highlights

In a night full of pleasant surprises, tearful acceptance speeches and eye-roll-inducing moments, there was still a lot that audiences didn’t see on TV.

From former co-stars reuniting at the Beverly Hilton to winners answering questions from press backstage, Times reporters share highlights from Hollywood’s big night.

Seth Rogen takes notes for “The Studio” Season 2

Seth Rogen and “The Studio” writers had their eyes peeled for new material at Sunday’s ceremony and in the days leading up to it.

“This is good poaching ground for us,” the first-time winner said in the Globes press room after the show’s comedy series win. (Backstage, he joked that “The Studio” crew’s appearance was coincidentally timed with “One Battle After Another’s” win.)

Rogen added that celebrities regularly approach him to request cameos in “The Studio”: “A lot of the studio heads want to be on the show, and some of them will be.”

Episode 8 of the Apple TV comedy’s first season was set at the Golden Globes and featured guest appearances by actors Adam Scott and Zoë Kravitz as well as Netflix co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos. Perhaps its sophomore season, which begins filming next week, will include a Beverly Hilton hotel reprise. — Malia Mendez

“Set It Up” stars Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch reunited at the Golden Globes.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A “Set It Up” reunion

There was a “Set It Up” reunion by the bar when Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell — along with his parents — reconnected while trying to order drinks. Powell’s mom gushed at Deutch, saying Powell told her about Deutch’s film, “Nouvelle Vague.” As Powell placed Deutch’s drink order, the actress spoke with his mom about her next project. Meanwhile, a few steps away, pals and “SmartLess” co-hosts Jason Bateman and Will Arnett made a beeline for the sushi bar. “This is what I’m after,” Arnett said as he grabbed a serving of fried rice with tuna — quickly going back for seconds. Bateman took a plate — “I had a salad at like 1 p.m.,” he reasoned. — Yvonne Villarreal

Joe Alwyn, Noah Jupe, Chloé Zhao, Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal and Jacobi Jupe backstage at the Golden Globes.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“Grief is love”

After their win in the show-closing drama film category, the cast of “Hamnet” took to the press room to reminisce about the warm atmosphere on the set of the historical drama.

Director Chloé Zhao clutched her chest as Jacobi Jupe, 12, who plays the titular Hamnet, said, “This film is all about grief and love, and grief is love.”

“On this set, everyone was family. There wasn’t one person who was rude or mean, and we all worked together to create this incredible film,” he said.

Behind Jupe, his co-stars Joe Alwyn, Jessie Buckley — who also won the drama actress Golden Globe — and Paul Mescal looked on like proud parents, hugging each other. — M.M.

Ludwig Goransson’s win for original score was cut from the CBS telecast.

(Rich Polk / 2026GG / Penske Media via Getty Images)

Original score axed from telecast

Ludwig Göransson won the Golden Globe for original score for “Sinners,” beating out Alexandre Desplat for “Frankenstein,” Jonny Greenwood for “One Battle After Another,” Kangding Ray for “Sirât,” Max Richter for “Hamnet” and Hans Zimmer for “F1.”

The award was handed out off air, presumably to trim time from the telecast. — Josh Rottenberg

Noah Wyle accepts the Golden Globes for actor in a TV drama for his role in “The Pitt.”

(Rich Polk / 2026GG / Penske Media via Getty Images)

Noah Wyle almost missed his win

As the show began again, Noah Wyle and his wife, Sara Wells, were prevented from making their way back to their seats just before his category was called. They finally let him rush back to his table, settling in just before his name was called. — Y.V.

“The Secret Agent” director Kleber Mendonça Filho and producer Emilie Lesclaux hold their award for non-English-language film.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

‘The Secret Agent’ director‘s call to action

Kleber Mendonça Filho, the Brazilian director of “The Secret Agent,” which took home the Golden Globe for non-English-language film, in the press room cited Brazil’s past corrupt leadership as he spoke about the political power of film.

“Cinema can be a way of expressing some grievances that we all have in terms of the society we live in,” Mendonça said.

“I would particularly address young U.S. filmmakers … there’s a lot of technology to express yourself, and I think this is a very good time to express yourself,” the director continued. “That is what I want to see from U.S. filmmakers.” — M.M.

Stellan Skarsgård won one of the first awards of the night for his role in “Sentimental Value.”

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Stellan Skarsgård teases “Mamma Mia!” sequel

Back in the press room after his surprise Golden Globes win for supporting movie actor, Stellan Skarsgård kept mostly mum when asked for an update on the reported “Mamma Mia!” sequel in the works.

However, Skarsgård did assert that despite her death in the franchise’s second installment, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (2018), Donna Sheridan’s character could always be brought back with the magic of the movies — huge news for Meryl Streep die-hards (pun intended). — M.M.

Goodbye from Globes

As the ceremony came to a close, the gentle chaos of stars — “The Smashing Machine’s” Emily Blunt linked arms with husband John Krasinski (playfully singing upon his exit) while “Song Sung Blue’s” Kate Hudson, “Severance’s” Adam Scott and “Hacks’” Jean Smart filtered behind them — made their way to the doors to start their after-party journeys as ushers shouted “walk and talk, walk and talk.” Gayle King, gripping the train of her beaded dress, walked cautiously in her heels. Wagner Moura, carrying the winner’s envelope that listed his name, waved to folks on his way out. “White Lotus” stars Jason Isaacs and Aimee Lou Wood shared a boisterous laugh, while Powell made sure his parents were in his range of sight. — Y.V.

Not to offend Larry David by saying it as late as Jan. 7, but: Happy New Year!

The turning of the calendar also signals that Phase I of awards season is coming to a close. With the Golden Globes and a big weekend of parties on the horizon, I’m proud to share our last issue — and my last letter from the editor — until after the Oscar nominations.

I’ll be back in February to unveil our three issues in Phase II. And be sure to keep an eye out Friday for Glenn Whipp’s newsletter, which will have more on our Jan. 8 cover subject, George Clooney.

Digital cover story: ‘Bugonia’

(JSquared Photography / For The Times)

Fans of Yorgos Lanthimos’ misanthropic comedies will forgive the Michael Haneke pun in my coverline for Michael Ordoña’s story on “Bugonia,” starring Emma Stone as a healthcare CEO and Jesse Plemons as the conspiracy theorist who believes she’s an alien invader. And not simply because Haneke’s own brand of bleak absurdism seems to have rubbed off on Lanthimos. Funny games — well, ‘silly games’ — are at the core of Lanthimos’ distinct creative process.

“It makes it light,” the filmmaker explained. “You don’t take yourself too seriously. You don’t take the material seriously. You’re gargling and doing lines, whatever. It’s a way of the actors getting the dialogue in them in an unconscious way, not fixed with a kind of intellectual baggage, so it’s freer and it has more possibilities. And they feel comfortable with each other.”

Small roles, big performances

(Los Angeles Times photo illustration; photos by Dania Maxwell / For The Times; Warner Bros. Pictures; Tatum Mangus)

Envelope copy chief Blake Hennon sent up a cheer when Lisa Rosen’s recurring spotlight on the brilliant-but-unheralded turns that we love in movies came across his desk, and rightly so. In a flash, a film can make an indelible impression, and it’s often thanks to those who fall outside the usual pundit predictions.

This year’s participants include real-life siblings Jacobi and Noah Jupe (“Hamnet”), Paul Thomas Anderson stalwart April Grace (“One Battle After Another”) and one-scene wonder Hadley Robinson (“The History of Sound”).

The shot of the season

Thanks to contributor Daron James, the back page of every Envelope features an unforgettable frame from a film or TV series, accompanied by an explanation from the artists behind it. And while all are striking, I’m glad to say we’re ending Phase I on my favorite.

Perhaps it’s that “Breathless” was one of the first movies that made me fall in love with movies. Perhaps it’s Richard Linklater’s courageous decision to have his protagonist wear dark sunglasses throughout the movie. Perhaps it’s the charm of actors Guillaume Marbeck and Zoey Deutch. It’s probably all of the above. But whatever the reason, the final shot of “Nouvelle Vague” is, for my money, the best single shot I saw in 2025.

More stories from our Jan. 8 issue

Joe Root and Harry Brook are denied the chance to improve on their 154-run partnership as bad light and rain cut day one of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney short, leaving England on 211-3.

MATCH REPORT: The Ashes fifth Test – day one

Available to UK users only.

My Christmas shopping is done. My annual rewatch of “The Family Stone” is queued up. And our last issue of 2025 is out in the world. Which means it’s time to sign off and start food prep. (I’m doing beef Wellington this year.)

But before I do, I wanted to share stories from this week’s edition of The Envelope, and my thanks to all of you out there for reading. Have a very happy holiday!

The Envelope Directors Roundtable

(Jason Armond / For The Times)

As Rian Johnson said while taping this year’s Envelope Directors Roundtable, filmmakers don’t get many chances to hang out and talk shop — so when they do, it’s always an engaging and illuminating conversation.

Led by moderator Mark Olsen, participants Johnson (“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”), Jon M. Chu (“Wicked: For Good”), Nia DaCosta (“Hedda”), Guillermo del Toro (“Frankenstein”), Mona Fastvold (“The Testament of Ann Lee”) and Benny Safdie (“The Smashing Machine”) shared their unvarnished views on theatrical moviegoing, budgets and artificial intelligence. It’s absolutely worth your time.

And by the by: I’m not sure what The Times’ standard is on the, uh, pungent phrase Del Toro used to describe A.I. during the conversation, so I’ll just say that you can and should see it in all its glory on our Instagram.

‘Roofman’ Is a Christmas Movie

(The Tyler Twins / For The Times)

If you’re looking for a new Christmas movie to watch before Santa squeezes down the chimney tonight, “Roofman” is just the ticket. Like “The Holdovers” last year, Derek Cianfrance’s charming fable about a fugitive (Channing Tatum) who falls for a single mom (Kirsten Dunst) while hiding out in a Toys R Us channels Old Hollywood in a way that can seem sadly out of fashion.

“As we were selling this movie, trying to get it financed, I was pitching it to everyone as a Capra movie and what I kept hearing is, ‘We don’t make those movies anymore,’” as Cianfrance told Kristen Lopez.

Perhaps they should reconsider. Unfairly written off after its $8 million opening weekend in October, “Roofman” went on to gross $34 million worldwide from a slim $19 million budget. Not exactly “Home Alone,” to be sure, but a respectable showing nonetheless — and that’s before its streaming afterlife. And those of us who dearly miss the mid-budget studio movie will take any data we can to show they can still thrive at the right price.

Imax’s banner year

(Robert Alexander / Getty Images)

Speaking of box office, one big bright spot in 2025 was the performance of Imax and other premium formats, which are attracting cinephiles to see movies theatrically, often multiple times, and at a higher price point than the standard movie ticket.

With an estimated $1.2 billion take this year, and a raft of highly anticipated films like Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” slated for 2026, Imax has forged an alliance between our most committed moviegoers and some of our most exciting filmmakers that bodes well for the future of cinemas, writes Daron James.

“Imax superfan Shane Short, who saw ‘Oppenheimer’ 132 times and once sat next to [cinematographer Autumn Durald] Arkapaw during a screening of ‘Sinners,’ says it’s a good thing. ‘What really pulls me into movies is the emotional aspect when connecting with something. For me, it’s hard to get that in a normal theater. Imax is truly the ultimate immersive experience that draws me in.’”

More stories from this week’s issue

Dec. 22 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s science ministry said Monday it has selected its 2025 “Top 100 National R&D Achievements,” highlighting projects including a domestically produced 1,000-horsepower engine for the K9 self-propelled howitzer and a high-performance vanadium flow battery stack.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said the program marks its 20th year. Launched in 2006, the cross-government selection aims to raise public awareness of national research and development and recognize scientists and engineers.

The ministry said 970 candidate projects recommended by government bodies were reviewed by a selection committee of 105 experts from industry, academia and research institutes, followed by public verification. The final 100 were chosen across six categories: machinery and materials, life and marine, energy and environment, information and electronics, basic science and infrastructure and convergence.

Among the selections, STX Engine was cited for developing and commercializing a 1,000-horsepower engine for the K9, localizing a system and core components previously dependent on overseas imports. The ministry said the achievement helped address export approval hurdles and supported market expansion, including K9 exports to Egypt equipped with domestically produced engines.

In life sciences, IM Biologics was selected for work on treatments for autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis. The ministry said the company transferred related technology to U.S.-based Navigator Medicine and China’s Huadong Pharmaceutical in deals totaling 1.7 trillion won ($1.3 billion).

In energy and environment, H2 was cited for developing low-cost, high-power-density stack technology for vanadium flow batteries, a key component used in energy storage tied to solar and wind generation. The ministry said the technology contributed to South Korea’s first export of the stack technology to Germany.

Other selections included the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute’s demonstration of 6G wireless transmission technology and the Institute for Basic Science research group’s real-time observation of molecular ion formation and structural transitions, the ministry said.

The ministry said selected projects will receive certificates and plaques in the name of Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon. The ministry said projects and institutions may receive evaluation advantages under relevant rules and researchers may be recommended for national R&D awards.

Starting next year, the ministry said it will launch follow-up support aimed at boosting technology maturity and commercialization. Each selected project will be eligible for about 1.3 billion won (about $1.0 million) in support over three years, the ministry said.

Park In-gyu, head of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters, said the projects reflect sustained challenges and innovation by universities, research institutes and companies and pledged expanded support in coordination with other ministries.

– Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

No, our Women in Film issue doesn’t exclusively feature women — Noah Baumbach and Brendan Fraser feature in our Dec. 16 edition as well — but it does shine a particular spotlight on their extraordinary contribution to the year in film.

As performers and production designers, writers, directors and more, the women included here helped fashion deeply felt stories of parenthood, friendship, grief and betrayal, and that’s just for starters. Read on for more highlights from this week’s Envelope.

The Envelope Actresses Roundtable

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

This year’s Oscar Actresses Roundtable was full of laughter, sparked by everything from Gwyneth Paltrow’s impression of mother Blythe Danner to Sydney Sweeney’s tales from inside the ring on “Christy.” But when it comes to self-determination, this year’s participants — who also included Emily Blunt, Elle Fanning, Jennifer Lopez and Tessa Thompson — are dead serious.

As performers, producers and businesswomen, the sextet told moderator Lorraine Ali, the boxes that Hollywood and the broader culture seek to put them in need not apply. And realizing that is its own liberation. As Lopez put it, “I don’t ever feel like there’s somebody who can say to me, ‘No, you can’t.’”

‘Hamnet’s’ last-minute miracle

(Evelyn Freja / For The Times))

Since the moment I first saw “Hamnet,” I’ve been raving to everyone I know about its climactic sequence, set inside the Globe Theatre during a performance of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” (Well, if you can call it “raving” when you preface your recommendation with the sentence, “I sobbed through the last 45 minutes.”) As it turns out, though, the process of making the film’s final act was as miraculous as the finished product.

“There were only four days left of shooting on ‘Hamnet’ when Chloé Zhao realized she didn’t have an ending,” Emily Zemler begins this week’s digital cover story, which features Zhao, actors Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal and Joe Alwyn and production designer Fiona Crombie. What they created from that point, combining kismet, creative inspiration and grueling preparation, will buoy your belief in the power of art. “It was like a tsunami,” Buckley tells Zemler. “I’ll never forget it.”

A Is for Animal Wrangler

When I first read Helen Macdonald’s transporting “H Is for Hawk,” which combines memoir, nature writing and literary criticism, I can’t say I closed the book wondering when we’d get a film adaptation. Little did I know that director Philippa Lowthorpe, star Claire Foy and a pair of married bird handlers would provide such a thorough answer to my skepticism.

As Lisa Rosen writes in her story on the marriage of art and goshawk in “H Is For Hawk,” that meant shaping the production around the notoriously wary birds of prey, including its lead performance. “It wasn’t like having another actor who had another agenda or actions or a perspective that they wanted to get across in the scene,” Foy told Rosen of her extensive screen time alone with the five goshawks who stood in for Helen’s. “I was along for the ride with these animals.”

More stories from our Dec. 16 issue