The dominos in Hollywood continue to fall for the Golden Globes. On Monday (May 10), NBC, the Broadcasting partner for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, announced that it would not air the Globes in 2022. This is the latest blow for the second biggest awards show in Hollywood in recent days.
Last Thursday (May 6), the HFPA announced its plans for major reform to the organization. The reform was in response to a report from a Los Angeles Times article that uncovered a severe lack of diversity inside its group. Most appalling was the absence of a single Black person in the voting membership in the last 20 years, also included in the reform are limits on gifts and restrictions on payments members could receive. Additionally, last month the HFPA was in the headlines when Phil Berk, a former HFPA president, told other members in an email that Black Lives Matter is a “hate movement.” He was later released.
Over the weekend, several actors spoke out about the reform claiming it was not enough. Actor Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson all voiced their support and encouraged the industry to distance themselves from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Today (May 11), Golden Globe winner Tom Cruise joined in the boycott and returned his three Golden Globes. Cruise earned two best actor Golden Globes for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, in addition to his best supporting actor Globe for Magnolia. It was a move that was praised by director Ava DuVernay who has been vocal about her support of more reform. “That time that Tom Cruise sent his @goldenglobes for ‘Jerry Maguire,’ ‘Magnolia’ and ‘Born on the Fourth of July’ in an actual box to the reception desk of HFPA to stand against their sexist, homophobic, racist practices of exclusion, harassment and bias,” tweeted DuVernay.
That was on top of several studios pulling their support for the Globes. Netflix, Amazon, and Warner Media have all boycotted the HFPA and any activities associated with the organization. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos put it simply as, “we’re stopping any activities with your organization until more meaningful changes are made.”
As for the future of the Golden Globes on NBC, there is hope. “We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform,” NBC said in a statement. “However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right. As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globes. Assuming the organization executes on its plan, we are hopeful we will be in a position to air the show in January 2023.”