Golden Globe 2020: Girls Just want to have fun

At the 77th annual Golden Globes on Sunday, Hollywood's top female brigade gave a refreshing twist to the evening's unofficial dress code - black and white.

Golden Globe 2020: Girls Just want to have fun

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Cate Blanchett and Kerry Washington. Pictures/PTI, Instagram

We're barely in the second week of 2020, and the coveted red carpet choices for the new decade seem to be singing along the lines of Cyndi Lauper's Girls just want to have fun. At the 77th annual Golden Globes, the brightest stars were the inspiring female cast of Hollywood, and Billy Porter, of course.

Billy Porter

The gender-blurring gay star of Pose said, "Fashion can be activism". His quote perhaps sums up not only his attire of white silk tuxedo designed by Alex Vinash, with a chapel-length train of feathers ("This is not a sitting outfit. This is a standing outfit"), but also the deliberately monochromatic mood of the evening in allegiance to mark the second year of Time's Up movement.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas:

Is the bride still blushing, or perhaps wearing her feminism on her off-shoulder sleeves? Otherwise known for her daring fashion moves, Chopra Jonas kept it achingly simple in a classic Cristina Ottaviano hot-pink gown and Bvlgari neck-piece.

Cate Blanchett:

Cate Blanchett

The Goddess, or shall we say Hela, never disappoints. In a sea of black and white, the unofficial dress code of the event, she brought a canary yellow groove in a Mary Katrantzou gown, complete with winged sleeves and embroidered and Swarovski- encrusted bralette.

Charlize Theron:

Charlize Theron

Did Maria Grazia Chiuri just do a stunning saree number on us? The artistic director at Christian Dior dressed the Bombshell actor in a beautiful apple green gown with a black sash, which hung off her shoulder — like a pallu. The one-shouldered gown was teamed with a hand-crafted sheer corset in a sweetheart neckline, not very different from our version of a choli… are Indian designers taking notes?

Kerry Washington:

Kerry Washington

In a night bathed in tulle and balloon sleeves, Washington was a visual powerhouse in an Altuzarra ensemble of sharp black suit, swapping a shirt for a harness bodice in braided chain, and a high-slit satin skirt, instead of trousers.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge:

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Another actor who ditched the shirt while embracing the virile tuxedo, albeit in her own English style of sparkly tweed and a black ribbon pinned on her right shoulder — designed by Ralph and Russo. So in line with the adage attributed to Fleabag: "Chic means boring. Don't tell the French."

Kate McKinnon

And then there was Kate McKinnon. The Saturday Night Live star wore a tailored black trouser suit by Prabal Gurung — sans shirt — embellished with floral appliqués. So what, you ask. It was her moving speech about coming to terms with her sexuality that stood taller than her attire. McKinnon presented the second annual Carol Burnett Award for Achievement in Television to Ellen DeGeneres (she first came out in 1997), while joking about the items of clothing she has got from DeGeneres ("two pairs of Stan Smith sneakers" and her "best collared shirts"). "In 1997, when Ellen's sitcom was at the height of its popularity, I was in my mother's basement, lifting weights in front of the mirror and thinking, 'Am I… gay?' And I was," McKinnon said wittingly, "And I still am. But that's a very scary thing to suddenly know about yourself. It's sort of like doing 23andMe, and discovering that you have alien DNA. And the only thing that made it less scary was seeing Ellen on TV."

In a first

Hildur Gudnadottir

Hildur Gudnadottir became the first solo woman to win Best Score for her work on Joker, while The Farewell's Awkwafina was the first woman of Asian descent to win Best Lead Actress in a Comedy or Musical.

Addressing climate change

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix started his acceptance speech by thanking the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for its "bold move" of serving a vegan feast at the ceremony, a decision made out of concern for climate change. He called out Hollywood to walk the talk on voting and climate change. Actors, including Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, made reference to the bushfire crisis, connecting it with climate change.

Winners' list

Motion Picture – Drama 1917
Actress – Drama Renee Zellweger, Judy
Actor – Drama Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Actress – Musical Or Comedy
Awkwafina, The Farewell
Actor – Musical Or Comedy
Taron Egerton, Rocketman
Supporting Actor In A Motion Picture
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Original score
Joker
Miniseries Or Television Film
Chernobyl
Actress – Miniseries Or Television Film
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
Director
Sam Mendes, 1917
Actress Tv Series – Drama
Olivia Colman, The Crown
Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries Or Television Film
Patricia Arquette, The Act
Original Song
I'm gonna love me again – Rocketman
Television Series – ComedyFleabag
Supporting Actress In A Motion Picture
Laura Dern, Marriage Story Screenplay
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood