How a shocking win shook up the Oscar race

Actresses Demi Moore and Fernanda Torres' surprise wins at the Golden Globes mean there may be more exciting things to come on the road to the Oscars.

This year's Golden Globes did what these awards do best: Demi Moore shocked the main Oscar contenders by winning best actress in a musical or comedy for this satirical body horror film substanceFernanda Torres won the drama category for the Brazilian political film “I'm Still Here.” Both actresses rank low on most Oscar prediction lists and are considered long-shot. But their unexpected victory, coupled with both men delivering rousing and eloquent acceptance speeches, now Putting them firmly into the nomination mix.

Let’s get straight to the point and say what the Ballon d’Or is. As awards, they're candy, an excuse for a gorgeous, star-studded show that will feature everyone from Nicole Kidman to Harrison Ford and Zendaya. golden globe award Reorganized two years ago When the scandal-plagued Hollywood Foreign Press Association was bought out by business owners, its membership also changed. But the 334 Globe Awards voters from international publications or websites do not overlap with the more than 9,000 people who can vote for the Oscars. Winning the Ballon d'Or depends on motivation and performance perceived As a winner, or at least a competitor worth taking seriously. That's why these wins are good news for Moore and Torres.

Moore gives a strong performance as a TV personality pushed aside by a younger replacement (Margaret Qualley), but an Oscar campaign needs more than that, and she has the kind of personality that voters like Narrative awards are making a comeback. She emphasized this subtly in her acceptance speechFirst, she has never won an award for acting in her long career. She spoke of her own insecurities, an idea she internalized after being told by a producer 30 years ago that she was a “popcorn actress” who could make money but not be taken seriously. A good kind of humility. Then, she says, “When I was at my lowest point, this creative, out-of-the-box, crazy script came across my desk called ‘Material’”. This recovery plays into the hands of voters, just like it did back then Ke Huy Quan wins Oscar for Everything Everywhere All at Once After leaving the entertainment industry for decades. “Substance's” themes, about vanity and the necessity and high cost of stardom in Hollywood, also helped resonate with voters.

Torres is a veteran actress but not exactly a Hollywood star, which is all the more surprising, but her win is well-deserved. Her intense yet understated performance is the centerpiece of Walter Salles's “I'm Still Here,” in which she plays a woman whose husband is a former politician , one of the missing victims of Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s. Torres's speech These include a touching dedication to her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, who plays her character's mother in the film and who made her debut 25 years ago in another Seiler film, “Central Station.” Nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar. Torres was one of the few recipients whose speech indirectly commented on the current state of the world, connecting her character to the resilience needed today. “Some scary things are going on in the world. This movie helps us think about how to survive in difficult times like this,” she said. It's a deftly delivered message of hope that Hollywood might welcome.

Of course, these depressing events only put Moore and Torres in the minds of Oscar voters (and in Moore's case, BAFTA voters, because She was on the long list). The predictions for the Golden Globes could be dire, as splitting the main categories into comedy and drama would double the number of nominees. But Moore and Torres overcame their toughest competition. Moore won over three Oscar front-runners Mikey Madison (Anora), Carla Sofia Gascon (Emilia Perez) and Cynthia Erivo (evil). Torres's category includes Nicole Kidman (baby girl), Angelina Jolie (Maria) and Tilda Swinton (next door room). These eight actresses are now involved in an Oscar game of musical chairs, a game that Moore and Torres weren't necessarily part of just days ago.

Sebastian Stan's win for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for “A Different Man” was another underwhelming performance, but it's unlikely to produce the same Influence. The real competition is in the drama category, with Oscar front-runners Adrien Brody (“The Fauves”) and Timothée Chalamet (“The Fauves”)Completely unknown) went head-to-head, and Brody won. Stan's surprise victory could serve as a career validation and a short-lived performance for the award, as he faces some slim competition. Glen Powell killer and Gabrielle Labelle saturday night Seems like a move to fill this category. After all, it’s rare for the Golden Globes to be as competitive as Best Actress. More often than not, they solidify their Oscar prospects, as in the case of Kieran Culkin, who seemed a lock for the Oscar with his best supporting actor win for “True Pain.”

The most important thing about this year's Golden Globes may be its timing. Voting for Oscar nominations closes next Sunday (January 12), which means the Golden Globes arrive just in time for voters to ponder the new awards landscape.