We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: The voting groups for the Golden Globes and the Oscars are very different. The former is made up of 300 journalists, many of them based internationally. The latter is made up of 9,905 voters, who work in the industry as executives, actors, crew, filmmakers, and more. Still, the Golden Globes often have an effect on the ongoing Oscar race because they happen just ahead of Oscar-nominations voting.
The 2025 Golden Globes were no different. As discussed on this week’s Little Gold Men (listen below), here are three of the most notable moments from the Globes that could affect the Oscar race.
Best Actress Is Anyone’s Game
No race is more competitive this year than best actress. Because the Globes divide films into comedy/musical and drama, there were 12 actress nominees—and only 5 can make the Oscars’ list. While a couple of Globes nominees aren’t being considered serious Oscar contenders this year, the list of real possibilities includes Mikey Madison, Demi Moore, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Cynthia Erivo, Karla Sofía Gascón, Amy Adams, Fernanda Torres, and Zendaya. So whoever won at the Globes would be given a bit of an advantage in this very tight race.
Moore, the star of The Substance, essentially solidified her slot as an Oscar nominee by giving an impeccable acceptance speech after she won best actress in a musical/comedy. Her words reminded insiders how long she’s been in this business and how much adversity she’s overcome. But it was Torres’s surprise win for best actress in a drama—besting A-list stars like Kidman and Jolie—that will cause the biggest shakeup in the overall best-actress race. Starring in the Brazilian film I’m Still Here, Torres delivers a simmering performance, but was at risk of being left out of consideration if not enough people saw her film. Watching her accept a Globe will encourage Academy voters to seek out the movie if they haven’t already.
Adrien Brody Is Back
It was way back in 2003 that Adrien Brody won the Oscar for his role in The Pianist. Since then, he’s struggled to return to the awards race, as he acknowledged onstage when accepting his Globe on Sunday. “There was a time not too long ago that I felt this may never be a moment afforded to me again, so thank you,” he said.
Brody, who stars in The Brutalist, has been considered a frontrunner for the Oscar this year, but is also facing stiff competition from A Complete Unknown star Timothée Chalamet. His speech, which gracefully thanked his parents and also highlighted his family’s immigrant journey, beautifully tied into the film’s themes. Brody, who was nearly moved to tears while onstage, gave the kind of acceptance speech that you’d want to see at the Oscars—and we’re sure voters noticed.
Emilia Pérez Dances to the Top
Emilia Pérez had a strong night, winning best non-English language feature, best supporting actress in a film (for Zoe Saldaña), and best musical/comedy. The Netflix movie has been widely acclaimed since Cannes, but has also suffered from some backlash online. The film’s wins here were pivotal because they show that voters support the project. The Globes now have a very international voting body, but the Academy is increasingly international as well. The film will still have stiff competition from The Brutalist (which won for best motion picture, drama), but these wins help Netflix—which is still looking for an Oscar best-picture win—to prove it has a real frontrunner on its hands, even if it’s a musical crime drama performed mostly in Spanish.
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