Golden Globes weekend kicks off with a supposed Hollywood drama war

As Hollywood prepares for one of its most glamorous weekends, tensions are running high behind the scenes Golden Globe.

Hollywood’s brightest stars are set to shine at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 5, when they come together to honor the past year’s outstanding achievements in film and television. Among the noted nominees of the night Ariana GrandeColin Farrell, ZendayaJake Gyllenhaal, Selena GomezKeira Knightley, Sebastian Stan, Kristen BellGlenn Powell, Adam Brodie and Sofia Vergara.

The Golden Globes, which are organized annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have faced various controversies in recent years, but remain one of the most anticipated evenings in entertainment.

According to Page sixa bitter war is brewing between the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) — the organization that founded the iconic awards show nearly 80 years ago — and its new owners, Eldridge Industries, led by Chelsea FC owner Todd Boley.

The core of the conflict? Many old HFPA members were reportedly barred from Sunday’s star-studded ceremony, where leaders like Angelina JolieTimothée Chalamet and Demi Moore They are expected to mingle and celebrate.

Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit organization by international entertainment journalists, the HFPA launched the Golden Globes a year later, eventually turning it into one of Hollywood’s most prestigious awards ceremonies. However, Eldridge Industries restructured the organization two years ago, splitting it into two entities: a for-profit division responsible for hosting the Golden Globes and a nonprofit division that supports the HFPA’s charitable functions.

As part of the restructuring deal, HFPA’s 66 “legacy members” were reportedly promised an annual salary of $75,000 for five years, health insurance, lifetime voting rights at the Globes and other benefits. Participants also claim they were promised four tickets each to the annual event. However, Eldridge’s sources dispute this, saying the tickets were never part of the deal. According to HFPA members, the ticket clause was included in an addendum, separate from the main terms and conditions.

The situation escalated when 11 salaried heritage members were suddenly removed from their roles, sparking unrest within the HFPA ranks. Now, many of those remaining members feel alienated from their own creation.

In previous years, HFPA members have enjoyed prime seats at the Beverly Hilton Ballroom alongside Hollywood’s biggest stars. This year, however, sources say around 50 attendees received invitations — on Friday, just a day before the event — to a “viewing party” in a separate function room at the hotel. Essentially, these founding members will be watching the brilliant cause on TV screens rather than experiencing it with their own eyes.

The sudden and limited invitation only deepened the rift, leaving heritage members feeling like outsiders at the event they helped organize. What was once a symbol of the HFPA’s prestige and influence now appears to be a stark reflection of power struggles and corporate restructuring gone awry.

While the cameras are rolling and the stars are shining on the stage on Sunday, the real drama may not be happening in the ballroom, but in the tension simmering behind closed doors. One thing’s for sure: the fallout from this Hollywood power struggle won’t go away when the credits roll.

After last year’s debacle with comedian Joe Coy, which left many viewers questioning whether the show should have a host in the future, the Golden Globes are moving in a bold new direction. This year’s Emmy-nominated stand-up comedian. Nicky Glazer will take center stage as the flagship event.

“I am so excited to be hosting the Golden Globes,” she said in a statement. Fashion. “It’s one of my favorite nights in front of the telly and now I get a front row seat. The Golden Globes are not only a huge night for television and film, but also for comedy. This is one of the few times that show business not only allows, but actually encourages, lovingly mocking itself (at least I hope so). (God, I hope so.)”

“It’s an exciting but challenging gig because it’s live, unpredictable and in front of Hollywood’s biggest stars (who can also get wasted sitting next to their recent exes),” she continued. “Some of my favorite jokes of all time have come from past opening monologues at the Golden Globes, when Tina, Amy, or Ricky said the exact thing we all didn’t know we desperately wanted to hear. I just hope to continue this time-honored tradition (it could also lead to cancellation). It really is a dream job.”

The 2025 Golden Globe Awards will take place on Sunday, January 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM EST.