When it comes to awards shows, few tune in expecting to see anything impactful, particularly when it comes to coverage of the women in attendance. Between the borderline obsessive focus on how female celebrities look in what they are wearing, and the collective inability of reporters at the red carpet press wall to ask women anything of substance, these are events that tend to be endured, rather than enjoyed.
So, imagine our surprise when this past Sunday’s 72nd annual Golden Globes offered genuine sensitivity, intelligent contemplations of representation, and even the errant dusty eyeball. Here are a few of our favorite moments — watch them, then tell us if you agree with why we love them.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Hosts for the Evening
Fey and Poehler’s jocular contribution to the ongoing national discussion of Bill Cosby’s rape allegations was polarizing, to say the least. But one joke that did land for the majority of the audience was their gentle ribbing of George Clooney, the actor-slash-trophy-husband of human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin and recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his lifetime of achievements in film and television. Let’s just say that we, too, find his wife’s resume to be far more impressive.
Gina Rodriguez, winner for Best Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical (“Jane the Virgin”)
(Speech starts around 3:00)
Rodriguez, who took home the award for her turn as the titular character in “Jane the Virgin,” tearfully expressed gratitude for the win before shifting her focus to a weightier topic — positive media representation for the Latino community. “This award is so much bigger than myself,” she said. “It represents a culture that wants to see themselves as heroes.”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, winner for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film (“The Honorable Woman”)
(Speech starts around 1:20)
Often, discussions regarding roles for women rely upon the word “strong” to parse the good from the bad. But as Gyllenhaal notes, our media landscape has actually been increasingly populated by characters that represent actual, real women — they are complex, diverse and beautifully different from one another. “That’s what’s revolutionary,” she said. And we agree.
Amy Adams, winner for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (“Big Eyes”)
(Speech starts around 0:35)
Though she said she was unprepared to accept her award, Adams still managed to give one of the more affecting speeches of the night when she thanked the female directors, producers and actors in the room for boldly using their voices to inspire others — including her daughter. Said Adams, “You speak to her so loudly. She watches everything and she sees everything, and I am just so, so grateful to all of you women in this room.”