‘Beef’ Served Up at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards
Historic wins for Netflix's road rage comedy featuring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong
Steven Yeun, Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong at the 2024 Golden Globes
Photo by Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Words by Daniel Anderson
Barbie boob jokes and an unamused Taylor Swift aside, the 81st Golden Globe Awards most definitely returned on Sunday night. The celebration, honoring the best in film and television, was hosted by Filipino American comedian Jo Koy. It’s a notable milestone as Koy is the first Filipino American host, and the second Asian American to helm the gig following Sandra Oh in 2019.
We won't be surprised if he's not invited back, though, as reception to his hosting was met with critical disappointment and actual boos from the Globes audience. He went as far as blaming the writers for the jokes that didn’t land. Having just come out of a writers strike, that one felt insensitive.
A handful of AA+PI- and API-led projects stood among the pack with nominations. A24’s cinematic love story Past Lives had five nominations, including ones for lead actress Greta Lee and director and writer Celine Song. Meanwhile, Netflix’s May December had four nominations including one for breakout star Charles Melton, who is of Korean descent. Unfortunately, none of these nominees brought home the award.
All of the animated films nominated featured API or AAPI talent, such as Disney’s Elemental and Wish, or Japanese works such as Suzume and Nintendo’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Ultimately it was Hayao Miyazaki’s fantasy film, The Boy and the Heron that won for best picture, animated.
The big winner of the evening for the AAPI community was Netflix and A24’s road rage dark comedy, Beef. It won all three of the categories it was nominated in. The show took home the prize in its category of Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, while both Ali Wong and Steven Yeun made history by becoming the first Asian American actors to win in that same category. This is also the first Globes nomination and win for both of them.
Elsewhere, while not AA+PI, Lily Gladstone made history by becoming the first indigenous winner to win Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for Killers of the Flower Moon. A part of her speech was spoken in the Blackfeet language.
A full list of winners can be found here.
Published on January 8, 2024
Words by Daniel Anderson
Daniel Anderson is a disabled Chinese American adoptee based in Seattle. His freelance writing specialties include K-pop, entertainment, and food. He believes that any restaurant can be a buffet, and the key to success is to take a nap each day. Follow his adventures on Instagram @danzstan.