Golden Globes 2019 celebrates diversity, womanhood, avoids politics

From Egyptian-American star Rami Malek winning the top honour to a film about the relationship between an African-American pianist and his Italian-American driver Green Book scooping away multiple trophies and Sandra Oh making history for Asians -- the 76th annual Golden Globes ceremony celebrated the power of diversity, and was devoid of any political comment.

"I said 'yes' to the fear of being on this stage tonight because -- I wanted to be here to look out into this audience and witness this moment of change," Sandra Oh said while opening the award gala with Andy Samberg.

Oh, who herself became the first Asian host of the Golden Globe Awards and the first woman of Asian descent to win multiple Golden Globes supported with her win of Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series -- Drama trophy for "Killing Eve", was referring to the most diverse slates of nominees in the history of the awards.

While Malek took home the Golden Globe in Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama category for tracing the life of late Queen singer Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, the film -- which explores the rise of the band with a focus on Mercury's personal life, his sexuality and the way he dealt with his fame -- emerged as the Best Motion Picture, Drama.

The diversity extended to the stories which unfolded on the screen.

Green Book won Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie earned Best Screenplay - Motion Picture honour for the project. And Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which follows African-American/Puerto Rican Brooklyn teen Miles Morales as Spider-Man, was named Best Animated Feature film.

Mahershala Ali also won Best Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture trophy for Green Book. Alfonso Cuaron's black-and-white Mexico-set period drama Roma scored a twin win -- for the Best Foreign Language Film Award and also the Best Director - Motion Picture honour at the ceremony, which was aired in India on Colors Infinity, Vh1 and Comedy Central.

Actor Darren Criss, who won Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television award for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, acknowledged the wave of change as he said "this has been a marvelous year for representation in Hollywood".

"I am so enormously proud to be a teeny, tiny part of that as the son of a firecracker Filipino woman from Cebu that dreamed of coming to this country and getting to be invited to cool parties like this," Criss added.

Girl power, women empowerment and the need to stand with one another were other themes which kept the spark of activism at the ceremony ignited. A slew of celebrities also flaunted new Time's Up x2 wristbands and ribbons in support of the movement.

Actress Regina King accepted the statuette in Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role category for If Beale Street Could Talk with a promise to produce projects with 50% women.

"I'm going to use my platform to say right now that in the next two years, everything that I produce and I am making a vow and it's going to be tough to make sure that everything that I produce, that it's 50% women," she said, throwing in a challenge for "anyone out there who is in a position of power, not just in our industry, in all industries".

"I challenge you to challenge yourselves and stand with us in solidarity and do the same," King concluded.

In an evening in which inclusion and representation were frequently brought up in speeches, actress Glenn Close, while accepting the Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama category for her role in The Wife, urged women to chase dreams.

"We have to follow our dreams. We have to say, 'I can do that and I should be allowed to do that'," she said in a speech which earned the loudest applause at the ceremony, which honours the best of films and television.

Actress Rachel Brosnahan, who won Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy award for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, also celebrated the women of the series while accepting her award.

Actor Christian Bale scored a Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy victory for his performance as former US vice president Dick Cheney in Vice. The Favourite's Olivia Colman was honoured with Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy award.

This year's awards ceremony also marked the debut of Carol Burnett Award -- a Lifetime Achievement in Television recognition. Comedy icon Carol Burnett, who has made the audience laugh for decades altogether, became the eponymous award's inaugural recipient.

Actor Jeff Bridges, whose showbiz career spans six decades, was feted with the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award. He expressed gratitude and said artistes can create a difference.