GOING FOR GOLD Normal People and Gleeson to storm Globes
Gleeson’s Golden Globes nod but Mescal snubbed for Normal People
BRENDAN Gleeson leads the Irish Golden Globe nominations but Normal People star Paul Mescal has been snubbed by the annual awards.
The shortlists for the 78th annual awards were announced virtually in the US yesterday with Sarah Jessica Parker and Taraji P. Henson revealing the on a live stream.
Gleeson, 65, earned the nod in the best performance by an actor in a television supporting role for his portrayal of former US President Donald Trump in The Comey Rule.
The Dubliner will go up against John Boyega (Small Axe), Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek), Jim Parsons (Hollywood), and Donald Sutherland (The Undoing).
Meanwhile, Normal People had double joy yesterday with the series and its star Daisy Edgar-jones also announced among the nominees.
But despite the Emmy nod last year, Paul Mescal’s name was noticeably absent from the shortlists.
Gracious in defeat, the Maynooth man, who celebrated his 25th birthday this week, congratulated his co-star.
Posting a behind the scenes video with Daisy during Normal People filming, he said: “Could not be prouder of you my friend.” Commenting last night, Daisy said: “I am absolutely beaming from ear to ear I can’t stop grinning.”
Normal People is nominated in the Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television category.
Directed by Dublin director Lenny Abrahamson, it will go up against The Queen’s Gambit, Small Axe, The Undoing, and Unorthodox in the race for the gong.
Normal People producer Ed Guiney told RTE: “I don’t know how many people have seen Normal People around the world, but it’s well in excess of 100 million and probably more than that.”
Daisy, 22, who played Marianne in the hit series, is nominated by the Hollywood Foreign Press in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Category.
Also vying for the gong are Cate Blanchett (Mrs. America), Shira Haas (Unorthodox), Nicole Kidman (The Undoing), and Anya Taylor-joy (The Queen’s Gambit).
Irish animated film
I could not be prouder of you, my friend PAUL MESCAL MESSAGE TO CO-STAR DAISY
Wolfwalkers, by Cartoon Saloon, is also shortlisted in the Best Motion Picture – Animated category. It was nominated alongside The Croods: A New Age (Universal Pictures), Onward (Walt Disney Pictures), Over the Moon (Netflix), and Soul (Walt Disney Pictures).
Commenting on the nod, Cartoon Saloon tweeted: “Thank you to the HFPA for Wolfwalkers’ nomination in the Best Animated Film category. Congrats to all the Wolfwalkers team.”
After a year stuck indoors and people bingeing TV and film more than ever, this
year’s nominees are a mix of old and new and highlight what we’ve been watching.
David Fincher’s Mank leads the pack in the film categories with six nominations, followed by The Trial Of The Chicago 7 with five.
The top contenders in the motion picture drama category include The Father, Mank, Nomadland, Promising Young Woman and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
In the musical or comedy category, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Hamilton, Palm Springs, Music and The Prom will battle it out. In the TV group, The Crown is leading the shortlists with six nominations, followed by Schitt’s Creek which has five nominations.
The top TV categories include Emily in Paris, The Flight Attendant, The Great, Schitt’s Creek and Ted Lasso in the musical or comedy field.
The Crown, Lovecraft Country, The Mandalorian, Ozark and Ratched lead the way in the drama category.
In the director category, female filmmakers are leading the race.
Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), Regina King (One Night in Miami) and Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) are all nominated, alongside David Fincher (Mank) and Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7).
The late Chadwick Boseman, who died last year at the age of 43 after a battle with colon cancer, received a posthumous nomination for his role in the Netflix film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), Anthony Hopkins (The Father),
Gary Oldman (Mank) and Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian) are also among the Best Actor nominees. Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Andra Day (The United States vs Billie Holiday), Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman), Frances Mcdormand (Nomadland) and Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) are the Best Actress nominees in the motion picture category.
The ceremony will be hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on Sunday, February 28.