Australian actors score big as Golden Globe nominations are announced in Los Angeles

Aussie stars have had a return to favour with this year’s Golden Globes nominations - with one in particular making a huge comeback.

Australian star power will dominate the Golden Globes next month after Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette and Russell Crowe all picked up nominations.

The 77th annual awards ceremony, considered a precursor for the Academy Awards, will air on Foxtel on Monday, January 6 in Australia (Sunday in the US).

Crowe, who was a regular nominee at the Golden Globes and Oscars in the early 2000s, has been on the outer for more than a decade.

He was welcomed back when he picked up a Globe nomination, unveiled at a Beverly Hills ceremony, for portraying controversial Fox News boss Roger Ailes in the TV miniseries The Loudest Voice.

Crowe will compete against Sacha Baron Cohen (The Spy), Sam Rockwell (Fosse/Verdon), Christopher Abbott (Catch-22) and Jared Harris (Chernobyl) in the limited series or TV movie best actor category.

Margot Robbie nabbed her second Golden Globe nomination for the #MeToo-inspired Bombshell. Picture: Getty Images

Kidman cleaned up on the awards show circuit two years ago for her complex and challenging performance as Celeste Wright in the first season of HBO’s Big Little Lies, and she was rewarded again for season two of the TV series based on Sydney author Liane Moriarty’s novel, which is available to stream on Foxtel Now.

Kidman has plenty of competition in the lead actress in a TV drama race with her Big Little Lies co-star Reese Witherspoon nominated for her the #MeToo-inspired The Morning Show, along with her co-star Jennifer Aniston, Oscar winner Olivia Colman (The Crown) and Jodie Comer (Killing Eve).

Nicole Kidman has received her 10th Golden Globe acting nominatio. Picture: Getty Images

Cate Blanchett was a surprise nominee for Where’d You Go, Bernadette. Picture: Getty Images

Rising Australian star Sarah Snook was a surprise snub in the category for her scene-stealing role in the TV drama Succession.

Robbie’s pursuit of an Oscar remains on track with her nod for best supporting actress in the movie Bombshell, also about Ailes’ reign of workplace sexual harassment at Fox News.

Robbie’s category is also stacked with A-listers; Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers), Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell), Annette Bening (The Report) and Laura Dern (Marriage Story) are also nominated.

Russell Crowe’s performance as Fox News boss Roger Ailes has scored him a Golden Globe nomination. Picture: Supplied

Blanchett, nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy movie for Where’d You Go, Bernadette, is up against Emma Thompson (Late Night), Beanie Feldstein (Booksmart), Awkwafina (The Farewell) and Ana De Armas (Knives Out).

Collette, nominated in the supporting actress in a TV series or movie category for Unbelievable, also faces star-studded competition from Meryl Streep (Big Little Lies), Patricia Arquette (The Act), Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown) and Emily Watson (Chernobyl) receiving nods.

Another surprise snub was New Zealand’s Taika Waititi who missed out on directing kudos for his comedy/drama Jojo Rabbit, but the film did score a nod in the best comedy/musical picture category.

Both Merritt Wever, left, and Toni Collette were nominated for the stellar true crime series Unbelievable. Picture: Netflix via AP

But he wasn’t the only one; Greta Gerwig’s much-touted Little Women largely missed out, aside from one nomination for star, Saoirse Ronan.

The biggest shocker came with the snub of Ava DuVernay’s Emmy-winning juggernaut, When They See Us, which failed to score a nomination for miniseries or television film.

The final season of Game of Thrones, which won at the Emmys earlier this year, was also shut out of best television series Another final season of a popular series, Veep, also came up shockingly short, with star Julia Louis-Dreyfus failing to score a nomination for her last episodes in the series, and no nod for best television series – comedy.

The Handmaid’s Tale, once a Globes favourite, was also completely shut out in its third season, despite winning multiple gongs in its first year.

Marriage Story, Noah Baumbauch’s story about a disintegrating marriage scored nominations for Scarlett Johansson, left, and Adam Driver. Picture: Netflix via AP

STREAMING GIANT DOMINATES

Meanwhile, Netflix dominated the nominations, as its heart-wrenching divorce saga Marriage Story grabbed six nods including best drama, kicking off the race for the Oscars.

The streaming giant secured a whopping 17 film nominations, trouncing the competition from Hollywood studios among whom Sony finished second with just eight.

“I’m not surprised by the dominance — I’m surprised by how massive the dominance is,” Lorenzo Soria, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association said.

“The announcements this morning are sort of like a coming of age of the streaming services.” The Irishman, Martin Scorsese’s three-and-a-half-hour gangster epic also from Netflix, secured five nominations, ending tied for second with Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino’s nostalgic love letter to 1960s Tinseltown.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt were nominated for Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood, but Margot Robbie’s nomination came for another film. Picture: AFP

The nominations traditionally see the stars and movies destined for awards success start to break away from the competition — the Globes are seen as a key indicator for February’s Academy Awards.

Marriage Story earned nominations for its stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, and for its screenplay, but director Noah Baumbach missed out.

The film portrays how a seemingly stable love can be ripped apart after Johansson’s actress moves from New York to Los Angeles, calling in the lawyers as she separates from a narcissistic theatre director played by Driver.

Scorsese was nominated for best director for Irishman but there was no best actor nod for his leading man Robert De Niro. Instead, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci were both selected for supporting roles.

For Once Upon a Time in Hollywood there were acting nods for A-listers Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.

Netflix’s Vatican drama The Two Popes also performed well for the streamer, while dark comic book tale Joker received recognition in best drama, best actor (Joaquin Phoenix) and best director.

Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Ray Romano in The Irishman. Pacino was recognised but his old mate De Niro wasn’t. Picture: AP

STAR POWER

Underlining its supremacy, Netflix also secured the most television nominations. The latest series of royal family drama The Crown, which features an all-new cast led by Olivia Colman, secured a joint-top four nominations, as did the streaming giant’s limited series Unbelievable. Netflix managed 17 television nominations, to its rival HBO’s 15. Apple’s new batch of television shows for its streaming platform Apple TV+, launched last month, secured their first three nominations, all for flagship launch program The Morning Show.

Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston were both nominated for Apple TV+’s The Morning Show. Picture: Getty Images

Lead actresses Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, who also executive-produced the series about a morning news program hit by a #MeToo scandal, were both nominated.

The nominations were announced at an early-morning Beverly Hills ceremony by actor Tim Allen (Toy Story) and actresses Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam) and Susan Kelechi Watson (This Is Us).

The 77th Golden Globes will take place in Los Angeles on January 5, two days before voting for Oscars nominees ends.

Nods for Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lopez across best original song (The Lion King, Cats) and best supporting actress (Hustlers) will lend further star power to the gala hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

The show will be hosted by British comedian Ricky Gervais, returning for a record fifth time.

FULL LIST OF NOMINATIONS

Best Motion Picture – Drama

The Irishman

Marriage Story

1917

Joker

The Two Popes

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)

Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story)

Saoirse Ronan (Little Women)

Charlize Theron (Bombshell)

Renée Zellweger (Judy)

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Christian Bale (Ford v Ferrari)

Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory)

Adam Driver (Marriage Story)

Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)

Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Dolemite Is My Name

Jojo Rabbit

Knives Out

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Rocketman

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Ana de Armas (Knives Out)

Awkwafina (The Farewell)

Cate Blanchett (Where’d You Go, Bernadette)

Beanie Feldstein (Booksmart)

Emma Thompson (Late Night)

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Daniel Craig (Knives Out)

Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit)

Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood)

Taron Egerton (Rocketman)

Eddie Murphy (Dolemite Is My Name)

Best Motion Picture – Animated

Frozen 2

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

The Lion King

Missing Link

Toy Story 4

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language

The Farewell

Les Misérables

Pain and Glory

Parasite

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Margot Robbie, left, and Kate McKinnon in Bombshell. Picture: AP

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell)

Annette Bening (The Report)

Laura Dern (Marriage Story)

Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers)

Margot Robbie (Bombshell)

Jennifer Lopez scored a nomination for her performance as a stripper in Hustlers. Picture: Supplied

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood)

Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes)

Al Pacino (The Irishman)

Joe Pesci (The Irishman)

Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood)

Brad Pitt played a smooth grifter in Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood. Picture: AP

Best Director – Motion Picture

Bong Joon-ho (Parasite)

Sam Mendes (1917)

Todd Phillips (Joker)

Martin Scorsese (The Irishman)

Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood)

Acclaimed director Bong Joon-Ho scored a nomination for his hit film, Parasite. Picture: AP

Best Television Series – Drama

Big Little Lies

The Crown

Killing Eve

The Morning Show

Succession

Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep were both nominated for Big Little Lies season 2. Picture: Supplied

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama

Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show)

Olivia Colman (The Crown)

Jodie Comer (Killing Eve)

Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies)

Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show)

Olivia Colman was nominated for her performance as the Quuen in The Crown. Picture: Netflix

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Brian Cox (Succession)

Kit Harington (Game of Thrones)

Rami Malek (Mr. Robot)

Tobias Menzies (The Crown)

Billy Porter (Pose)

Billy Porter was nominated for Pose, but the show missed out on other major categories. Picture: AP

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Barry

Fleabag

The Kominsky Method

The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel

The Politician

Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge continued her recent good run at awards shows. Picture: AP

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Christina Applegate (Dead to Me)

Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Kirsten Dunst (On Becoming a God in Central Florida)

Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll)

Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)

Bill Hader (Barry)

Ben Platt (The Politician)

Paul Rudd (Living with Yourself)

Ramy Youssef (Ramy)

Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin were again nominated for The Kominsky Method. Picture: AP

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Catch-22

Chernobyl

Fosse/Verdon

The Loudest Voice

Unbelievable

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Kaitlyn Dever (Unbelievable)

Joey King (The Act)

Helen Mirren (Catherine the Great)

Merritt Wever (Unbelievable)

Michelle Williams (Fosse/Verdon)

Michelle Williams in Fosse/Verdon. Picture: AP

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Christopher Abbott (Catch-22)

Sacha Baron Cohen (The Spy)

Russell Crowe (The Loudest Voice)

Jared Harris (Chernobyl)

Sam Rockwell (Fosse/Verdon)

Jared Harris turned in a stunning performance in Chernobyl. Picture: AP

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Patricia Arquette (The Act)

Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown)

Toni Collette (Unbelievable)

Meryl Streep (Big Little Lies)

Emily Watson (Chernobyl)

Kieran Culkin scored for the brilliant Succession, but Aussie Sarah Snook (right) missed out. Picture: Foxtel.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method)

Kieran Culkin (Succession)

Andrew Scott (Fleabag)

Stellan Skarsgard (Chernobyl)

Henry Winkler (Barry)