We'll Never Forget These Crazy Golden Globes Moments

You know awards season has officially arrived when the Golden Globes roll around. The event is known as the fun, laid-back sister to more formal extravaganzas like the SAG Awards and the Oscars. Of course, the Champagne bottles that adorn each table certainly help loosen up the seemingly stuffy situation. Throughout its 83-year history, the Golden Globes have had many memorable moments we’ll never forget.

The unpredictable show has delivered some hilarious, shocking, and cringeworthy scenes. The Globes seems to showcase celebrities in their most relaxed state because it’s typically the first major Hollywood ceremony of the year, and the Oscar nominations usually haven’t been announced yet — everything appears to be that much more fun and fancy-free.

Which moment do you remember the most? Was it one of the three years Amy Poehler cohosted the show with bestie Tina Fey, or was it the unexpected time when a winner had an ill-timed trip to the restroom?

Here are some hard-to-forget memories from the Golden Globes over the years.

1. Nicole Kidman’s inspiring 2018 speech

2018 was a big year for women in Hollywood, and the Golden Globes kicked off the first big event that launched the Time’s Up movement. Kidman found a way to relate her Big Little Lies character’s situation to what was happening in real life. It was a moving moment as she set the tone for the entire evening as the first Golden Globe winner of the ceremony.

“This character that I played represents something that is the center of our conversation right now: abuse,” she said in her acceptance speech. “I do believe, and I hope we can elicit, change through the stories we tell and the way we tell them. Let’s keep the conversation alive.”

2. Tina Fey & Amy Poehler brought the house down

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler nailed their three years as cohosts of the Golden Globes — from 2013 to 2105. It was their 2014 monologue that really hit home with a great joke about the then-single George Clooney.

“Gravity is nominated for best film,” Fey joked. “It’s the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age.”

3. Leonardo DiCaprio & Lady Gaga’s awkward bump

While Lady Gaga was making her way to the stage to collect her Globe for American Horror Story: Hotel in 2016, DiCaprio was making some not-so-kind faces while she was walking by. Was it a conscious dis or just an accidental bump of the elbow on the way up to accept her award? You decide.

4. Badly timed bathroom breaks

If you happen to be nominated for a Golden Globe, it is highly recommended you go to the restroom before your category comes up. Just ask Christine Lahti and Renée Zellweger, who both won Golden Globes but were absent when their names were announced. Lahti’s incident happened in 1998, so Zellweger clearly didn’t learn anything from the mistake the first time around.

“Renée? Where is she? Is she under the table,” vamped presenter Hugh Grant during the live broadcast in 2001. “Renée is drunk, ladies and gentlemen. Where is she? What happened? She disappeared. She’s in the bathroom. OK, what do we do?”

Dick Clark came out and rescued Grant and told him to accept the award just as she came racing through the sea of tables to the stage.

5. Ricky Gervais roasted Mel Gibson

Ricky Gervais has skewered Mel Gibson at the Golden Globes over the years for the antisemitic and misogynistic remarks he made in his 2006 arrest in Malibu, California. In 2016, things got really awkward when Gibson was announced as a presenter and Gervais was hosting the ceremony. That didn’t stop Gervais from making a joke or two at Gibson’s expense.

“I blame NBC for this terrible situation,” Gervais said. “Mel blames… we know who Mel blames [a reference to his anti-Semitic rant in 2006]. Listen, I feel a bit bad for it. Mel’s forgotten all about it, apparently. That’s what drinking does… I’d rather get a drink with him in his hotel room tonight instead of Bill Cosby.”

The good news is Gibson took it all in stride with a smirk and colonoscopy joke.

6. Paul Rudd & Salma Hayek’s technical difficulties

If you want to watch one of the gawkiest moments on live TV, then look no further than Paul Rudd and Salma Hayek. The duo was presenting the best drama TV series category when the video package failed to air.

The two stood there looking at the camera for a very long 20 seconds while Rudd sheepishly said, “Hello. How’s everybody doing? All right, great.” Naturally, the audience howled with laughter.

7. Meryl Streep dropped the S-bomb

And the award for best S-bomb in the history of the Golden Globes goes to… Meryl Streep in 2012. It started off with a “Shhhhh” and ended with a dramatic “IIIIIT” because she left her glasses on the table and was unable to read her speech. Welp — if anyone can make a graceful mistake, it’s Streep. Unfortunately, the rest of her speech didn’t exactly age very well, as she thanked Harvey Weinstein, who produced the film The Iron Lady for which she one the award — she also referred to him as “god.”

8. Elizabeth Taylor’s presenting snafu

Elizabeth Taylor might not have gone to her rehearsal for presenting the best motion picture, drama category in 2001. She appeared confused when she went to read the winner before the nominees had even been announced and gave a long “Whaaaat?” while taking directions from the audience.

It’s a good thing Dick Clark was there again to save the day as she joked, “I’m new at this.” He got her back on track even though she was a little hard to understand throughout the presentation. She then excitedly screamed, “Gladiator!” as the winner.

9. Angelina Jolie took a dip

Jolie apparently keeps her word! Angelina Jolie promised reporters she would jump into the Beverly Hilton pool if she won a Golden Globe for Gia back in 1999. Turns out she wasn’t kidding. The actor hopped right in while dressed in her gown — and even brought an Access Hollywood producer with her at one point.

10. Natalie Portman calling out the male nominees

Back in 2018, at the height of the #MeToo movement, Natalie Portman presented the award for Best Director alongside Ron Howard, pointedly noting, “And here are the all-male nominees.”

11. The three-way tie

You may or may not remember this, but back in 1989, three actresses won the award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama: Jodie Foster, Sigourney Weaver, and Shirley MacLaine tied!

12. Jennifer Lawrence’s hilarious mouthing for the camera

At the 2024 Golden Globes, when the camera panned to Jennifer Lawrence, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, she mouthed, “If I don’t win, I’m leaving.” But then, when her BFF Emma Stone won the award, she burst with joy, making it such a sweet viral moment!

13. Sofia Vergara’s controversial butt jokes

During the 2017 ceremony, Sofia Vergara decided to do a joke based on her character from Modern Family’s grasp of the English language. While the butt-based jokes landed with many, just as many found it cringy. She said, “The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has an anal tradition. I mean…they have an anus tradition. They have a tradition that they do every year…”

14. Demi Moore’s clapback

When Demi Moore won the Golden Globe for her leading role in The Substance, she clapped back at the person who told her she was a “popcorn actress” and therefore not capable of snagging awards. “That corroded me over time,” she said. “I thought maybe this was it. Maybe I’ve done what I was supposed to do.”

15. Nikki Glaser’s pope-Wicked crossover

During one of Niki Glaser’s hilarious skits, she combined a musical number with the two nominated movies: Conclave and Wicked. She spoofed them by saying, “You’re going to be Pope-ular.”

The 2026 Golden Globe Awards are sure to bring some fresh, unforgettable moments with host Nikki Glaser. Watch the show live on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 8/7c on Paramount+.

Before you go, click here to see the best Golden Globe red carpet looks.