Celebrity
Brendan Fraser Say’s He Will Boycott the 2023 Golden Globes
Hollywood actor Brendan Fraser, whose performance in “The Whale” has made him a likely Golden Globes award contender this year, has stated that if nominated, he will boycott the Golden Globes in January.
Fraser claimed in 2018 that she was groped by longtime Hollywood Foreign Press Association member Philip Berk, a former president of the organization that oversees the Golden Globes.
Fraser stated that the incident occurred in 2003 at a luncheon in Beverly Hills, California. Berk, a South African member, was kicked out of the HFPA last year after calling Black Lives Matter a “racist hate movement.”
Last year’s Golden Globes were almost cancelled after the organization was embroiled in a scandal over ethical lapses and the revelation that the group had no Black voting members at the time.
Many celebrities, publicists, and studios have decided to boycott the Golden Globes.
The HFPA announced earlier this year that the 80th Golden Globes would be broadcast on NBC on January 10th, following reforms.
But Fraser will not be present.
“I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I do respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” Fraser said in an interview with GQ Magazine, published on Wednesday. When asked if he plans to attend the ceremony if nominated, Fraser said, “No, I will not participate.”
“It’s because of my history with them,” Fraser added. “And my mother did not bring up a hypocrite.” You can call me a variety of names, but not that.”
In Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” which hits theatres on December 9, Fraser plays a reclusive English teacher struggling with obesity who tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter. He has been nominated for outstanding lead performance at the upcoming Gotham Awards and is regarded as a likely Academy Award nominee for best actor.
The HFPA concluded after an internal investigation that Berk “inappropriately touched” Fraser, who had recently starred in the acclaimed drama “The Quiet American” in 2003. The HFPA, on the other hand, stated that it “was intended to be taken as a joke and not as a sexual advance.” Berk stayed with the group until his expulsion in 2021.
“I knew they’d band together,” Fraser told GQ. “I knew they were going to kick the can down the road. I had a feeling they’d get ahead of the story. I knew I couldn’t have a future in that system as it was. I believe it was because the situation was too prickly, sharp-edged, or icky for people to want to go first and invest emotionally in it.”
History of the Golden Globes
The Golden Globe Awards, held in January, are one of the most important Hollywood awards in the entertainment industry. It will be held on January 9 this year.
Since 1944, actors, directors, cast members, and crew have competed for this golden statuette and the prestige that comes with it, though these awards have recently been called into question. Recognition from their peers is still prized, and the Golden Globes provide it.
The Golden Globes were created by a group of foreign journalists based in Los Angeles to aid in distributing films to non-US markets. In 1943, they founded the Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association. By then, the Academy Awards had become well-established, and the organization realized what a good idea it would be to hold a similar award ceremony to recognize contributions to American and foreign cinema.
The first Golden Globes were given out in January 1944 at the 20th Century-Fox studios, and only scrolls were given out instead of awards. Marina Cisternas, the organization’s president, came up with the current statuette, a golden globe surrounded by a film strip, the following year.
Six years later, the organization split into two, only to re-form five years later as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Award ceremonies were held in various locations across the United States, with new award categories added.
By 1963, the Golden Globes included special award presenters in addition to the host or presenter. These individuals were frequently the daughters (and sometimes the sons) of celebrities and were introduced as ‘Miss Golden Globe’ (later renamed ‘Golden Globe Ambassador’). The awards have been broadcast globally over the years, reaching 167 countries and airing live across all time zones in the United States.
While questions of credibility have dogged these awards — voter fraud, allegations of award-for-attendance, and more — the current generation’s adoration for all things entertainment has elevated Golden Globe status to new heights. According to ratings, this ceremony has consistently been one of television’s most-watched events.
Following new legal challenges, the HFPA opted out of live streaming for the 2022 awards ceremony, instead releasing the list of Golden Globe winners via social media.
