Oprah Winfrey has stolen the show at the 75th Golden Globes Awards, Hollywood’s first big gathering since accusations surfaced about heavyweights including Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey.

After host Seth Meyers used his opening monologue to encourage Winfrey to run for US president in 2020 (with Tom Hanks as vice president) the talk show host and actress got the dream ticket off to a flying start.

“For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth,” said Winfrey, accepting the annual Cecil B DeMille award from Reese Witherspoon.

In a strong, impassioned denunciation of Hollywood’s toxic culture she warned sexual predators “their time is up”.

The A-list crowd at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday night (US time) responded with a standing ovation.

“I want all the girls watching to know a new day is on the horizon,” Winfrey said.

“And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure they are the leaders to take us to the time where nobody has to say ‘me too’ again.”

This year, Winfrey said: “We became the story. But it’s not just a story affecting the entertainment industry, it’s one that transcends any culture, or workplace.”

Claiming the first award of the night, Australian actress Nicole Kidman flicked at social change – “I do believe and I hope that we can elicit change through the stories we tell and the way we tell them” – but also kept things close to home in her acceptance speech.

The Best Actress in a Limited Series for TV mini-series Big Little Lies, Kidman took the chance to get personal about her nearest and dearest.

After giving a shout out to her “babies”, daughters Sunday and Faith, she focused her gaze on husband Keith Urban.

“When my cheek is against yours, everything else melts away,” Kidman said.

“And that is true love. I love you so much.”

Winner Nicole Kidman with husband Keith Urban on the red carpet. Photo: Getty

The actress, who played a housewife terrorised and abused by her violent husband in Big Little Lies, also paid tribute to her “mama” Janelle Kidman, hailing her as “an early advocate of the women’s movement”.

The red carpet was a sea of black to demonstrate support for the #TimesUp movement.

Wearing red, Hollywood Foreign Press Association Meher Tatna was a notable exception but the Mumbai-born journalist said it was “a cultural thing. When you have a celebration, you don’t wear black.”

Adding to the weight of the visual protest, many A-listers including Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, Emma Watson and Susan Sarandon brought women’s advocates as their plus-ones.

Meyers ruthlessly skewered the wave of sexual misconduct in his 15-minute opening monologue.

“Happy New Year Hollywood. It’s 2018 — marijuana is finally allowed, sexual harassment finally isn’t … it’s gonna be a good year,” he said.

The jabs continued: “There’s a new era underway and I can tell because it has been years since a white man has been this nervous in Hollywood.

“For the male nominees in the room this is the first time in three months it won’t be terrifying to hear your name read out.”

Meyers decided it wasn’t too soon to direct a joke at the “elephant not in the room”, disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

“Harvey Weinstein isn’t here tonight … I’ve heard rumours he’s crazy and difficult to work with,” he said.

“He’ll be back in 20 years when he’s the first person booed in the in memoriam,” Meyers said as the audience gasped.

Australian nominees Margot Robbie, Hugh Jackman and Katherine Langford lost out.

GOLDEN GLOBES 2018 WINNERS:

Best actress – limited series or TV movie: Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies)

Best supporting actor in any movie: Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

Best actress in a TV series – drama: Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale)

Best actor – television drama: Sterling K Brown (This is Us)

Best TV series – drama: The Handmaid’s Tale

Best supporting actor in a TV series, limited series or TV movie: Alexander Skarsgard (Big Little Lies)

Best actor – musical or comedy movie: James Franco (The Disaster Artist)

Best supporting actress in a TV series, limited series or TV movie: Laura Dern (Big Little Lies)

Best supporting actress in any movie: Allison Janney (I, Tonya)

Best actor – limited TV series or TV movie: Ewan McGregor (Fargo)

Best limited TV series or TV movie: Big Little Lies

Best actress – musical or comedy movie: Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Best actress – drama movie: Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

Best film, drama: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri