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IT’S A BIG awards season for Ireland once again, and last night Kerry woman Jessie Buckley took home the Golden Globe to cement it as such.
In 2024, we hung our hopes onto Cork’s Cillian Murphy, who made us proud when he claimed the first Best Actor in a Leading Role Oscar for Ireland for his performance as father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Murphy also won the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and SAG award for the same category.
This year, Jessie Buckley is carrying the torch for Ireland with her much-lauded turn in Hamnet, alongside costar Paul Mescal. Now with a Golden Globe, Buckley may be on course to clinch the leading actress Oscar – which would make her the first Irish woman to do so.
But away from our moment of national pride, there were also a few other big moments throughout the night.
A host of stars took to the red carpet, donning designer gowns and tailored suits – we have some of the standout looks here – but Love Island star Maura Higgins turned heads in a dress by Egyptian designer MarMar Halim.
The Longford woman recently took part in Celebrity Traitors US, which is airing currently.
This year’s ceremony was hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, who returned for the second year running after a triumphant turn last year.
The American actress appears to be the successor to Ricky Gervais, who hosted the Golden Globes five times before he declared it would be his final time doing so in 2020. Gervais was known for his no-holds-barred approach to his jokes, and Glaser has followed suit.
Among her jokes was a quip at 51-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio’s penchant for younger girlfriends (he famously has only dated one woman over the age of 25, his current girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti, aged 27).
#NikkiGlaser roasts #LeonardoDiCaprio at the #GoldenGlobes for dating younger women:
— Variety (@Variety) January 12, 2026
“You’ve won three Golden Globes, an Oscar, and the most impressive thing is you were able to accomplish all of that before your girlfriend turned 30.” pic.twitter.com/Hz7ekQdMiD
“What a career Leonardo DiCaprio has had,” Glaser began.
“Countless iconic performances, you’ve worked with every great director, you’ve won three Golden Globes and an Oscar, and the most impressive thing is you were able to accomplish all that before your girlfriend turned 30.”
DiCaprio appeared to take the swipe well from the audience as Glaser apologised for the “cheap” joke, continuing, “I tried not to, but we don’t know anything else about you, man”.
Actors Steve Martin and Martin Short, aged 80 and 75, were targeted by the host as she said: “Keep proving that in this industry, you’re never too old to still need money”.
Elsewhere, comedian Wanda Sykes took to the stage to present an absent Ricky Gervais with the award for best stand-up comedy performance on TV, which she then accepted on his behalf.
Before the winner was revealed, Sykes said: “Ricky Gervais, I love you for not being here. If you win, I get to accept the award on your behalf – and you’re going to thank God and the trans community.”
Gervais previously found himself in some hot water after facing allegations of being transphobic over several of his jokes. Announcing Gervais’s win, Sykes did as promised.
Ricky Gervais has won the Golden Globe for Best Stand-Up Comedy Performance.
— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) January 12, 2026
Gervais was not in attendance, so Wanda Sykes accepted on his behalf and thanked "God and the trans community"pic.twitter.com/0290I5d7zH
Julia Roberts, who presented the award of Best Motion Picture – Musical Comedy, was taken aback as much of the audience rose to give her a standing ovation.
“Thank you!” the veteran actress said, before jokingly encouraging the remaining guests to follow suit. “Everybody! Let’s go! In the back! Come on!”
“I’m going to be impossible for at least a week,” she said after the standing ovation. She announced the award winner as Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.
Roberts’s Oceans 8 co-star George Clooney then took to the stage to present the final award of the night – Best Motion Picture, Drama, that went to Hamnet – where he was joined by a nonchalant Don Cheadle, who appeared to wander onstage.
George Clooney presents the last award of the night for Best Picture – Drama 🏆 ... supported from afar by Don Cheadle #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/GH96zvg9jC
— Golden Globes (@goldenglobes) January 12, 2026
Cheadle poked fun at the length of time that has passed since Clooney’s last award win at the Globes, pointing out 30-year-old Timothée Chalamet.
“He was three the last time you won,” Cheadle told Clooney.
The full list of award winners is available to view here.
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