Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are co-hosting the Golden Globes for the third and final time this Sunday, Jan 11, but that’s not the only reason to watch the annual awards show. This year’s nominations are packed with LGBT content that portrays real stories from our history and offers noteworthy performances.
The Imitation Game, a biopic about Alan Turing, is up for five awards, including best picture. Turing, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, was a mathematician, computer pioneer and war hero who faced persecution for being gay. Cumberbatch is nominated for best performance by an actor in a motion picture, and Keira Knightley is a contender for best performance by a supporting actress in a motion picture. Watch our coverage of The Imitation Game at TIFF, where the film won the People’s Choice Award.
Not far behind in the nomination count is Foxcatcher, which is also nominated for best picture. This haunting depiction of John du Pont’s relationship with Olympic wrestling brothers Mark and Dave Schultz doesn’t have explicit LGBT content, but there is debate as to whether or not Steve Carell and Channing Tatum’s characters have sexual tension throughout the film. Carell’s portrayal of du Pont, in which he is unrecognizable, earned him a nomination for best actor in a motion picture. And Mark Ruffalo, who plays Tatum’s protective older brother, is up for best supporting actor in a motion picture. The cast talked about the film during a press conference and red-carpet interview at TIFF.
Pride, a film based on a true story about a group of London gay men and lesbians who supported striking coal miners in 1984, is nominated for best motion picture in the comedy or musical category. This film received major attention at film festivals, including TIFF. Daily Xtra interviewed the director and cast, which led to an entire week of Pride videos.
We can’t forget The Normal Heart, which was one of the most anticipated gay films of the year. The story about the emerging HIV/AIDS crisis in 1980s New York is up for best mini-series or motion picture made for television. It stars the beautiful and talented Matt Bomer, Jonathan Groff and Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo is nominated for best actor, while Bomer is up for best supporting actor. Check out our interviews with some of the cast at TIFF here.
Orange Is the New Black, a Netflix original series featuring several lesbian characters and a prominent transgender character (played by Laverne Cox), is also nominated for best comedy or musical television series. Taylor Schilling earned a nomination for best actress in a comedy or musical television series, and Uzo Aduba is nominated for best supporting actress in a musical or comedy television series. Watch our interviews with Schilling and Cox.
Please let us know what you think about the nominations and winners by commenting or tweeting @DailyXtra.