At a Glance
- Wagner Moura becomes second Brazilian actor ever to win a Golden Globe for The Secret Agent
- Netflix’s Adolescence dominates with four wins, including best limited series
- Seth Rogen scores first Globe months after mocking the awards in The Studio
- Why it matters: A night of historic firsts and emotional speeches redefines Hollywood’s global reach
Hollywood’s booziest party delivered surprise victories, tearful thank-yous and a reptile-related absence as the Golden Globes crowned new winners and fresh faces across film and television.
Brazilian Cinema Makes History
Wagner Moura’s win for lead actor in a movie drama marks only the second time a Brazilian performer has claimed a Globes trophy, following Fernanda Torres’ victory last year for I’m Still Here.
In The Secret Agent, Moura portrays a former professor hiding with his young son during Brazil’s 1970s military dictatorship. The film also captured the best non-English film award.
> “‘The Secret Agent’ is a film about memory – or the lack of memory – and generational trauma,” Moura said. “If trauma can be passed along generations, values can too. This is to the ones that are sticking with their values in difficult moments.”
The actor, globally recognized for playing Pablo Escobar in Netflix’s Narcos, beat Joel Edgerton, Oscar Isaac, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan and Jeremy Allen White.
Adolescence Sweeps Television
Netflix’s four-part British series Adolescence collected four Globes, extending its awards-season momentum after eight Emmys last year.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Limited Series | Adolescence |
| TV Supporting Actor | Owen Cooper |
| TV Supporting Actress | Erin Doherty |
| TV Lead Actor | Stephen Graham |
Writer Jack Thorne dedicated the night to young cast members: “You are proof the world can be better. Removing hate is our generation’s responsibility.”
Life Imitates Art for Seth Rogen
Months after The Studio aired an entire episode set at the Golden Globes, Seth Rogen clutched an actual trophy for best TV comedy actor.
> “This is so weird! We just pretended to do this and now it is happening!” Rogen laughed. “I thought the only way I would get to hold one is to create a whole show to give myself a fake one.”
He saluted childhood heroes Steve Martin and Martin Short, joking, “I remember thinking, ‘One day I’m going to beat them.’ I did not think that.”
Amy Poehler Mocks NPR on Way to First Podcast Globe
Amy Poehler claimed the inaugural best podcast award for Good Hang, firing a playful shot at National Public Radio.
> “I’m big fans of all of you – except for NPR: just a bunch of celebs phoning it in. Try harder,” she quipped, beating Armchair Expert, Call Her Daddy, The Mel Robbins Podcast, SmartLess and NPR’s Up First.
The victory gives Poehler her second Globe, following her 2014 win for Parks and Recreation.
Songwriter Rejection-Turned-Triumph
Ejae, once rejected as a K-pop idol trainee, co-wrote Golden from KPop Demon Hunters, which won best original song after topping Billboard’s Soundtracks chart at No. 1.
> “I worked ten years to fill one dream. Now I’m here,” she said. “This song helps everyone accept themselves.”
The animated film also won best animated feature.
Sweet and Strange Moments
- Erin Doherty, winning for Adolescence, thanked therapists for guiding her performance as a child counselor.
- George Clooney helped Jean Smart to the stage and hugged former ER co-star Noah Wyle while accepting best TV drama for The Pitt.
- Rose Byrne said partner Bobby Cannavale missed her win because he was “at a reptile expo in New Jersey getting a bearded dragon.”
- Rhea Seehorn told Queen Latifah onstage that the star had been kind to her “twenty years ago when I was between jobs.”
Key Takeaways
- Brazil’s cinematic rise continues with two Globes for The Secret Agent
- Adolescence solidifies its status as the limited series to beat this awards season
- First-time wins for Rogen, Poehler and Ejae signal shifting Hollywood tides
- Emotional speeches spotlight mental health, generational trauma and self-acceptance
