Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser opened the 2026 ceremony with a major bang as she dropped an explosive Epstein files joke before torching Leonardo DiCaprio and CBS during her opening monologue.
The comedian, 41, who returned as host for a second consecutive year, made mention of Epstein’s ‘heavily redacted’ client list mere seconds into the three-hour ceremony airing live on CBS.
‘I cannot believe the amount of star power we have in this room tonight. It is insane. So many A-listers – and by A-listers, I mean people who are on ‘a list’ that has been heavily redacted,’ Glaser said, eliciting loud cheers and even some groans from the celebrity audience.
She went on to jokingly award the ‘Golden Globe for best editing’ to Donald Trump‘s Justice Department, who have released just 1% of the files since Trump signed off on their release in November 2025.
‘Yes. Congratulations,’ Glaser added before ripping into CBS News, which has undergone major editorial changes as part of Bari Weiss’s ‘anti-woke’ takeover.
‘And the award for most editing goes to CBS News. Yes, CBS News, America’s newest place to see BS news. We needed another,’ she said.
Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser opened the 2026 ceremony with a major bang as she dropped an explosive Epstein files joke before torching Leonardo DiCaprio and CBS News during her opening monologue
Glaser shifted her focus away from politics to roast many of the A-listers in the room, including Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio.
Glaser took a major dig at 51-year-old DiCaprio’s reputation for dating women under the age of 25 as she applauded his performance in the nominated film One Battle After Another, which she jokingly referred to as ‘One Man-Bun After Another.’
‘What a career you have had,’ she said to DiCaprio. ‘Countless iconic performances. You’ve worked with every great director, you’ve won three Golden Globes, and an Oscar.
‘The most impressive thing is that you were able to accomplish that all before your girlfriend turned 30. It is just insane.’
DiCaprio is currently in a relationship with 27-year-old Italian supermodel Vittoria Ceretti.
Glaser then apologized to DiCaprio for the low blow but explained that people ‘known nothing else’ about the star.
‘Leo, I’m sorry I made that joke. It is cheap. I tried not to, but, like, we don’t know anything else about you,’ she explained, before adding, ‘There’s nothing else. Open up! I’m serious!’
Glaser claimed she ‘searched’ for more information about DiCaprio’s private life but ‘the most in-depth interview [he has] ever given was for ‘Teen Beat’ magazine in 1991.’
The comedian, 41, who returned as host for a second consecutive year, made mention of Epstein’s ‘heavily redacted’ client list mere seconds into the three-hour ceremony airing live on CBS
‘I cannot believe the amount of star power we have in this room tonight. It is insane. So many A-listers – and by A-listers, I mean people who are on ‘a list’ that has been heavily redacted,’ Glaser joked; Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet seen in audience
Comedian Bill Maher got a kick out of Glaser’s Epstein list joke as he failed to stifle his laughter
Glaser ripped into CBS News, which has undergone major editorial changes as part of Bari Weiss’s ‘anti-woke’ takeover
‘And the award for most editing goes to CBS News. Yes, CBS News, America’s newest place to see BS news. We needed another,’ Glaser said; Bari Weiss, Editor-in-chief of CBS News, seen in 2025
Glen Powell cracked up and clapped in the audience as the camera cut to him
She then directly quoted a ridiculous answer DiCaprio, who would’ve been in his early 20s, once gave to the 90s magazine.
‘Is your favorite food still “Pasta, pasta, and more pasta?” she asked, before encouraging DiCaprio and the laughing audience to ‘look it up.’
Glaser congratulated the entire cast of One Battle After Another, including Golden Globe-winner Teyana Taylor, before taking a brutal dig at 65-year-old Sean Penn’s aging appearance.
‘[Penn] are such an original. Everyone in this town is obsessed with looking younger. But Sean Penn is like, “What if I slowly morph into a sexy leather handbag?”‘
As the audience erupted in laughter, Glaser reassured the Oscar-winning actor that the look he has going on is ‘hot’ and ‘good.’
She then shifted the topic to Penn’s humanitarian work in conflict zones in Russia, Venezuela and Cuba, joking that he goes to these destinations to ‘do cocaine.’
‘I feel like a lot of actors talk the talk, but Sean Penn will actually go to the places in the world that need help the most, and he will do cocaine there,’ she said.
After taking aim at Trump’s Justice Department and CBS, DiCaprio’s age-gap dating life was brought up by Glaser
‘The most impressive thing is that you were able to accomplish that all before your girlfriend turned 30. It is just insane,’ she said of DiCaprio’s award-filled career
Sean Penn wasn’t safe from Glaser’s wrath as she described his appearance to ‘a sexy leather handbag’
‘And I feel like we don’t celebrate that enough.’
Glaser insisted that she got ‘get permission to do that joke’ from Penn’s ‘best friends’ Charlie Sheen and El Chapo. ‘Blame it on them,’ she added.
Glaser teased George Clooney, whose film Jay Kelly is among the nominees, about always playing himself in films.
‘George Clooney is nominated for the movie Jay Kelly, yes, where he plays George Clooney,’ she joked, before mocking the 64-year-old for being the face of Nespresso.
‘I’ve always wanted to ask you something, and I know this is unprofessional, but I may never get the chance again, so here it goes: My Nespressos keep coming out watery,’ she said to Clooney, who bursted into laughter.
‘Is it a pot if you cannot do you think it might be the filter? Could you troubleshoot the formulator? Thank you very much. Grazie, signore!’
While Clooney took the the jokes in stride, his wife Amal Clooney looked stunned and only cracked a shy smile as Glaser continued ripping into the Oscar-winner.
Michael B. Jordan, who plays the role of twin brothers in Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed horror flick Sinners, received some flirtatious lines from Glaser during her wild set.
Glaser started off by joking if it was appropriate for her, a blonde white woman, to describe Jordan, a Black man, as playing ‘two brothers’ in the blockbuster film.
Wait, am I allowed to say that? It doesn’t sound right! He played twins,’ she said.
She then made a shock masturbation joke as she recalled watching ‘two Michael B. Jordans’ onscreen.
‘When I saw that, I was like, Nikki B. Jerkin. Because that was awesome.’
She quickly apologized for the racy admission. ‘I’m sorry, Michael. Why did I make that joke?’
‘George Clooney is nominated for the movie “Jay Kelly,” yes, where he plays George Clooney,’ she began, before mocking the 64-year-old for being the face of Nespresso
While Clooney took the the jokes in stride, his wife Amal Clooney looked stunned and only cracked a shy smile as Glaser continued ripping into the Oscar-winner
‘I should not have said that to you,’ Glaser exclaimed, before hilariously adding: ‘That should’ve been a DM.’
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s Wicked sequel Wicked: For Good, which Glaser called ‘Wicked: For Money,’ also received a good ribbing from the night’s host over its nearly three-hour runtime.
‘Once again, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande gave us two career-defining performances,’ Glaser began. ‘I mean, it was so emotional.
‘Two hours in, I was in tears, like, “I can’t believe there’s 45 minutes left! It’s too much!” I’m kidding. A little long, but I loved it.’
Kevin Hart, who stands at 5foot5inches tall, took an unexpected jab as Glaser complimented Grande’s impressive singing in the blockbuster film.
‘Ariana, I’d listen to you sing the phone book. Grab the one Kevin Hart is sitting on. I’m sorry, Kevin,’ she teased.
Glaser continued the body-shaming remarks as she poked fun at Timothee Chalamet’s lanky build while recalling his performance in the ping-pong drama Marty Supremere, for which he earned a Best Actor nod.
‘This is interesting, not a lot of people know this, [but] Timothee Chalamet is the first actor in history who had to put on muscle for a movie about ping-pong,’ she told the audience, before quipping: ‘He gained over 60 ounces. It is insane.’
Glaser concluded her monologue by telling the A-list attendees and nominees that, despite all her brutal joke-telling, it was ‘an absolute privilege to be in this room with you all.
‘Yes, I am your host, but I am honestly such a massive fan. Your work this year was innovative, fearless, inspiring, and in some cases downright Zootopian,’ she continued.
She then called out many of the night’s big directors, including Frankenstein’s Guillermo Del Toro and Avatar’s James Cameron.
‘Guillermo del toro, keep making weird monster sex movies. And James Cameron, keep making weird monster sex movies,’ Glaser said.
She then gave a shout-out to Emma Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos, who worked on Bugonia together, asking them to ‘keep making wonderfully bizarre movies together, and go harder.
When it comes to the nominations it is One Battle After Another who leads the pack with a whopping nine nominations
Adolescence stars Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty both received acting nominations with the Netflix hit earning five nods in total
‘I want Emma stone playing a piece of toast with epilepsy,’ she joked.
Heartthrobs Paul Mescal and Jacob Elordi were encouraged by Glaser to ‘keep being the same person to [her] mom.’
She closed out the monologue by telling Only Murders In The Building co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short, who are 80 and 75 respectively, to ‘keep proving that in this industry you are never too old to still need money.’
The 83rd Golden Globe Awards have brought together some of the brightest stars in film and television at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday.
Comedian Nikki Glaser will be serving as the master of ceremonies for the second year in a row as she will no doubt have A-listers shaking as she will be bringing her shocking no-holds-barred sense of humor to her hosting duties.
‘Hosting the Golden Globes this year was without a doubt the most fun I have ever had in my career,’ Glaser, 41, said in a March statement. ‘I can’t wait to do it again, and this time in front of the team from The White Lotus who will finally recognize my talent and cast me in season 4 as a Scandinavian Pilates instructor with a shadowy past.’
When it comes to the nominations it is One Battle After Another who leads the pack with a whopping nine nominations.
The Leonardo DiCaprio-starring epic picked up nods in the film categories including Best Picture, Director and Screenwriter, a Best Actor nod for its lead and Supporting Actor recognitions for Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn.
It will compete against Blue Moon, Bugonia, Marty Supreme, No Other Choice and Nouvelle Vague in the Best Picture – Musical Or Comedy category, with Wicked: For Good a shock snub.
Over in Best Picture – Drama, Frankenstein, Hamnet, It Was Just An Accident, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Values and Sinners go head to head.
Meanwhile in the TV categories, Netflix smash hit Adolescence built on its success at the Emmys with nods for all of its stars – Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty and 16-year-old Owen Cooper all received nominations alongside a surprise selection for Ashley Walters.
The show also picked up a nod in the Best Limited TV Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for TV category, alongside All Her Fault, The Beast in Me, Black Mirror, Dying for Sex and The Girlfriend bringing its total to five nominations.
The White Lotus narrowly beat Adolescence with six nods though, most of which came from the acting categories thanks to its all-star cast.
The major ceremony in the awards season calendar honors the best of film, TV and, for the first time this year, podcasts, across 28 categories.
This year, all 28 award categories have six nominees, with the exception of Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, which features eight.
One of the most contentious categories surely will be Best Male Actor – Television – Drama with Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Diego Luna for Andor, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Mark Ruffalo for Task, Adam Scott for Severance and Noah Wyle for The Pitt all up for the gong.
Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty both received acting nominations. Owen, 16, landed a nod in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role — TV Series, Limited series or TV Movie.
He will compete against his co-star Ashley Walters as well as Billy Crudup, The Morning Show, Walton Goggins, The White Lotus, Jason Isaac, The White Lotus and Tramell Tillman, Severance.
The White Lotus narrowly beat Adolescence with six nods though, most of which came from the acting categories thanks to its all-star cast
Erin is up against fellow Brit Aimee Lou Wood for The White Lotus in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role — TV Series, Limited series or TV Movie.
Also in the category is Carrie Coon, The White Lotus, Hannah Einbinder, Hacks, Catherine O’Hara, The Studio and Parker Posey, The White Lotus.
Irish actor Paul Mescal has secured a nomination in the Best Supporting Male Actor – Motion Picture category, competing against Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another, Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein, Paul Mescal, Hamnet, Sean Penn, One Battle After Another, Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly and Stellan Skarsgard, Sentimental Value.
Best Screenplay saw Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another, Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, Ryan Coogler, Sinners, Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident and Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet.
Elsewhere in the film categories, Joachim Trier’s Norwegian family drama Sentimental Value scored eight nominations, just behind One Battle After Another.
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners got seven nods and Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet nabbed five total nods tying its total with that of Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: For Good.
Wicked’s sequel was the surprise snub as it missed out in the Best Musical or Comedy category. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were recognised in the acting categories though.
Other notable snubs included Sydney Sweeney’s lack of nomination for Christy in the Best Actress (drama) category, with Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love), Tessa Thompson (Hedda) and Julia Roberts (After The Hunt) included alongside surprise star Eva Victor for her performance in the independent US film Sorry, Baby.
Irish actress Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), who is seen as the front-runner, completes the category.
Kathryn Bigelow of Netflix nuclear thriller A House of Dynamite failed to pick up a single nomination as did Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On?
Timothee Chalamet is hoping for his first Globes win after four previous nominations and missing out on a tipped win last year for his performance in A Complete Unknown. He earned the Best Actor award at The Critics Choice Awards last week.
This year he is up in the Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy category for Marty Supreme.
Wicked’s sequel was the surprise snub as it missed out in the Best Musical or Comedy category. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were recognised in the acting categories though
Irish actress Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) is already a hot favourite to win in the Best Actress (drama) category
One winner has already been announced as Dame Helen Mirren will be the recipient of the Cecil B DeMille Golden Globe for lifetime achievement.
Dame Helen will be presented with the prestigious gong, whose previous recipients include Meryl Streep, Alfred Hitchcock and last year’s winner Viola Davis, in a ceremony on January 8, three days before the main Golden Globes take place.
‘Helen Mirren is a force of nature, and her career is nothing short of extraordinary,’ said Helen Hoehne, president of the Golden Globes.
‘Her transcendent performances and commitment to her craft continue to inspire generations of artists and audiences alike. It is a profound honour to present her with the Cecil B DeMille award.’
Golden Globe Awards 2026 winners
FILM
Best Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Blue Moon
Bugonia
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
Nouvelle Vague
Best Picture – Drama
Frankenstein
Hamnet
It Was Just An Accident
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama
Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams
Oscar Isaac – Frankenstein
Dwayne Johnson – Smashing Machine
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
Jeremy Allen White – Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy
Timothee Chalamet – Marty Supreme – WINNER
George Clooney – Jay Kelly
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Lee Byung-Hun – No Other Choice
Jesse Plemons – Bugonia
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Jennifer Lawrence – Die, My Love
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Julia Roberts – After the Hunt
Tessa Thompson – Hedda
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You – WINNER
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good
Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
Emma Stone – Bugonia
Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt – The Smashing Machine
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another – WINNER
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Paul Mescal – Hamnet
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value – WINNER
Best Original Song
“Dream as One” – Avatar: Fire and Ash
“Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters – WINNER
“I Lied to You” – Sinners
“No Place Like Home” – Wicked: For Good
The Girl in the Bubble” – Wicked: For Good
“Train Dreams” – Train Dreams
Best Original Score– Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein
Ludwig Göransson – Sinners
Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another
Kangding Ray – Sirāt
Max Richter – Hamnet
Hans Zimmer – F1
Best Director – Motion Picture
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another – WINNER
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
Best Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another – WINNER
Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident
Maggie O’Farrell – Hamnet
Outstanding Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
KPop Demon Hunters
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
Sinners – WINNER
Weapons
Wicked: For Good
Zootopia 2
PODCASTING
Best Podcast
Armchair Expert
Call Her Daddy
Good Hang – WINNER
The Mel Robbins Podcast
Smartless
Up First
TELEVISION
Best TV Series – Drama
The Diplomat
The Pitt
Pluribus
Severance
Slow Horses
The White Lotus
Best TV Series – Musical or Comedy
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
The Studio
Best Limited TV Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Adolescence
All Her Fault
The Beast in Me
Black Mirror
Dying for Sex
The Girlfriend
Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series – Drama
Sterling K. Brown – Paradise
Diego Luna – Andor
Gary Oldman – Slow Horses
Mark Ruffalo – Task
Adam Scott – Severance
Noah Wyle – The Pitt – WINNER
Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series — Drama
Kathy Bates – Matlock
Britt Lower – Severance
Helen Mirren – MobLand
Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us
Keri Russell – The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Claire Danes – The Beast in Me
Rashida Jones – Black Mirror
Amanda Seyfried – Long Bright River
Sarah Snook – All Her Fault
Michelle Williams – Dying for Sex
Robin Wright – The Girlfriend
Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series — Musical or Comedy
Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building
Glen Powell – Chad Powers
Seth Rogen – The Studio – WINNER
Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear
Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series — Musical or Comedy
Kristen Bell – Nobody Wants This
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear
Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building
Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face
Jenna Ortega – Wednesday
Jean Smart – Hacks – WINNER
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Jacob Elordi – The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Paul Giamatti – Black Mirror
Stephen Graham – Adolescence – WINNER
Charlie Hunnam – Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Jude Law – Black Rabbit
Matthew Rhys – The Beast in Me
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role — TV Series, Limited series or TV Movie
Owen Cooper – Adolescence – WINNER
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show
Walton Goggins – The White Lotus
Jason Isaac – The White Lotus
Tramell Tillman – Severance
Ashley Walters – Adolescence
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role — TV Series, Limited series or TV Movie
Carrie Coon – The White Lotus
Erin Doherty – Adolescence
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks
Catherine O’Hara – The Studio
Parker Posey – The White Lotus
Aimee Lou Wood – The White Lotus
Best non-English Language Film
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sirât
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Best Animated Film
Arco
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on TV
Bill Maher – Is Anyone Else Seeing This?
Brett Goldstein – The Second Best Night of Your Life
Kevin Hart – Acting My Age
Kumail Nanjiani – Night Thoughts
Ricky Gervais – Mortality
Sarah Silverman – Postmortem
