Monthly Archives: January 2020

2020 SAG Awards Predictions

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The Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG), the second major pre-Oscar ceremony, takes place this coming Sunday night. And with Oscar nominations officially announced a few days ago, it will be interesting to see if that plays a part in some of the night’s winners (or not).

For example, theoretically, we could say Jennifer Lopez now has zero shot of winning Supporting Actress, as she didn’t even get the Oscar nomination many were certain she would. Except not really, as we have seen SAG voters repeatedly award nominees, particularly in the Supporting categories, who didn’t get an Oscar nomination. See Emily Blunt last year for A Quiet Place and Idris Elba a few years ago for Beasts of No Nation.

So Sunday night’s ceremony may prove to be a night of little to no surprises or it could shake up this year’s Award Season dramatically. My gut feeling – I think the major acting categories are all but sewn up for this year’s Oscars. So without further ado, here are my predictions for who will win.

Yes, I’m being really brave here and simply doing a “Will Win” versus a “Will” and “Could” Win. If I’m wrong, so be it. I expect to be wrong about a lot of these, particularly for the television categories which in itself is a giant cluster of “WTAF…” But that’s for a whole separate rant.

MOVIES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role 

  • Christian Bale – Ford v Ferrari
  • Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
  • Adam Driver – Marriage Story
  • Taron Egerton – Rocketman
  • Joaquin Phoenix – Joker

Will Win – Joaquin Phoenix. I think this one will be an Award Season sweep. This may have seemed unlikely just a month or two ago, as Phoenix did not pick up any Critics’ precursor awards. They all went to a combination of Antonio Banderas, with Driver often a runner-up and of course, Adam Sandler won the National Board of Review. But the same could have been said about Rami Malek last year and he too, all but swept, losing only the Critics Choice to Christian Bale, which was no surprise considering the critical reception to Bohemian Rhapsody. However, Phoenix just won the Critics Choice, which were presented this past Sunday night. So yeah, it definitely feels like it’s his moment.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

  • Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)
  • Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story)
  • Lupita Nyong’o (Us)
  • Charlize Theron (Bombshell)
  • Renee Zellweger (Judy)

Will Win – Renee Zellweger. Much like Joaquin Phoenix, it appears that this will likely be an Awards Season sweep for Zellweger. She has quite literally not lost a single thing she’s been nominated for, for her role in Judy. It’s hard to bet against her at this point.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

  • Jamie Foxx – Just Mercy
  • Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
  • Al Pacino – The Irishman
  • Joe Pesci – The Irishman
  • Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win – Because it’s SAG and as I noted above, they seem to love doing something crazy in the Supporting categories, watch this one go to Jamie Foxx. Just kidding (though not completely)… Even though yes, SAG can be unpredictable at times, I’m still going to call this one for Brad Pitt.  Get those Awards Brad…

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role 

  • Laura Dern – Marriage Story
  • Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit
  • Nicole Kidman – Bombshell
  • Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
  • Margot Robbie – Bombshell

Will Win – Okay, now this is where I do think there may be a surprise win and I think it will be Scarlett Johansson for Jojo Rabbit. It’s not because she’s a double nominee that I think she’s guaranteed to win in at least one of the categories. Because we have seen multiple actors and actresses receive double nominations and lose in both categories (still love you, Amy Adams). But I can’t help feeling like there’s a bit of a late-season push for Johansson, particularly in this category, as Actress seems much tougher with Renee’s stranglehold there. It’s more than likely I’ll be wrong but I wouldn’t be surprised if an upset happens and Dern loses here, whether it’s to Johansson or someone else.

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 

  • Bombshell
  • The Irishman
  • Jojo Rabbit
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
  • Parasite

Will Win – This is a tough one. I could see The Irishman winning, just as a way of awarding such a legendary group of actors. And I would love to see Parasite take it, especially as none of the individual acting performances from the film have been singled out for recognition by the various Guilds. However, gut tells me it’s going to be Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which I think will be another push towards the film ultimately winning Best Picture at The Oscars. Yes, I am aware many SAG Ensemble winners don’t win Best Picture – see Black Panther last year, then Hidden Figures, American Hustle, etc. However, I do feel like there’s a crazy momentum around Once Upon a Time right now, which is a bit surprising, considering the film came out back in June of last year.

TELEVISION 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

  • Mahershala Ali – True Detective
  • Russell Crowe – The Loudest Voice
  • Jared Harris – Chernobyl
  • Jharrel Jerome – When They See Us
  • Sam Rockwell – Fosse/Verdon

Will Win – Crowe is coming off a big win at The Golden Globes, so hard to dismiss him. However, Jerome who won the Emmy in this category was of course not even nominated at the Globes. But he’s back in the mix and it’s hard to bet against him, especially since he also just won the Critics Choice for the same category. So I’m going with Jharrel Jerome for this one.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries 

  • Patricia Arquette – The Act
  • Toni Collette – Unbelievable
  • Joey King – The Act
  • Emily Watson – Chernobyl
  • Michelle Williams – Fosse/Verdon

Will Win – This is a tough one to call. Because SAG does not do Supporting for the Television categories, Williams and Arquette are going head to head here and both have previously won every time in their respective category. So conventional wisdom would say this is between the two. Which way will the voters go – honestly, hard to say? So I’m going to err on the side of caution with this one and predict Michelle Williams OR Patricia Arquette, for who will win. Now watch and the award goes to Emily Watson or Toni Collette instead.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series 

  • Sterling K. Brown – This is Us
  • Steve Carell – The Morning Show
  • Billy Crudup – The Morning Show
  • Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones
  • David Harbour – Stranger Things

Will Win – And this category right here is a perfect representation of the WTAF I stated above, regarding the television categories. I mean just why, with so many of the nominees here. My genuine feelings to Who Will Win is a complete “who cares”. But screw it, I guess I need to make a prediction. So whatever, I’ll go with Peter Dinklage. Why – well he’s won a bunch of Emmys and a Globe for his role on Game of Thrones. And he has been nominated here numerous times but never won and it’s his last chance for the win, as the series wrapped last year. So, Dinklage, it is.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

  • Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show
  • Helena Bonham Carter – The Crown
  • Olivia Colman – The Crown
  • Jodie Comer – Killing Eve
  • Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale

Will Win – Poor Elisabeth Moss, she’s been so lauded and awarded for her role in The Handmaid’s Tale, winning both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance and yet, every time she’s been thwarted at the SAG Awards. Twice it was by Claire Foy, for her performance of Queen Elizabeth in The Crown. And something tells me another version of that performance will win again on Sunday night. That is Olivia Colman for her performance on The Crown. The industry seems to really love Olivia Colman and I could absolutely see that translating to a win here. I would not be totally surprised though if the most recent Emmy winner, Jodie Comer, pulls off the win.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 

  • Alan Arkin – The Kominsky Method
  • Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method
  • Bill Hader – Barry
  • Andrew Scott – Fleabag
  • Tony Shalhoub – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Will Win – SAG voters’ love repeating winners in this category (remember Alec Baldwin’s string of wins for 30 Rock, followed by William H. Macy’s stranglehold for Shameless). So by that token, Shalhoub would seem the likely winner here. But what the hell, I’ll throw a bone to Hader, who did just recently win the Emmy for his performance in Barry.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

  • Christina Applegate – Dead to Me
  • Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Catherine O’Hara – Schitt’s Creek
  • Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag

Will Win – I can’t think of anyone having a bigger moment right now in entertainment, particularly with regards to television than Phoebe Waller-Bridge. And every time I’ve underestimated her, she’s won. So it’s probably high time I just give in and predict her for a win. So there you go – my prediction for this category is Waller-Bridge. Now of course, with my luck, Brosnahan will pull a repeat.

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

  • Big Little Lies
  • The Crown
  • Game of Thrones
  • The Handmaid’s Tale
  • Stranger Things

Will Win – Again, do I even care? Not really. I can see a scenario where voters would love to award La Streep something, and so Big Little Lies wins this. Game of Thrones had a final season (a meh one if you ask many but let’s not focus on that at the moment) so it could be a nice send-off. The Crown delivered collectively a strong group of performances so it too could win here. Meanwhile, there is The Handmaid’s Tale, which although highly critically acclaimed, has never won here. And I have no clue why Stranger Things is even nominated. So a total toss-up and therefore, I kid you not, I’m literally going to make a prediction based off a random draw. And so drumroll, please…And I got number 5, which means Stranger Things it is. Well why not.

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

  • Barry
  • Fleabag
  • The Kominsky Method
  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Schitt’s Creek

Will Win – Fleabag. Because hell, it’s won everything else, so why not?

And there you have it, my predictions for this year’s Screen Actors Guild Awards.

2020 Golden Globes Recap

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One Awards Show, down as we inch ever closer to this year’s Academy Awards. As a precursor to the Academy Awards, this year’s Golden Globes ceremony was a mixture of surprises (oh hey, 1917) and predictability (can we just all agree that Best Foreign Language Film is a done deal). Not unlike last year to be honest. So it will be interesting to see if things pan out as they did last year, where HFPA voters turned out to be pretty on the money with most of their choices.

As for my predictions made before the show, well I’m happy to say that I correctly predicted 15 out of the 25 categories. Not too shabby. And I would also like to point out that once again, while I was wrong on the actual winner, I correctly predicted that the critics were all wrong with their pick for Best Motion Picture – Drama. And now with my gloating out of the way, here are my key takeaways from this year’s ceremony.  

  • Ricky Gervais’ Monologue – Yes he was rude, crude, possibly offensive and very likely tipsy. And once again, it was hilarious. Especially as the crowd of nominees grew increasingly uncomfortable and squirmy. That said, for as much as I enjoyed Ricky’s monologue, outside of that, he really didn’t add much to the show, in my opinion. As is often the case with most award show hosts, he seemingly vanished 1/3 of the way through the ceremony and at one point, I’d all but forgotten about him. So sure he provided 10-15 minutes of laughs at the start of the show but truthfully, we could have done without him. Then again, I’m all for host-less award shows.  

 

  • 1917 Shows Up Out of Nowhere – Come on, no one was really talking about 1917 as a serious contender for any of the major categories it was nominated in. My guess is a big part of this is due to the fact that it hasn’t even had a full-scale theatrical release, which means many critics probably haven’t seen it. Don’t get me wrong, we know the critics get screeners of films sent to them and the film did have a very limited release in the U.S. on Christmas Day, so as to ensure its eligibility for this year’s awards season. But my assumption is that much like If Beale Street Could Talk last year, which also only did a late December limited release, the film simply wasn’t on most critics’ radar in the way heavier campaigned films were. Apparently, it was certainly on the HFPA’s radar. The first surprise came when Sam Mendes upset predicted favorites Bong Joon Ho and Martin Scorsese for Best Director. And then came the biggie – the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, which critics were certain was a lock for The Irishman. It will be interesting to see if this was the start of a major momentum shift in this year’s Awards Season or just one of those random Golden Globes moment.  

 

  • Hooray to “Hollywood” – HFPA voters clearly loved Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. We knew Brad Pitt’s win was a strong likelihood, but the film also walked away with a Best Screenplay win for Quentin Tarantino and the Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical win. If things go as they did last year, when Green Book, the winner in this category, was the ultimate Best Picture winner at The Oscars, then things may be looking very good for Tarantino’s dark comedic ode to a specific and troubling time in old Hollywood.  

 

  • Streaming Networks Not So Powerful After All – Despite the dominance of streaming services among the nominations (Netflix led the overall pack with 34), when it was all said and done, only four wins went to a streaming service – Netflix with two and Amazon Prime Video with two. HBO was the big winner of the night for television, with four wins, for its one-two punch of Succession and Chernobyl. But don’t cry for Netflix just yet. There’s still the SAG and Oscars to come. 

 

  • Oscar Glory Awaits Brad Pitt – Yes, I know it’s bad to count your chickens before they’re hatched. But like I said in my predictions post, I can’t shake the sense that this feels like it’s Brad Pitt’s time. And Sunday night’s win just solidified that to me. The man practically got a standing ovation. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The industry loves Brad and this year that love will be celebrated with an Oscar win.  

 

  • Two Very Deserving Honorees – Tom Hanks (Cecil B. Demille Award) and Ellen Degeneres (newly introduced last year, Carol Burnett Award) were both deservingly honored for their contribution to film and television, respectively and both honors were high points of the evening, with moving, excellently produced tribute packages and even better heartfelt speeches. I cannot say I am as big a fan of Ellen’s work as I am of Tom Hanks, but I do recognize the contribution she’s made to television and comedy. And what can you say about Tom Hanks – comedy, drama, writer, producer, etc., he’s done it all. And has done it all with immeasurable class, talent, and humility.  

And there you have it. Usually, I talk about the night’s fashion but frankly, this year left me mostly bewildered (looking at you J-Lo) and incredibly underwhelmed (it was a cool outfit Billy but a bit tame for you). So trying to pick a favorite out of these drecks was virtually impossible. As for the worse, well that would take up this whole post. So with regard to the fashion, I’ll just say maybe things will look better for the SAG Awards.

2020 Golden Globes Predictions

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Ah, it’s that time again. When movies and television stars collide for one of Hollywood’s biggest parties. The Oscars may be considered the most prestigious of all the awards, but there’s no question that the Golden Globes is the “funnest” award show of them all.

This year’s ceremony promises a barrage of Hollywood heavyweights. From Brad to Leo to J-Lo, the stars will all be out in grand style come this Sunday night. But the big question is just who among them is going to walk away with a Globe in hand. I have some predictions.

I’ll probably be wrong for a bunch of categories but I’ll probably be right a lot too. Hey, I said A Star is Born was not winning Best Motion Picture – Drama last year, when all the pundits and “experts” predicted it would. Granted I did not predict Bohemian Rhapsody for the win but I was right about A Star is Born losing.

Admittedly I haven’t seen a number of the nominated films and television shows and so this year, I decided to do a Will Win vs. Could Win, as opposed to Will Win vs. Should Win.

Because I think it’s a little disingenuous to say someone should absolutely win over someone else when I haven’t seen all the performances. So without further ado, here are my predictions for this year’s Golden Globe Awards.

MOVIES

Best Motion Picture – Drama

  • 1917
  • The Irishman
  • Joker
  • Marriage Story
  • The Two Popes

Will Win: Joker. I know all the pundits are saying The Irishman will win. But just like they were all wrong last year about A Star is Born, I think they will be again this year. I truly believe HFPA voters love Joker, much like they did Bohemian Rhapsody last year. And like Bohemian Rhapsody, Joker will also win this category.

Could Win: Marriage Story. Yup, I’m really not picking The Irishman here. If I am wrong about Joker’s winning, my gut says that Marriage Story will triumph instead.

Best Performance by an 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

Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix. This is a really tough one. And I’m fully prepared to be wrong here and hell, we may even see Antonio Banderas win this category on Sunday night. But sticking to my belief that HFPA voters love Joker, I’m giving the edge to Phoenix.

Could Win: Adam Driver. Let’s face it, this seems to be shaping up as a two-man fight between Adam Driver and Joaquin Phoenix. Driver had an exceptional year on screen with not just one, but three very memorable and yet very different, roles. And he shone in them all. And that might be the very thing that creates a win for him.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

  • Cynthia Erivo – Harriet
  • Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story
  • Saoirse Ronan – Little Women
  • Charlize Theron – Bombshell
  • Renee Zellweger – Judy

Will Win: Renee Zellweger. It feels like Renee sewed this category up back in early 2019. That can sometimes be a negative, as more recent performances and actors build momentum, due to their being fresher in voters’ minds. But the consensus appears to be that this is still Renee’s to lose.

Could Win: Charlize Theron. Yeah what I just said about more recent performances building momentum, well that would be Charlize in Bombshell, a film that came out very late last year. But not late enough to stop voters from noticing Theron’s performance. I also wouldn’t be mad if things swung Johansson’s way.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

  • Dolemite is My Name
  • Jojo Rabbit
  • Knives Out
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
  • Rocketman

Will Win: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Come on, it’s everything HFPA voters love – huge stars, it’s about Hollywood and the entertainment industry and it’s a dark, twisted comedy. The film has also shown up big for many award shows, getting noms not just for its actors, but director Quentin Tarantino as well. Hard to bet against it here.

Could Win: Jojo Rabbit. Hell, anyone of these other films could win. Rocketman fits the Musical side of things perfectly, Knives Out is a fun whodunit that is filled with a huge cast of actors and Dolomite is a funny and heartwarming movie.  But Jojo Rabbit is the one that was all the talk of the industry and film festivals a few months ago. And I think if any film has serious potential to upset Once Upon a Time here, it’s this one.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

  • Daniel Craig – Knives Out
  • Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
  • Taron Egerton – Rocketman
  • Roman Griffin Davis – Jojo Rabbit
  • Eddie Murphy – Dolemite is My Name

Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio. Once again, if things go Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s way on Sunday, expect to see Leo win his fourth Globe. HFPA voters love him. I mean its Leo for crying out loud. But more importantly, he was pretty amazing in the film.

Could Win: Eddie Murphy. Murphy is having a resurgence of sorts right now. And he is wonderful in Dolemite – funny, heartbreaking at times and even inspiring. This is another category where any of the nominees could win and I wouldn’t quibble. But I think if anyone has a serious chance of upsetting DiCaprio here, it’s Murphy.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

  • Awkwafina – The Farewell
  • Cate Blanchett – Where’d You Go, Bernadette
  • Ana de Amras – Knives Out
  • Beanie Feldstein – Booksmart
  • Emma Thompson – Late Night

Will Win: Awkwafina – hands down. This, in my opinion, is one of the weakest categories. No offense to the other women, but Awkwafina’s performance in The Farewell is the kind of performance that is truly considered, career-defining.

Could Win: Benie Feldstein. I know many experts think Ana de Armas could pull a charming upset here, but I think if anyone could, it’s Feldstein for a film that was largely lauded across the industry. Plus she’s young, fresh and quirky. Just the way HFPA voters like them. That said, I think Awkwafina’s got this.

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

  • Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
  • Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes
  • Al Pacino – The Irishman
  • Joe Pesci – The Irishman
  • Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: Brad Pitt. I can’t help feeling that like Leo for The Revenant a few years ago, where you just felt that it was time, that nothing was going to stop his finally receiving his more than deserved lead actor Oscar, the same is happening this year with Brad Pitt. It just feels like it’s time. That the industry loves him, he’s paid his dues, weathered the pitfalls of “heartthrob status” and come out on the other side as one of the most respected and likable men in the industry. The road to Oscar will start this Sunday.

Could Win: Joe Pesci. It’s hard to imagine The Irishman leaving Sunday night empty-handed and by all accounts, Pesci is a revelation in The Irishman. That said, you have to wonder if like Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone last year for The Favourite, he and Pacino will essentially cancel each other out.

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

  • Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell
  • Annette Bening – The Report
  • Laura Dern – Marriage Story
  • Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
  • Margot Robbie – Bombshell

Will Win: Kathy Bates. Yeah, yeah I know. That’s a “where did that come from” choice. But hear me out. Bates has won a major precursor award coming into Sunday’s night’s ceremony – National Board of Review. And Supporting Categories is often where HFPA voters tend to skirt what is expected and do their own thing. Think Aaron Taylor Johnson winning Supporting Actor for Nocturnal Animals, beating out Mahershala Ali for Moonlight. Bates is a legendary actor who while the movie she’s in may not be perfect, her performance often is.

Could Win: Jennifer Lopez. Ah, J-Lo. It’s been quite a ride to her getting another Golden Globe nomination, more than 20 years after she was nominated for her breakout performance in Selena. There does seem to be some strong buzz behind her at the moment and that momentum could build to a win on Sunday.

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

Will Win: Bong Joon Ho. The Parasite momentum is coming on strong. Think about Roma last year. And just as Cuaron quickly locked down this category, I have a feeling the same will happen with Bong Joon Ho this year, starting with the Globes.

Could Win: Martin Scorsese. Because it’s Scorsese and The Irishman is one of those big, sweeping, dramatic films he’s known for. Don’t count out a potential Tarantino surprise either.

TELEVISION

Best Television Series – Drama

  • Big Little Lies
  • The Crown
  • Killing Eve
  • Morning Show
  • Succession

Will Win: The Crown. It has the most nominations in total within this group, including three nods in the individual acting categories. Plus it’s a big sweeping drama about real-life Royalty –something that’s right up HFPA voters’ alley.

Could Win: Succession. Fans of this show have been touting its brilliance for a while now and it seems the various Guilds are finally taking notice. A wave of momentum may be in play, which will culminate in the big prize on Sunday.

Best 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

Will Win: Olivia Colman. I know what all the experts are saying. HFPA, which loves its big stars is not going to let Aniston walk away empty handed. Well the same could have been said last year when Julia Roberts was nominated in this same category for Homecoming. And she lost. Colman is beloved in the industry and again, I have a feeling HFPA voters likely loved The Crown.

Could Win: Jodie Comer. I know most will say that the Globes often don’t do what the Emmys do but not always. See their love for Rachel Brosnahan and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. So with that said, I think, the potential spoiler to Olivia Colman’s winning is Comer, fresh off her Emmy win.

Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama 

  • Brian Cox – Succession
  • Kit Harrington – Game of Thrones
  • Rami Malek – Mr. Robot
  • Tobias Menzes – The Crown
  • Billy Porter – Pose

Will Win: Rami Malek. Okay, I know what you’re thinking – of course, I picked Malek, who I am an unapologetic huge fan of. However, if I really believed he had no shot, I would admit it. That said, I can’t shake this gut feeling that this is the HFPA’s way of awarding him for a brilliant role that he’s never won a Globe for. Especially as this is their last chance to do so, with the show airing its series finale a few weeks ago. Keep in mind that many considered this nomination a long shot and even maybe impossible, considering how long it had been between seasons, and the show has lost favor with the critics and Guilds, during its last season. So the fact that Rami Malek is even nominated here, cannot be a coincidence in my opinion. But more importantly, if he does win, it will be more than deserved. He was masterful throughout the final season of Mr. Robot.

Could Win: Billy Porter. Billy Porter is certainly having a moment. And the Globes were the first to recognize his brilliant performance on Pose, with a nomination last year. This could be the moment he gets the win.

Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical

  • Barry
  • Fleabag
  • The Kominsky Method
  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • The Politician

Will Win: Fleabag. Conventional wisdom will suggest that Fleabag is clearly having a major moment right now and is likely to ride that momentum to a win.

Could Win: The Politician or The Kominsky Method. As we know, HFPA voters have shown numerous times in the past that conventional wisdom isn’t really their thing. So it’s more than possible to see a win for The Politician here (HFPA voters love Ryan Murphy) or a repeat for last year’s winner, The Kominsky Method.

Best Actress in a Television Series – 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

Will Win: Christina Applegate. No idea why, but I just feel like Applegate’s dark comedic performance will be hard to resist for HFPA voters.

Could Win: Kirsten Dunst. Let’s be honest, how many people had even heard of this show before Dunst’s nomination? So the fact that she was able to even get in here for a mostly ignored show, speaks volumes.

Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical

  • Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method
  • Bill Hader – Barry
  • Ben Platt – The Politician
  • Paul Rudd – Living With Yourself
  • Ramy Youssef – Ramy

Will Win: Paul Rudd. Can I just say how much I adore Paul Rudd? I have since Clueless. But my fondness for him aside, I feel like HFPA voters might see this as a moment for an actor who’s been around for some time, quietly doing brilliant work, but never truly rewarded for said work.

Could Win: Ramy Youssef. Globes love rewarding freshman shows and faces. This may be the category where it’ll happen this year.

Best Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

  • Catch-22
  • Chernobyl
  • Fosse/Verdon
  • The Loudest Voice
  • Unbelievable

Will Win: Chernobyl. Traditionally, Limited Series is where the Globes most mirror what happens at the Emmys. See last year’s sweep by American Crime Story, much as it did at the Emmys. And so with that said, I think this is Chernobyl’s to lose.

Could Win: Unbelievable. If Chernobyl is to lose, my money’s on this Netflix sleeper hit that seemed to come out of nowhere, when the nominations were announced. The film received individual acting nominations for all its three lead actresses, which is pretty impressive.

Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

  • Kaitlyn Dever – Unbelievable
  • Joey King – The Act
  • Helen Mirren – Catherine the Great
  • Merritt Wever – Unbelievable
  • Michele Williams – Fosse/Verdon

Will Win: Michele Williams. I don’t think this category is particularly competitive, to be honest. Therefore I can see Williams continuing her winning streak from the Emmys and winning this easily.

Could Win: Merritt Wever. Considering the overwhelming love for the film, based on the number of nominations it received, a potential upset could happen. That said, you do have to wonder if the actresses will, unfortunately, cancel each other out.

Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

  • Christopher Abbott – Catch-22
  • Russell Crowe – The Loudest Voice
  • Jared Harris – Chernobyl
  • Sam Rockwell – Fosse/Verdon
  • Sacha Baron Cohen – The Spy

Will Win: Jared Harris. With Jharrel Jerome’s snub in this category, which had many scratching their heads, the door for Harris to pull off the win, is wide open. If the Chernobyl love is strong on Sunday night, expect to see Harris walk away with the win.

Could Win: Sam Rockwell. He’s an Oscar winner, voters clearly seem to love the film and once again, HFPA voters love to go left when everyone expects them to go right.

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

  • Patricia Arquette – The Act
  • Toni Collette – Unbelievable
  • Meryl Streep – Big Little Lies
  • Emily Watson – Chernobyl
  • Helena Bonham Carter – The Crown

Will Win: Patricia Arquette. I know what all the experts are saying. That this is Bonham Carter’s to lose, especially as she’s 0-8 at the Globes. But I think HFPA voters are going to find it hard to reject Arquette’s brilliantly deranged performance of an abusive mother.

Could Win: Helena Bonham Carter. No, this is not a cop-out on my part. I do think Helena Bonham Carter has a legitimate shot in this category. I just personally still think Arquette will win.

Best 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

Will Win: Andrew Scott. Fleabag is predicted to have a good night on Sunday and if that is indeed the case, Scott is likely to walk away with the win in this category.

Could Win: Kieran Culkin. Of course, if as I noted above, momentum is strong for Succession, Culkin could be the big winner here.

As for some of the other categories, my money’s on Noah Baumbach to win Best Screenplay for Marriage Story, Parasite to win Best Foreign Language Film, Joker to win Original Score, Elton John and Bernie Taupin to win Original Song (or Beyonce, lol. Wouldn’t that make for a Globe Moment?) and of course Toy Story 4 to likely win Best Animated Feature.

And there you have it. My predictions for this year’s ceremony, coming in just under the wire. I’ll be back after Sunday night’s show to break down all the highs and lows and all the predictions I called incorrectly as well.