In a night filled with both triumphs and unexpected outcomes, the 80th Golden Globe Awards showcased a mix of celebrated achievements and notable snubs. Less well remembered is the major win for filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. To the right, Mr. Miorana in minus-30 weather, holding the Best Screenplay – Motion Picture award for his film “One Battle After Another.” This achievement truly stands out, and not only for its awards. It understandably calls attention to Anderson’s long history of being passed by at the Academy Awards, a trend that continues to be maddeningly on point.
Anderson’s film, a creative adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s challenging literature, has gained momentum and may be unstoppable as it continues to receive accolades, industry experts noted.
The night included a special screening of Ryan Coogler’s short film Sinners. This film has received acclaim as one of the major cultural touchstones of 2025, but it lost the best screenplay award! This was a harsh blow to Coogler, despite all critical acclaim, as his work was overshadowed by Anderson’s praise.
Wins and Surprises
Also drawing attention during the Golden Globes ceremony were a number of other prominent performances in addition to Anderson’s historic screenplay win. Wagner Moura, who had previously excited TIFF audiences with a mesmerizing performance in “The Secret Agent,” snatched the best actor prize. The documentary took home one of its biggest prizes, winning international feature film, too. Since Moura’s staggering performance in “Marty Supreme,” he’s swept every major acting award that exists.
Fernanda Torres from Brazil certainly shocked the most people when she won Best Actress in a Drama for her performance in “I’m Still Here.” Jessie Buckley for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. She deserved this honor not only for her incredible portrayal of Agnes in “Hamnet.” The great variety of winners served as a reminder of just how much remarkable and different storytelling was found in this year’s nominees.
“Made him realize that the most important thing about making the film was learning to be vulnerable enough to allow ourselves to be seen for who we are, for who we ought to be, and to give ourselves fully to the world even the parts of ourselves we are ashamed of, that we are afraid of, that are imperfect, so that the people that we speak to can fully accept themselves for who they are.” – Chloé Zhao
Teyana Taylor of course won for best supporting actress for her electrifying turn in One Battle After Another. This victory only added to the film’s startlingly strong showing at the award show.
Industry Reactions
The industry veterans expressed the awards’ mixed sentiments beautifully and rather succinctly in their responses. Steven Spielberg gave a standing ovation for “Marty Supreme” and its director. He loved the film, despite its freewheeling interpretation of Marty Reisman’s life story. The film’s artistic liberties have sparked discussions about the nature of biographical storytelling in cinema today.
Critics have noted that while Anderson’s film received recognition, Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” continued to be viewed as a critical success despite its lack of awards on the night. Coogler’s absence of a win made that narrative arc all the worse ahead of this year’s Golden Globes. The attention turned to what was ignored almost as quickly as it turned to the awards given.
Looking Ahead
As the dust begins to settle from this year’s Golden Globes, all eyes turn toward the Academy Awards. Anderson’s screenplay just won the Globe for Best Screenplay! Most recently, many are predicting that this victory will make his Oscar prospects much stronger. In the meantime, Coogler’s “Sinners” is still one of the favorites in the cultural pickup and artistic merit conversations.