Best moments from the 2025 Golden Globes
By Alli Rosenbloom and Dan Heching, CNN
(CNN) — The Golden Globes aired Sunday night and the unofficial kickoff to Hollywood’s award season served glamour, laughs and a few sentimental tears.
Globe voters honored TV and films that explored themes of aging, immigration, acceptance and survival, but the tone of the show was largely light and celebratory, in keeping with an event historically considered Hollywood’s biggest – and booziest – party.
From host Nikki Glaser’s best lines to some sincerely sweet acceptance speeches, highlights from the 82nd Golden Globes follow below:
Nikki Glaser’s funniest lines
Globes host Nikki Glaser – the first standalone, female host for the event – did what she does best: playfully roast celebrities.
Glaser kicked off her monologue by cracking a joke about the show being “Ozempic’s biggest night,” referencing the popular weight loss drug, and later poked fun at Timotheé Chalamet’s name (and facial hair), even featuring Adam Sandler saying Chalament’s name in his signature comedic cadence.
Double nominee Selena Gomez and her fiancé Benny Blanco also made the monologue. Glaser joked that Blanco, who accompanied his fiancée Gomez to the show, was only there “because of the genie who granted him that wish.”
Later in the telecast, Glaser hilariously attempted to combine “Wicked” and “Conclave” into a song called “Pope-ular” while wearing a cardinal or a pope hat and clutching Glinda’s wand. The bit was short-lived though – as she began to sing, Glaser mimed getting a note from producers in her earpiece letting her know the number “sucked.”
About midway through the show, Glaser took stock of how it was going so far by presenting a tally of who had been thanked during acceptance speeches.
Turns out cast and crew scored big with 11 shoutouts, moms got enough love for a second place ranking, while TV host Mario Lopez got a mention. But, one who did not get any love at all was “God, creator of the universe,” Himself.
“No surprise in this Godless town,” Glaser joked.
Family night at the Globes
Sunday’s ceremony certainly had heart, in part, due to the many nominees who brought their parents to the event. Several winners also made sure to single out their loved ones while on stage.
Zoe Saldana, who won a statuette for best performance by a female actor in a supporting role in any motion picture for “Emilia Pérez,” brought her mother Asalia Nazario along as her date. Ariana Grande, who was nominated for her performance in a supporting capacity for “Wicked,” also brought her mom, Joan Grande, while actress Margaret Qualley brought along her father, Paul.
Glen Powell’s mom and dad Cyndy Powell and Glen Powell Sr. proudly accompanied their son and celebrated the actor being a first-time nominee for his Netflix film, “Hitman.”
Globe winner Adrien Brody’s speech acknowledging his parents, who were also on site, provided one of the most moving moments of the evening. He thanked his mother and immigrant ancestors for their sacrifices that paralleled that of his “Brutalist” character.
Surprise winner Fernanda Torres, who took home the trophy for best female actor in a drama motion picture for Brazilian film “I’m Still Here,” also paid tribute to her mother by dedicating her win to her.
“You have no idea she was here 25 years ago and this is like a proof that art can endure through life, even in difficult moments like this,” she said. “The same thing that is happening now in the world, with so much fear and this is a film that helps us to think how to survive in tough times like this. So to my mother, to my family… thank you very much.”
Ahead of the ceremony, Torres said she was the second Brazilian to be nominated, her mother Fernanda Montenegro being the first for 1998’s “Central Station.” Her mother is also her costar in the Walter Salles-directed film.
Moving speeches
The Globes had a mix of funny, gracious and moving acceptance speeches.
First-time winner Demi Moore, who won for best lead actress in a musical or comedy for her performance in the horror-comedy “The Substance,” gave a tearful speech about self-acceptance that brought many in the Beverly Hilton ballroom to their feet.
“I really wasn’t expecting that. I’m just in shock right now,” Moore said when she took the stage. “I’ve been doing this a long time, like over 45 years, and this is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor and I’m just so humbled and so grateful.”
Moore, 62, recalled an exchange with a movie producer about 30 years ago who called her a “popcorn actress.”
“At that time, I made that mean that this wasn’t something that I was allowed to have,” she said of her win. “And I bought in and I believed that and that corroded me over time to the point where I thought a few years ago that maybe this was it. Maybe I was complete, maybe I’ve done what I was supposed to do.”
She said that the script for “The Substance” came to her while she was in “this low point” of her life.
“(Then) I had this magical, bold, courageous, out of the box, absolutely bonkers script come across my desk called ‘The Substance,’ and the universe told me that you’re not done,” Moore continued.
Colin Farrell credited his makeup artist and craft services team for his win for “The Penguin.”
“No one to thank on this one, I did it all by myself,” Farrell joked when accepting his award. He went on to say that “it takes a village” to create a series and thanked the cast and crew, including the prosthetics artists and “Carolina” from craft service, who gave him much-needed refreshments while he was overheating on set in the heavy makeup required for the role.
When the team from “Wicked” won for cinematic and box office achievement, director Jon Chu spoke about the joy of bringing people together to promote understanding and connection through movies.
Golden glamour
Many of the most luminous guests lit up the Globes with truly golden looks. Stars including host Glaser, Ariana Grande, Cate Blanchett, Kristen Bell, Mikey Madison, Mindy Kaling and Elle Fanning all donned golden-hued gowns.
Glaser turned up on the red carpet wearing a custom Prabal Gurung dress, telling Women’s Wear Daily that her tiny gold spherical purse was just for show. She added that the bag is empty but joked that it can double as a weapon.
Kaling was seen wearing a metallic gold column gown by Ashi Studio, while Oscar-winner Blanchett turned heads in a gold Louis Vuitton number.
Additionally, there were plenty of shimmering satins and metallics on display, including Angelina Jolie’s silver beaded Alexander McQueen creation and Moore’s iridescent champagne gown. But while many attendees opted for classic silhouettes in demure shades, there were also pops of bright color — red, in particular.
Dakota Fanning, nominated for her role in “Ripley,” turned heads in a strapless red Dolce & Gabbana bodice gown with a daring thigh slit. Elsewhere, Comedian Ali Wong (in Balenciaga), Sheryl Lee Ralph (in custom St. John) and Emma Stone (in Louis Vuitton) also impressed in shades ranging from ruby to burgundy.
CNN’s Oscar Holland, Lisa Respers France and Tori B. Powell contributed to this report.
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