The Golden Globes are kicking off awards season with a splash. The ceremony is still happening despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and there will be some major changes to the show. But one thing remains the same: the best of the best will be honored during the 2021 Golden Globes.
Despite the year that was 2020, there were still so many incredible performances across TV and film. Some of the best actors and actresses are nominated for Golden Globes, and many are first-time nominees. Take a look at the stars who have nominated for the very first time this year.
Kaley Cuoco
Kaley Cuoco, 35, earned her very first Golden Globe nomination for her role as Cassie Bowden in the HBO Max series The Flight Attendant. She’s nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. When the nominations were announced in early Feb. 2021 and Kaley’s name was said, the actress broke down in tears. She posted the footage on her Instagram account and wrote, “Thank you @goldenglobes #hfpa I will never ever forget this moment and I can’t stop crying.”
Chadwick Boseman
Chadwick Boseman has been nominated posthumously for his role as Levee in the Netflix film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The late actor was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Chadwick tragically passed away in Aug. 2020 at the age of 43 after a private 4-year battle with colon cancer. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was released a few months after his death and is the actor’s final film role.
Daisy Edgar-Jones
Daisy Edgar-Jones, 22, is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television after her breakout role as Marianne in the Hulu limited series Normal People. The actress was snubbed by the Emmys but is being recognized by the HFPA. Normal People, which also starred Paul Mescal, was one of the most critically-acclaimed TV shows of 2020.
Amanda Seyfried
Amanda Seyfried, 35, is finally getting the recognition she deserves. The actress is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for her role in the Netflix film Mank. Her performance in David Fincher’s latest film is a career-defining moment for the actress.
Shira Haas
Shira Haas, 25, was one of the breakout stars of 2020 after her incredible performance as Esther in the Netflix limited series Unorthodox. She’s up for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television. This is her first Golden Globe nomination. She earned her first Emmy nomination for her Unorthodox performance as well.
Jane Levy
Jane Levy has scored her first Golden Globe nomination for her role in Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. The 31-year-old actress is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. The NBC series is the perfect mix of music, comedy, and drama.
Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy, 24, is a double Golden Globe nominee. She’s up for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy after her stellar performances in The Queen’s Gambit and Emma. The Queen’s Gambit was a massive hit for Netflix and became its most-watched limited series ever.
James Corden
James Corden, 42, has won multiple Emmys, but he had never been nominated for a Golden Globe until now. The late-night talk show host and actor scored a nod for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his work in the Netflix film The Prom. The movie is also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Elle Fanning
Elle Fanning, 22, is a first-time Golden Globe nominee, and it’s all thanks to the Hulu series The Great. The actress, who plays Catherine the Great, is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Her fellow co-star Nicholas Hoult also scored his first Golden Globe nod.
Nicholas Hoult
Nicholas Hoult, 31, is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for his role as Peter. The Great was Nicholas’ first series regular role since his work in the first two seasons of Skins. The Great has been renewed for season 2 and is currently filming.
John Boyega
John Boyega, 28, is a first-time nominee for his performance in the Amazon anthology series Small Axe. The Star Wars alum is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role. The series is also nominated for Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
Dan Levy
Schitt’s Creek swept the 2020 Emmys, and now the cast is looking to do the same at the Golden Globes. Dan Levy, 37, has earned his first-ever Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role, along with the rest of his co-stars. The show is also up for Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy.
Annie Murphy
Annie Murphy’s still feeling a little bit Alexis ahead of the Golden Globes. The 34-year-old actress is nominated for the first time for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Supporting Role. Like her Schitt’s Creek family, Annie is coming off an epic win at the 2020 Emmys, where she took home her first Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Emma Corrin
After Emma Corrin’s breakout performance as a young Princess Diana in The Crown, it’s no surprise she earned her first Golden Globe nomination. The 25-year-old is up for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama, along with her co-star Olivia Colman. Given all the critical acclaim she’s received, Emma is a frontrunner to walk away a winner.
Josh O’Connor
Josh O’Connor, 30, is finally being recognized for his tremendous performance as Prince Charles with his first-ever Golden Globe nomination. The actor is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama. This is his first major awards show nomination, and it is a well-deserved one after The Crown season 4.
Andra Day
Andra Day, 36, is another double Golden Globe nominee this year. Andra made her acting debut as jazz icon Billie Holiday in the Hulu film The United States vs. Billie Holiday and has received her first acting nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. She’s also nominated for Best Original Song for the song “Tigress & Tweed.”
Maria Bakalova
Borat Subsequent Movie Film was one of the most talked-about films of 2020, and a lot of that talk revolved around Maria Bakalova. The 24-year-old Bulgarian actress starred as Borat’s daughter, Tutar Sagdiyev, opposite Sacha Baron Cohen. For her breakthrough performance, Maria has been nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Helena Zengel
Helena Zengel is the youngest Golden Globe nominee this year. The 12-year-old is up for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture at the 2021 Golden Globes for her role in News of the World. The German actress held her own with Tom Hanks in the film and solidified herself as a young star on the rise.
Leslie Odom Jr.
Like Andra Day and Anya Taylor-Joy, Leslie Odom Jr. is up for two Golden Globes this year. The 39-year-old has received a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for his role as Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami. The actor’s song for the film, “Speak Now,” is also nominated for Best Original Song.
Vanessa Kirby
Despite her breakout performance in The Crown as a young Princess Margaret, Vanessa Kirby, 32, wasn’t a Golden Globe nominee until now. She’s nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama after her stunning and gut-wrenching portrayal of a woman who lost her baby during childbirth. Vanessa’s performance in Pieces of a Woman was one of the best of 2020.
Tahar Rahim
Tahar Rahim, 39, is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. He wowed with his incredible performance in the 2021 film The Mauritanian alongside Jodie Foster. To get into the character of Gitmo detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi, Tahar dropped 20 pounds in less than a month. “It was not the usual way of acting, where I take my emotions and pull them out,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “This time it was so strong, my emotions led me somewhere. I would follow them to a place where I literally was discovering. As actors, we’re seeking to touch the truth; I felt I touched it a little.”