The 2016 Golden Globes Winners List: 'The Revenant' Wins Big

Leonardo DiCaprio wins Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama, for ‘The Revenant’

By Brent Lang

The 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards overflowed with shocks, surprises, new faces, and enough bad language to send the censors into an early grave.

If prognosticators and Oscar tea leaf readers were looking to the Globes to help crystalize a wild and wooly awards season, then their hopes for clarity may have been frustrated. The Martian, a science fiction thriller, was honored somewhat inexplicably in the comedy category, with even its director Ridley Scott expressing shock at the designation while picking up the best picture statue. Matt Damon was also recognized, earning a Best Actor in a Comedy statue for his work as an astronaut stranded on Mars.

Read More: TV Review: ‘The Golden Globe Awards’

But Scott, who was expected to be honored for his work helming the sci-fi epic was passed over in the directing category. Instead, Alejandro G. Iñárritu,who last year lost out on the Globe before going on to win an Oscar for Birdman, was called to the stage for his work overseeing The Revenant.

The historical drama about a fur trapper determined to exact vengeance generated headlines for a punishing shoot that led to crew defections and budget overruns. Calling the film the most difficult of his career, Iñárritu said, “pain is temporary but a film is forever.”

There are some performers and films that will leave the Globes with momentum heading into the Oscars. Brie Larson and Leonardo DiCaprio helped cement their front-runner statuses picking up acting honors in a drama for their work in Room and The Revenant.

Jennifer Lawrence, a previous winner for Silver Linings Playbook, was recognized again for her work as the creator of the Miracle Mop in Joy. The film is Lawrence’s third collaboration with director David O. Russell — an intense bond that the actress alluded to by confessing, “I want us to be buried next to each other.”

Most award shows feature performers feigning surprise while accepting honors for the umpteenth time. In the case of the Globes, the astonishment seemed genuine. But that’s the nature of the Golden Globes, which are seen as looser, sassier, and more inebriated than the stately Oscars, and given to some head-scratching decisions.

It was also an evening of comebacks. Calling himself the “sum total of everyone I’ve ever met,” Sylvester Stallone earned a best supporting actor award for Creed. Noting that four decades had passed since Rocky put him on the map, Stallone thanked his “imaginary friend” Rocky Balboa” for being “the best friend that I ever had.”

If Stallone and Damon were heavily favored to make acceptance speeches, few saw most of the television winners coming. Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle prevailed over better-known shows such as HBO’s Veep and Netflix’s Orange is the New Black to score a Best Comedy Series statue.

On the drama front, HBO’s Game of Thrones and Fox’s Empire may command larger audiences, but proved no match for the hacker thriller Mr. Robot from USA. Executive producer Sam Esmail praised the decision, noting “that took a lot of courage.”

And Christian Slater (Mr. Robot) and Maura Tierney (The Affair) were among the victors messing up betting pools, while the CW, USA and Amazon rivaled perennial awards juggernauts such as HBO and FX.

Even Kate Winslet was stunned that she managed to beat out the likes of Alicia Vikander and Helen Mirren to score a Best Supporting Actress statue for her work as Apple founder Steve Jobs’ assistant in Steve Jobs.

“Is this really happening!,” Winslet exclaimed. “What an incredible year for women in film,” the actress added. “I feel prouder than ever this year to be included.”

While best screenplay winner Aaron Sorkin, the man who had penned Steve Jobs, confessed “I thought I had as much chance of winning the screenplay award as I had of winning best actress in a musical.”

Gael Garcia Bernal’s win for his work as a conductor on Mozart in the Jungle was so unexpected that it spoiled a gag by fellow nominee Aziz Ansari (Master of None). When the contenders were announced, Ansari was shown holding a book entitled How to Lose to Jeffrey Tambor with Dignity. The advice proved unnecessary as Tambor didn’t win a second time.

Virtual unknown Rachel Bloom, the winner of Best Actress in a TV Comedy, for her work as an obsessive former flame in Crazy Ex Girlfriend, admitted that two years ago her work was being shown on YouTube.

“We almost didn’t have a show,” she gasped, admitting that six networks passed on the pilot in one day.

While Lady Gaga, best known for her chart-topping music, was singled out for her work on American Horror Story. In her speech, she noted that she felt like Cher in Moonstruck, but, in a sign of changing times, on social media it was not her gracious words that went viral. It was a clip of a startled Leonardo DiCaprio responding to the singer brushing his back.

There were more conventional winners, to be sure. Inside Out, the critically adored story of a young girl’s warring emotions, scored a best animated feature award, and Son of Saul, a Holocaust drama from Hungry, captured the best foreign film statue.

Among television honorees, best mini-series winner PBS’ Wolf Hall and Show Me a Hero’s Oscar Isaac’s best actor for a limited series or TV movie nod were among the few early victors who were heavily favored. Jon Hamm added a Golden Globe to his trophy case for his final season playing an alcoholic ad man on Mad Men.

Calling the seven season run an “incredible ride,” Hamm thanked creator Matthew Weiner for not taking his suggestion to wrap up the show with music by “Tubthumping” songsters Chumbawamba.

True to his reputation, Gervais came armed with a shiv and targeting Hollywood’s top stars. It took less than a minute for the host to poke fun at Sean Penn’s interview with Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman at this year’s telecast.

“I’m going to do this monologue and go into hiding,” said Gervais. “Not even Sean Penn will find me.”

Read More: Ricky Gervais Pokes Fun at Sean Penn, Caitlyn Jenner in Golden Globes Monologue (VIDEO)

Returning as emcee for the first time since 2012, Gervais greeted the celebrity filled ballroom at the Beverly Hilton with trademark irreverence, calling them, “You disgusting, pill popping, sexual deviant scum,” and telling the audience that the awards were only handed out by “confused old journalists” who wanted to take selfies with stars.

Mel Gibson, the butt of jokes by Gervais over his anti-Semetic laced tirade over his 2006 arrest for drunk driving, commented on the awkwardness of having his picadillos dredged up and lampooned in front of a national audience.

“I love seeing Ricky once every three years because it reminds me to get a colonoscopy,” said Gibson.

The Office creator stunned viewers with his three previous stints, poking fun at stars’ histories of drinking or drug abuse, rumored homosexuality, and even the loose ethical standards of the organization’s voting body. And this edition was no different with Gervais, beer by his side, sending up everything from Caitlyn Jenner’s gender transition to studios’ penchant for intensely lobbying voting members for awards love (a joke about purchasing Globes that drew deep laughs from Harvey Weinstein).

A rowdy atmosphere prevailed throughout the show. Jonah Hill appearing in costume as the bear from The Revenant, at one point, while Amy Schumer listed off a series of celebrity nicknames, in heavily bleeped bits that were censored to a nearly indecipherable extent. Meanwhile actors like Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling were greeted with fevered screeching in place of staid applause, and best actress in a TV drama defied the wrap up signal, shouting, “I’ve waited 20 years for this. You’re going to wait.”

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Motion Picture, Drama
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
WINNER: The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
The Big Short
Joy
WINNER: The Martian
Spy
Trainwreck

Best Director – Motion Picture
Todd Haynes, Carol
WINNER: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Cate Blanchett, Carol
WINNER: Brie Larson, Room
Rooney Mara, Carol
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
WINNER: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Will Smith, Concussion

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
WINNER: Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck
Maggie Smith, Lady in the Van
Lily Tomlin, Grandma

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Steve Carell, The Big Short
WINNER: Matt Damon, The Martian
Al Pacino, Danny Collins
Mark Ruffalo, Infinitely Polar Bear

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
WINNER: Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Jane Fonda, Youth
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
WINNER: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Read More: ‘Golden Globes’: Ricky Gervais Slams HFPA, Caitlyn Jenner in Monologue

Best Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
WINNER: Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Emma Donoghue, Room
Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, Spotlight
Charles Randolph, Adam McKay, The Big Short
WINNER: Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs
Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Love Me Like You Do,” 50 Shades of Grey
“One Kind of Love,” Love and Mercy
“See You Again,” Furious 7
“Simple Song No. 3,” Youth
WINNER: “Writing’s on the Wall,” Spectre

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Carter Burwell, Carol
Alexandre Desplat, The Danish Girl
WINNER: Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight
Daniel Pemberton, Steve Jobs
Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alva Noto, The Revenant

Best Motion Picture - Foreign Language
The Brand New Testament (Belgium, France, Luxembourg)
The Club (Chile)
The Fencer (Finland, Germany, Estonia)
Mustang (France)
WINNER: Son of Saul (Hungary)

Cecil B. DeMille Award
WINNER: Denzel Washington

Best TV Series, Drama
Empire (Fox)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
WINNER: Mr. Robot (USA Network)
Narcos (Netflix)
Outlander (Starz)

Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Casual (Hulu)
WINNER: Mozart in the Jungle (Amazon Video)
Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Transparent (Amazon Video)
Veep (HBO)

Best TV Limited Series or Movie
American Crime (ABC)
American Horror Story: Hotel (FX)
Fargo (FX)
Flesh and Bone (Starz)
WINNER: Wolf Hall (PBS)

Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama
Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Eva Green, Penny Dreadful
WINNER: Taraji P. Henson, Empire
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Read More: Golden Globes 2016: Red Carpet Arrivals

Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
WINNER: Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Wagner Moura, Narcos
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan

Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy
WINNER: Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Jamie Lee Curtis, Scream Queens
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Lily Tomlin, Grace & Frankie

Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
WINNER: Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Rob Lowe, The Grinder
Patrick Stewart, Blunt Talk
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Best Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie
Kirsten Dunst, Fargo
WINNER: Lady Gaga, American Horror Story: Hotel
Sarah Hay, Flesh and Bone
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Queen Latifah, Bessie

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Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie
Idris Elba, Luther
WINNER: Oscar Isaac, Show Me a Hero
David Oyelowo, Nightingale
Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall
Patrick Wilson, Fargo

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited-Series, or TV Movie
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Regina King, American Crime
Judith Light, Transparent
WINNER: Maura Tierney, The Affair

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Limited-Series, or TV Movie
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall
Ben Mendelson, Bloodline
Tobias Menzies, Outlander
WINNER: Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

(Photos: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/AP, GIFs via NBC)