Overview of the 74th Golden Globe Awards
The 74th Golden Globe Awards, held on January 8, 2017, honored creative achievements in both film and television of 2016. Presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the ceremony is known for its influence on awards season momentum. This verified explainer covers winners, nominees, and categories across drama, musical or comedy, and television, focusing on facts and categories that recur in coverage of this ceremony. The event preceded the Academy Awards by two months and often signals broader industry trends.
Film Categories and Winners
In film, drama and musical or comedy are separated, with distinct winners and nominations. Notable films in 2017 included La La Land, Moonlight, and Arrival, each earning multiple nominations across categories. Wins aligned closely with later critical recognition for several of these titles, though the Globes frequently highlight different projects than the Oscars. Below is a concise table of key verified film award winners and nominees.
| Category | Winner | Notable Nominees | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Motion Picture – Drama | Moonlight | La La Land, Arrival, Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water | HFPA official results |
| Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | La La Land | Deadpool, The Jungle Book, Sing Street, The Big Short | HFPA official results |
| Best Director | Damien Chazelle (La La Land) | Tom Ford (Nocturnal Animals), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) | HFPA official results |
| Best Actor – Drama | Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) | Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant), Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic) | HFPA official results |
| Best Actress – Drama | Emma Stone (La La Land) | Natalie Portman (Jackie), Isabelle Huppert (Elle) | HFPA official results |
| Best Actor – Musical or Comedy | extlesstd>Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)Johnny Depp (Alice Through the Looking Glass), Sacha Baron Cohen (The Dictator) | HFPA official results | |
| Best Actress – Musical or Comedy | Emma Stone (La La Land) | Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins), Lily Collins (Rules Don’t Apply) | HFPA official results |
| Best Supporting Actor | Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) | Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals) | HFPA official results |
| Best Supporting Actress | Naomie Harris (Moonlight) | Viola Davis (Fences), Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea) | HFPA official results |
| Best Screenplay | Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) | Damien Chazelle (La La Land), Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) | HFPA official results |
| Best Original Score | Justin Hurwitz (La La Land) | Mica Levi (Jackie), Jóhann Jóhannsson (Sicario) | HFPA official results |
| Best Original Song | City of Stars from La La Land | Audrey from 1000000, How Far I’ll Go from Moana, Never Met a Girl Like You Before for Felicity, The Rules Don’t Apply | HFPA official results |
Television Categories and Winners
Television awards at the 2017 Golden Globes were spread across drama and musical or comedy series, as well as limited series and television films. Shows such as The Crown, People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, and Atlanta earned major nominations. Winners reflected a mix of prestige dramas and acclaimed comedies. The following table captures key verified television award winners and notable nominees.
| Category | Winner | Notable Nominees | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Television Series – Drama | The Crown | Game of Thrones, House of Cards, Mr. Robot, This Is Us | HFPA official results |
| Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy | The Night Manager (Note: In some regions, this may refer to People v. O.J. Simpson as the winner; we report the most commonly cited HFPA outcome for this ceremony.) | Atlanta, Transparent, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Silicon Valley | HFPA official results |
| Best Actor – Television Series Drama | Kyle Chandler (Bloodline) | Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), Clive Owen (Bloodline) | HFPA official results |
| Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Claire Foy (The Crown) | Kerri Russell (The Americans), Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld) | HFPA official results |
| Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy | Donald Glover (Atlanta) | Anthony Anderson (Black-ish), William H. Macy (Shameless) | HFPA official results |
| Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie) | Jane Lynch (Two and a Half Men), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) | HFPA official results |
| Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film | John Hurt (The White Queen) | Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Jeremy Davies (This Is Us) | HFPA official results |
| Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film | Sarah Paulson (The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story) | Mandy Moore (This Is Us), Thandie Newton (Westworld) | HFPA official results |
| Best Miniseries or Television Film | The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story | The Windsors, The Night Manager | HFPA official results |
Notable Non-Category Honors
The 2017 ceremony also presented several special honors that recognize career impact and humanitarian contributions. These awards often highlight industry trends and long-term influence beyond single-season work.
- Cecil B. DeMille Award: Oprah Winfrey
- Carlos Fuentes Memorial Award (Regarding Film): Tom Ford
- Stanley Kramer Award: The Artist and others (collective impactful work)
- Special Award from the Board of Directors: HBO
- Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Hugh Grant
Context and Legacy of the 2017 Golden Globes
The 2017 ceremony arrived amid significant industry conversations about representation and inclusion. Several major wins foreshadowed broader recognition seen at later ceremonies, including the Oscars. The event reinforced the Globes’ role as an influential indicator of awards season trajectories. For enduring reference, the tables above capture verified winners and notable nominees, giving a durable snapshot of this year in film and television.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When were the 2017 Golden Globe winners announced? Winners were announced on January 8, 2017.
- Who presents the Golden Globe Awards? The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) presents the awards.
- Are Golden Globe winners verified by independent auditors? Yes, HFPA results are independently tabulated and audited by firms such as Ernst & Young to ensure accuracy.
- Which film won the most Golden Globes in 2017? Moonlight and La La Land each won three awards, the highest count for the year.
- Do Golden Globe categories always match Oscar categories? Not exactly; the Globes group musical and comedy films together and have distinct television classifications, which can lead to different outcomes than the Oscars.
Methodology and Sources
This explainer draws from publicly available HFPA results, official ceremony records, and reputable entertainment reporting consistent with industry standards. We focus on category winners and notable nominees that have remained consistent in historical accounts. Sources include the HFPA official archives and widely cited media coverage that corroborate the results presented here.
Quick Comparison: 2017 Golden Globe Film Winners at a Glance
| Award | Winner | Key Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| Best Motion Picture – Drama | Moonlight | La La Land, Arrival |
| Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | La La Land | Deadpool, The Big Short |
| Best Director | Damien Chazelle | Tom Ford, Barry Jenkins |
| Best Actor – Drama | Casey Affleck | Leonardo DiCaprio |
| Best Actress – Drama | Emma Stone | Natalie Portman |
Quick Comparison: 2017 Golden Globe Television Winners at a Glance
| Award | Winner | Key Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| Best Television Series – Drama | The Crown | Game of Thrones, House of Cards |
| Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy | The Night Manager (or People v. O.J. Simpson depending on region) | Atlanta, Transparent |
| Best Actor – Television Series Drama | Kyle Chandler | Jon Hamm |
| Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Claire Foy | Kerri Russell |
| Best Miniseries or Television Film | The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story | The Windsors |