Taylor Swift, Hollywood’s strikes, the host falling flat and Barbie missing out were just some of the main talking points at Tuesday’s Golden Globe Awards.

The sparkling ceremony kicked off Hollywood’s awards season, which will finish with the Oscars in March, and it brought together some of the industry’s brightest talent for the first time after six months of strikes by actors and writers.

Two of the biggest films of 2023, Barbie and Oppenheimer, dominated the film categories. Greta Gerwig’s feel-good flick had nine nominations and Christopher Nolan’s epic had eight.

However, it ended up being a disappointing night for Barbie, with the film losing out across the major categories.

Emma Stone edged Margot Robbie in the best actress in a musical or comedy category for Poor Things, but the Australian actor still enjoyed some success.

Barbie won the award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement at the 81st Golden Globe Awards. Photo: Getty

Barbie won the award for cinematic and box office achievement and when collecting the award, Robbie dedicated the gong to “every single person on the planet who dressed up and went to the greatest place on Earth, the movie theatre”.

Many thought Taylor Swift’s concert film would have won, given the fanfare and Swift bypassing the major studios amid the strike to put it together.

Barbie‘s first breakthrough of the night came with Billie Eilish and brother Finneas O’Connell taking the Golden Globe for best original song, for What Was I Made For?

But it was Oppenheimer that won big.

Star Cillian Murphy won best actor in a drama film for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer. Nolan also won as best director and Robert Downey Jr as best supporting actor.

The film also went on to win best motion picture in the drama category.

Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr were celebrated for their roles in Oppenheimer. Photo: Getty

Succession wins big

Succession came to an end in 2023 and, as many expected, the show excelled at the Golden Globes.

Australia’s Sarah Snook won her second Golden Globe for best female actor in a TV series (drama), and her on-screen brother Kieran Culkin won best actor in a TV series (drama).

In her speech, Snook said Succession had changed her life and joked that Culkin would be better at accepting the award on her behalf.

Culkin burped thanks to indigestion and said his award wasn’t his, but “for the team” and also took a playful jab at fellow nominee, Pedro Pascal.

“I’ve been in here a couple times. It’s nice, but I sort of accepted I was never going to be on the stage,” Culkin said.

“So this is a nice moment. Suck it Pedro. Sorry, mine.”

Stars dazzle on the red carpet

Robbie once again channelled Barbie as she walked the red carpet at The Beverly Hilton.

Her hot pink sequinned Armani gown with a pink tulle boa was modelled on Superstar Barbie from 1977.

Margot Robbie once again channelled Barbie for the Golden Globes. Photo: Getty

Swift wore a shimmering liquid acid green number to the event.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie was nominated at the Golden Globes. Photo: Getty

Meanwhile, Dua Lipa showed up in custom Schiaparelli with a vintage Tiffany & Co necklace from 1962.

Dua Lipa on the red carpet. Photo: Getty

Helen Mirren went for two hues of purple, including a coat, from Dolce & Gabbana and Julia Schlaepfer, meanwhile, walked in a white Old Hollywood gown from Danielle Frankel with a flawless drape at the high neck and no back.

Hollywood legend Helen Mirren. Photo: Getty

Julia Schlaepfer stunned in a white dress. Photo: Getty

Timothée Chalamet, the latest “Wonka”, donned a bedazzled black jacket with black skinny trousers and a low-buttoned black shirt, but as per usual, many of the men opted for tuxedoes.

Timothée Chalamet wore a dazzling number at the Golden Globes.

Host falls flat

Hosting a ceremony like the Golden Globes is no walk in the park.

A huge talking point from the night was host Jo Koy, a stand-up comedian and actor.

It was confirmed he would host the show just a month out, which he made light of in the opening minutes.

“The key moment in Barbie is when she goes from perfect beauty to bad breasts, cellulite and flat feet. Or what casting directors call ‘character actor’,” he said.

“Some [jokes] I wrote, some other people wrote. Robert De Niro’s here! Yo, I got the gig 10 days ago, you want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up, you’re kidding me, right? Slow down. I wrote some of these and they’re the ones who laugh at.”

Some of his jokes fell flat throughout the night and one seemingly did not sit well with Taylor Swift, whose concert movie was nominated for cinematic and box office achievement.

“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL, on the Golden Globes we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift,” Koy remarked, while Swift took a sip of her drink as the camera panned to her.

Another touching moment from the ceremony was when Lily Gladstone from Killers of the Flower Moon made history by becoming the first actress to identify as Indigenous to win the award for best actress in a drama film.

Last year, Hollywood was disrupted by dual union strikes and Daniel Kaluuya, Hailee Steinfeld and Shameik Moore paid tribute to writers when presenting an award for best screenplay.

Steinfeld acknowledged how the past year reminded everyone of the “critical importance of writers to the creative process”.