Eddie Murphy references Will Smith Oscars slap in Golden Globe award acceptance
The film 'The Banshees of Inisherin' scored a hat-trick - and the TV series White Lotus did the double - including an acting accolade for its star Jennifer Coolidge. Faye Barker has the highlights.
Eddie Murphy made reference to Will Smith’s infamous slap at the 2022 Oscars, as he accepted a top award at the Golden Globes. The actor and comedian, known for starring in well known films including Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, Coming To America, The Nutty Professor and the Shrek franchise, was presented with the coveted Cecil B DeMille award at the Golden Globes by fellow comedian Tracy Morgan and Jamie Lee Curtis on Tuesday.
Concluding his award acceptance speech, Murphy said: “I’m gonna wrap it up and just say something to all the new up and coming dreamers and artists that are in the room tonight.
“I want to let you know that there is a definitive blueprint that you can follow to achieve success, prosperity, longevity, and peace of mind. “There’s a blueprint and I followed it my whole career, it’s very simple. “There’s three things… just do these three things: Pay your taxes. Mind your business, and keep Will Smith’s wife’s name out of your f****** mouth!”
Last year, Smith stormed the stage and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her hair cut – not realising it was a result of the medical condition, alopecia. Returning to his seat after the altercation, Smith had shouted, “keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth!”
Smith later apologised to Rock for the outburst, but was banned from all Academy events for the next 10 years. The Cecil B DeMille award is presented to a talented individual for their outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.
This year's Golden Globes confronts its controversial past
Last year’s Golden Globes was turned into a “private event” at the last minute by organisers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), after it faced heavy criticism over its lack of black members. But kicking off the 2023 show, host Jerrod Carmichael addressed the diversity controversy directly.
The US comedian told audiences, “I’ll tell you why I’m here, I’m here because I’m black,” as he opened the show in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. “I’ll tell you what’s been going on,” Carmichael told audiences at the top of the show. “This show, the Golden Globe Awards did not air last year, because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which I won’t say they were a racist organisation, but they didn’t have a single black member until George Floyd died – do with that information what you will.” He added: “I took this job assuming they hadn’t changed at all. “(But) regardless of whatever the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s past may be, this is an evening where we get to celebrate. And I think this industry deserves evenings like these. And I’m happy to be here.” Following last year's fallout, the HFPA subsequently vowed to overhaul its bylaws and implement changes addressing ethics and inclusion.
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Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans and The Banshees Of Inisherin win big at Globes
American director Steven Spielberg and Irish actor Colin Farrell were among the big winners at the Golden Globes as the awards show returned in person for its milestone 80th year. One of the first major events of the award season calendar, it saw several wins for Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees Of Inisherin, a dark comedy about a fractured friendship between Farrell’s character and that of his co-star Brendan Gleeson. Spielberg won best director, as well as the best drama motion picture trophy for his semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans, with other top awards going to Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett.
Several big British names, including Dame Emma Thompson, Olivia Colman, Bill Nighy and Daniel Craig, were also tipped for top awards – but all lost out. Blanchett triumphed in best performance by an actress in a motion picture: drama category, for her performance in Tar as ferocious, celebrated orchestra conductor Lydia Tar.