The Golden Globes are Hollywood’s most important film awards after the Oscars – but the distributors have been criticized for a long time.
Los Angeles – Now also Tom Cruise. Ironically, the 58-year-old Golden Globe winner brought the US film association new negative headlines with a protest. The Hollywood star has returned all of his three Globe trophies to the organization, several US media reported on Monday (May 10, 2021). Cruise won awards for his roles in Born on July 4th (1990), Jerry Maguire – Game of Life (1997) and Magnolia (2000).
Golden Globes: crisis escalates
The Golden Globes actually like to boast big stars like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep or Angelina Jolie. Since 1944, in the context of the film and TV prizes awarded, the gala has had a reputation as Hollywood’s casual trophy party, with celebrities and plenty of champagne. However, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was repeatedly criticized: allegations such as a lack of diversity and questionable practices by journalists entitled to vote were raised. Now the Golden Globes crisis is escalating.
“Selma” director Ava DuVernay immediately praised Tom Cruise’s action. Ava DuVernay wrote on Twitter that the actor had sent a clear signal to speak out against the association’s “sexist, homophobic and racist practices of exclusion, harassment and prejudice”.
Golden Globe Association endeavors to limit the damage
But not only Cruise, also NBC, usually the house broadcaster of the Golden Globes, now drew consequences. The Globe Gala will not be broadcast in 2022, it said. The Globe association HFPA must invest time and effort to implement major reforms. If there were changes, NBC would broadcast the gala again in January 2023.
The HFPA immediately tried to limit the damage. The organization promised in a press release that it wanted to carry out “long overdue” changes “as quickly and as carefully as possible”. On a list of key data for the coming months, it was said, for example, that diversity advisers were to be recruited, further members to be found and a new board to be elected.
No blacks in the jury of foreign journalists
The main reproach against the HFPA is the lack of diversity and non-transparent membership criteria. A central point of criticism: The jury of foreign journalists: there are no black members. The almost 90 members had already promised reforms last week, such as the immediate admission of 20 new members, mostly African-Americans. There should also be new guidelines, for example with regard to invitations to film events. The acceptance of promotional gifts would be prohibited in the future.
However, the innovations are criticized as inadequate by stars such as Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo as well as important companies in Hollywood. Johansson (36, “Marriage Story”) said on Saturday (May 8th, 2021) that she was frequently asked sexist questions at HFPA press conferences: “That is exactly the reason why I have refused to attend their conferences for many years “, Johansson explained to” Variety “.
Netflix and Amazon are keeping their distance to Golden Globes
Netflix and Amazon announced that they would continue to suspend their cooperation with the association. The “Time’s Up” organization against discrimination and a merger of important PR firms have also recently distanced themselves.
The cancellation of the Globe by the broadcaster NBC has now been hailed as a great success by the “Time’s Up” movement. “This is a defining moment for Hollywood,” said a statement. The joint action against the “powerful, but strongly flawed” awards show that it is actually possible to obtain fairer conditions. (ktho / dpa)
