A Witness of Change

Hollywood opens up about diversity at the Golden Globes

Golden+Globes+breaks+its+all+time+record+in+diverse+film+nominations.+

Golden Globes breaks it’s all time record in diverse film nominations.

Emily Barnett, Reporter

Last week the 76th annual Golden Globes run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) strayed away from its usual night of controversy and came to light regarding a new topic.

The night was highly focused on Hollywood changing its ways of having predominantly white people cast in films with male directors into being open about producing films with multiple races and genders.

There are vast opinions on whether the change will last or not. Some believe that the door for diversity in Hollywood might finally be opened for change. Others think that the issue was circulating as the theme of the night and next year at the Globes could be different.

“I think that they will continue to be diverse because many people complain about it and Hollywood tries to do better every year,” freshman Lauren Maxwell said, who was able to watch the Globes last week.

Although it is unknown whether the change will stay or not, there is no doubt that the diverse characters, actors, and films that were introduced had huge impact on Hollywood history, and people from around the world.

“I’m not sure if the diversity will last or not, I doubt it will. I think it was just cool to see a new change for the night,” sophomore Evan Van Der Eems said.

The Golden Globes started off with the co-hosts Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh’s monologue. Oh, who is the first Asian woman to host the Globes, opened up about accepting the request of being a host along with the theme of the night.

“I said yes to the fear of being on this stage tonight because I wanted to be here to look out into this audience and witness this moment of change, and I’m not fooling myself, next year could be different. It probably will be, but right now, this moment is real. Trust me, it is real, because I see you, and I see you, all of these faces of change, and now, so will everyone else,” Oh told the crowd.  

Oh also went on to win a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a TV Drama series for her role in Killing Eve. In her acceptance speech, she thanked her parents, who attended the Globes, in Korean.

This year the Globes broke its record of diverse nominations and many diverse films were nominated such as high grossing movies; Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians.

A group of diverse actors and filmmakers such as Alfonso Cuaron, Regina King, Mahershala Ali, Sandra Oh, Rami Malek, and Darren Criss were also awarded for their work.

Criss who was named best actor in a limited series or TV movie for his role in The Assassination of Gianni Versace American Crime Story, spoke on the topic of diversity in his award acceptance speech by dedicating his award to his Filipino mom. 

“This has been a marvelous year for representation in Hollywood and I am enormously proud to be a teeny tiny part of that as the son of a firecracker Filipino woman from Cebu that dreamed of coming to this country and getting to be invited to cool parties like this,” Criss said. 

Another memorable moment during the event was when Regina King won best performance by an actress in a supporting role in any motion picture for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk and vowed to produce films with at least 50 percent women.

The diverse films lay out a bigger importance by the influence that they bring to the world.

“I think it’s very inspirational because I feel like society doesn’t change very much and to have a message broadcasted internationally, I felt the point was able to get across,” freshman Erick Ascencio said on Hollywood’s diversity change. “It impacts other people because diversity in films puts emphasis on multiple cultures and it comes across as a different story that people who don’t get represented can relate to.”