Down to Joy” (Belfast)
“Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” (Respect)
“No Time to Die” (No Time to Die)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED
Encanto
Flee
Luca
My Sunny Maad
Raya and the Last Dragon
BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Compartment No. 6 (Finland)
Drive My Car (Japan)
The Hand of God (Italy)
A Hero (Iran)
Parallel Mothers (Spain)
The nominations capture a year of films that range from intimate dramas to ambitious genre pieces and studio blockbusters. As the HFPA works to reform and broaden its membership, these nominations—and the ensuing winners—will remain an important, if contested, barometer of critical and industry recognition for 2021 releases.