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From Rihanna congratulating the ‘RRR’ team for their best song win to Taron Egerton introducing himself to Bo Burnham as a big fan, check out the moments cameras missed inside the Beverly Hilton ballroom.
By Chris Gardner
There were memorable moments aplenty during Tuesday night’s milestone Golden Globe Awards, but not all were caught by cameras during the NBC telecast. From Rihanna’s late arrival to Quentin Tarantino complimenting Austin Butler’s Saturday Night Live performance, The Hollywood Reporter happened to catch the night’s other big moments from behind the scenes. Here are some memorable moments that weren’t on TV.
It was exactly 5:26 p.m. when an attendee near one of the back tables in Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom whispered, “Rihanna is here.” And there she was: The superstar singer — nominated for her Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ballad “Lift Me Up” — arrived fashionably late in a Schiaparelli ruched ball gown, Giuseppe Zanotti shoes and Cartier diamonds on the arm of her rapper beau. They were escorted to their seats as Jennifer Coolidge presented the award for best actor in a supporting role musical-comedy or drama TV series. RiRi seemed in great spirits as she was spotted laughing over one of Coolidge’s onstage quips.
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Okay, this is major now. Rihanna and Rocky are in the building. (I saw RiRi laughing at Jennifer Coolidge’s Bill Nye joke). #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/HAOst2nygD
Though Rihanna did not hear her name when Jenna Ortega announced the winner for best original song — the trophy went to RRR’s Kala Bhairava, M.M. Keeravani, Kala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj for “Naatu Naatu” — the soon-to-be Super Bowl headliner was gracious nonetheless. During a commercial break later in the show, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky seemed to be headed toward the bathroom when they passed by the RRR table. “Congratulations,” she offered while pointing towards the team.
THIS! Rihanna has such class. As she and Rocky walk by (I think to the bathroom) Rihanna congratulates the RRR table for their best original song win for Naatu Naatu in her category. pic.twitter.com/8CM2seXFVd
Speaking of genuine displays of emotion, after White Lotus winner Jennifer Coolidge ended her epic acceptance speech, the show cut to commercial as the ballroom audience erupted with a standing ovation for the veteran actress. Coolidge continued to steal the show at the afterparty, where guests swarmed to request selfies. After stopping for dozens of pics, she made her way to the statue engraving station where she danced to Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous” and Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” with her new hardware.
Jeremy Allen White, Ke Huy Quan, Evan Peters and Tyler James Williams also got their trophies personalized at the party, which took over the Beverly Hilton pool area in a celebration hosted by Billboard. Anderson .Paak DJ’d under his persona DJ Pee .Wee, as guests snacked on sliders, pizza and oysters after the show. Quinta Brunson, surrounded by her Abbott Elementary cast, stopped to chat with Jenna Ortega, as Hacks‘ Paul W. Downs and Meg Stalter broke it down on the dance floor and Adam Scott, Natasha Lyonne and Salma Hayek swung by before heading to the next stop. — Kirsten Chuba
Not sure if they showed this but Jennifer Coolidge got the hugest standing ovation for that epic speech after leaving the stage. #GoldenGlobes2023 pic.twitter.com/EQSW2bhy3c
Ask any actor to name the best part about award shows and you’re likely to hear near the top of the list something like the chance to see and socialize with fellow artists, especially those they might night otherwise get the chance to meet. That’s the vibe Taron Egerton was giving off when he was making his way to the bar in the back of the ballroom only to stop dead in his tracks to introduce himself to Bo Burnham. He praised the Inside creator by saying he’s such a fan and he follows him on Instagram.
Happened to be standing behind Bo Burnham when Taran Egerton came up and introduced himself by saying he’s such a fan and loves his work and follows him on IG. Same, Taran, same. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/wXwN3n0BAG
After the show wrapped, flashbulbs were popping in front of the men’s restroom and upon investigation, the source of the photographer frenzy was a huddled conversation between a pair of auteurs, Quentin Tarantino and Baz Luhrmann, along with winning Elvis star Austin Butler. Tarantino, fresh from presenting the final award of the night to The Fabelmans, was overheard praising Butler’s turn as the King of Rock ‘n Roll in Luhrmann’s biopic. Then he turned his attention to Butler’s more recent performance as the host of NBC’s iconic sketch show Saturday Night Live. “You killed on SNL,” said Tarantino.
“You killed it on SNL,” Quentin Tarantino tells Austin Butler during conversation with Baz near the restrooms as security tries to clear the ballroom after the show. pic.twitter.com/phv6BeuTN4
The show kicked off with a burst of emotion thanks to best supporting actor winner Ke Huy Quan from Everything Everywhere All at Once who delivered an acceptance speech that traced his journey back to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. “I was raised to never forget where I came from and to always remember who gave me my first opportunity,” said Quan. “I am so happy to see Steven Spielberg here tonight. Steven, thank you.” Spielberg, who lept to his feet at the end of Quan’s speech, was happy to see him, too, as they were spotted catching up during a commercial break. Spielberg looked to be among the night’s most popular and in-demand guests as the best director and best picture winner was seen accepting congratulations left and right and in conversations with fellow filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Baz Luhrmann.
This is so heartwarming. Steven Spielberg & Ke Huy Quan reuniting up during the commercial break and in a long conversation. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/J950qsv5AJ
Cameras definitely caught Jerrod Carmichael’s joke about Shelly Miscavige, the one he delivered after taking the stage following a commercial break while holding three Golden Globes. “Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned…” Carmichael said. “Look, I’m just the host, briefly or whatever, but I have a pitch: I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige.” But what cameras didn’t catch is the number of jaws that dropped and the faces that appeared shocked in the audience, especially at the table that hosted executives from Paramount Pictures, home to Tom Cruise and his Top Gun: Maverick.
During the presentation of best motion picture — non-English language, Everything Everywhere All at Once winner Michelle Yeoh patiently waited at the top of the stairs for the next commercial break so she could return to her seat. But then she was surprised by one of her directors, Daniel Schienert, who escorted her back to their table.
Winner Michelle Yeoh waiting for commercial break to take her seat, glowing and holding a glass of champagne, chatting with one of the Daniels. pic.twitter.com/NeRfCBAgG1
Though they went home empty-handed, Pam & Tommy nominees Sebastian Stan and Lily James didn’t go home without hugging it out after the show had ended. They were spotted at the top of the stairs recapping their experience, with James even overheard telling Stan how she had planned to thank him if she had made it to the podium.
After the show, people are filing out to the nights after parties but not before Pam & Tommy nominees Sebastian Stan and Lily James hug it out at the top of the stairs. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/MpC3uUAhAT
The Golden Globes kicked off with a pre-show dinner and cocktail party that was a relatively chill start considering all the nerves heading into the big event with weather-related concerns, COVID-19 checkpoints and maximum security. In the ballroom’s back bar, Phoebe Waller-Bridge (there to support boyfriend and winner Martin McDonagh) bellied up to the bar and was spotted having a chat with filmmaker Rian Johnson while Marcel the Shell with Shoes On nominee Jenny Slate tried to order a tequila with a splash of water.
Moments later, Johnson met The Fabelmans breakout Gabriel LaBelle who was gushing about how “amazing” everything was working on the Steven Spielberg film. Asked to sum up the day’s vibe, one insider noted, “It’s 5 p.m. on a Tuesday, this is a different ball game.” But it was still an award show so conversations would inevitably turn to the after-party circuit, which looked remarkably different this year. Gone were the swarm of parties inside the Beverly Hilton, replaced by intimate, under-the-radar bashes like the one The Fabelmans team hosted at Tommy’s Beverly Hills to celebrate Spielberg’s best movie win along with gatherings for WME and A24.
THR learned that Soho House West Hollywood proved to be a main attraction where a rooftop garden party hosted by Justin Grey Stone of Entertainment 360, Elyse Scherz of WME and Soho House’s Samantha Stone welcomed winners, nominees, agents, managers and execs. Leonardo DiCaprio, Baz Luhrmann and Quentin Tarantino were spotted holding court in a corner, Austin Butler arrived with girlfriend Kaia Gerber and accepted many congratulations throughout the night as did Jennifer Coolidge who, at one point, was seen chatting up fellow winner Julia Garner. Others in attendance: Winners Jeremy Allen White and Evan Peters, Margot Robbie, Dakota Fanning, James Marsden, Jean Smart, Diego Calva, Claire Danes, Tyler the Creator, Hilary Swank, Paul Dano, Sarah Polley, Emma D’Arcy, Daniel Bruhl, Ruben Östlund, Christopher Storer, Kathryn Newton, Park Chan, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, Kerry Condon and Ayo Edebiri.
Steven Spielberg and Baz Luhrmann are having a long chat at the top of the stairs. Down below, Phoebe Waller Bridge & Martin McDonagh…someone stepped on Quinta Brunson’s dress and a guest said, “That’s gonna happen a lot tonight.” pic.twitter.com/roB08yfQ0J
The HFPA, which presents the Golden Globes, is owned by Eldridge Industries. The Hollywood Reporter is owned by PME Holdings, LLC, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge.
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