Everything to know about Sunday’s 2021 Golden Globe Awards

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a dearth of red carpet fashion, questionable nominees and — most notably, a bombshell investigation into the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. — the organization’s annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony will still go on Sunday.

But the glamour of the lavish banquet-style ceremony will surely be subdued given the relentless nature of the pandemic, which is forcing the show — often considered the kickoff of the televised awards season — to go virtual.

The HFPA also weathered bubble-bursting allegations this week, further rendering the group’s flagship event meaningless from a critical perspective. (Yes, its nominations were considered “utterly ridiculous” even before all of that.)

Here’s what you should know about the event.

What time is the show? What channel is it on?

The 78th Golden Globes — the first bicoastal telecast in the show’s history — will air on NBC, live from coast to coast at 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific. The ceremony will also be available to stream Monday on NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock.

NBC’s sister network E! will air a preshow special, “Live From E!: Golden Globes,” with nominees and presenters and will be hosted by Giuliana Rancic and “Queer Eye” star Karamo Brown at 3 p.m. Pacific. NBC’s “Golden Globes Pre-Show” hosted by Jane Lynch and Susan Kelechi will begin at 4 p.m.

Who’s hosting the show?

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Beloved comedy duo Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will cohost the awards show for the fourth time, and it comes as little surprise given the rave reviews they’ve received for the trio of shows they emceed between 2013 and 2015. In 2016, the “Sisters” costars passed the mic back to comedian Ricky Gervais, followed by Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh, then Gervais again last year.

However, given social-distancing measures, they’ll be video calling in from far-flung locales. Fey will appear from the Rainbow Room in New York City, while Poehler will appear from the Globes’ usual haunt, the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills.

Hollywood Inc.

Golden Globes voters in tumult: Members accuse Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. of self-dealing, ethical lapses

A Times investigation finds that the nonprofit HFPA regularly issues substantial payments to its members in ways that some experts say could skirt IRS guidelines.

Feb. 21, 2021

So, let’s talk about our HFPA investigation

As outlined in The Times’ investigation, the HFPA is facing renewed scrutiny over its 87-person membership and fresh allegations of self-dealing and ethical lapses. Our report found that the organization has no Black members, which partially explains the puzzling nominations each year and the oversights in this year’s crop of nominees.

The 2021 nominees excluded this year’s Black-led potential Oscar best-picture contenders, including “Da 5 Bloods,” “Judas and the Black Messiah” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” And that’s even with “Da 5 Bloods” director Spike Lee’s two children being named Golden Globe Ambassadors. Awk-ward.

Hollywood Inc.

Who really gives out the Golden Globes? A tiny group full of quirky characters — and no Black members

The organization said the perception that many members are not serious journalists is “outdated and unfair” and that it is committed to addressing the lack of Black members.

Feb. 21, 2021

Asked about those criticisms, a representative for the HFPA said: “We do not control the individual votes of our members,” adding, “We seek to build cultural understanding through film and TV and recognize how the power of creative storytelling can educate people around the world to issues of race, representation and orientation.”

The investigation analyzes how and explains why the group’s role in awards season is so big — hint: money — and how that came to be. It also sheds light on how one lavish TV show in particular, “Emily in Paris,” was regaled with so much love.

Per the report: “[T]the HFPA has managed to carve out a unique and improbable position of influence. Its members — relatively few of whom work full time for major overseas outlets — are routinely granted exclusive access to Hollywood power players, invited to junkets in exotic locales, put up in five-star hotels and, as Globes nominations near, lavished with gifts, dinners and star-studded parties. To the studios, networks and celebrities that court its favor and exploit its awards as a marketing tool, the group is at once fawned over, derided and grudgingly tolerated.”

Who are the nominees?

The ceremony doles out awards in film and television categories and some music awards too. The top film nominees this year are “The Father,” “Mank,” “Nomadland,” “Promising Young Woman,” “Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” which each received multiple nominations.

In television, favorites such as “Schitt’s Creek,” “The Crown” and “Ozark” earned multiple nods. Newcomers “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Ted Lasso,” “Small Axe” and “Emily in Paris” fared well too. In the surprises column, Netflix’s “Bridgerton” and “Never Have I Ever,” and HBO’s “I May Destroy You” were shut out.

This year’s special honors will be given to 15-time nominee and seven-time winner Jane Fonda and television pioneer Norman Lear.

Here’s an overview of the nominees in the top categories.

Best motion picture — drama
“The Father”
“Mank”
“Nomadland”
“Promising Young Woman”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7”

Best motion picture — musical or comedy
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
“Hamilton”
“Music”
“Palm Springs”
“The Prom”

Television series — drama
“The Crown”
“Lovecraft Country”
“The Mandalorian”
“Ozark”
“Ratched”

Television series — musical or comedy
“Emily in Paris”
“The Flight Attendant”
“The Great”
“Schitt’s Creek”
“Ted Lasso”

And if you’re trying to catch up on some of the films before showtime, here’s a viewing guide to help.

Who will win?

Our resident awards expert, Glenn Whipp, speculates on the HFPA’s choices for the film and television categories here, with a decent showing for “Promising Young Woman,” “Hamilton,” “The Crown,” “Schitt’s Creek” and a posthumous win for Chadwick Boseman.

Who’s presenting?

The stars are still coming out and shining despite the virtual nature of the ceremony. Dick Clark Productions, which puts on the show for NBC, tapped a number of past nominees and winners to present the awards, many of whom will actually appear in person together.

Coming in hot with Fey on the East Coast are Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bryce Dallas Howard, Christopher Meloni, Rosie Perez and Christian Slater. They’ll appear live from the Rainbow Room.

Joining Poehler on the West Coast are Kevin Bacon, Sterling K. Brown, Kyra Sedgwick and Susan Kelechi Watson

Also presenting, though unclear from where, are Awkwafina, Cynthia Erivo, Annie Mumolo, Joaquin Phoenix, Kristen Wiig and Renée Zellweger.

Read our full coverage of the Golden Globes here.