Bohemian Rhapsody, the biopic about British rock band Queen and its frontman Freddie Mercury, has won the Golden Globe for best film drama. The motion picture beat out favorite A Star is Born.
Bohemian Rhapsody pulled off a major upset at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, taking home two top prizes — best drama film and best actor for Rami Malek.
The film won over early favorite A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga, superhero smash hit Black Panther, Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman and If Beale Street Could Talk. Sunday’s winners are seen as a predictor to which films will win the all-important Academy Awards (Oscars) on February 24.
The awards were hosted by actors Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg, who opened the ceremony with a comedy skit. During her routine, Oh made fun of white actors performing Asian roles.
“Crazy Rich Asians is the first studio film with an Asian American lead since Ghost in the Shell and Aloha,” Oh joked. An unscripted “I’m sorry” from fellow actress Emma Stone, who was the lead in Aloha, had the audience laughing and Oh looking relieved.
Sandra Oh won an award herself, snatching best actress in a TV drama for “Killing Eve,” and in a moving speech, thanked her parents in Korean. The win was the third Golden Globe in her career.
Malik: ‘I tried to find the humanity in him’
The best actor win was the first Golden Globe for Rami Malek, who had been twice nominated for his role on the television drama “Mr. Robot.”
Malik thanked Queen band members Brian May and Roger Taylor, as well as Freddy Mercury for providing the role of a lifetime. “I tried to find the humanity in him,” Malik said.
“I related it to him being an immigrant struggling to discover his identity. I tried to take everything he was struggling with, his complication, his chaos, his turmoil and this beauty inside of him. He lifted me up to be everything I could be in this film,” the 37-year-old said.
Glenn Close encourages women to dream
Veteran actress Glenn Close won the Golden Globe for her role in The Wife, beating the favorite Lady Gaga for her role in A Star is Born.
Close was pleasantly shocked hearing her name called out and expressed her gratitude on stage with an emotional speech about female empowerment. She said the film role and the moment made her think of her mother.