Music News

If he can dream it, he can win it. Austin Butler took home the 2023 Golden Globe in the best actor in a drama category on Tuesday (Jan. 10) for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.

“Oh man, all my words are leaving me! I’m just so grateful right now,” the 31-year-old actor exclaimed as he accepted the trophy. “I owe this to a bold, visionary filmmaker who allowed me to experience, to take risks, and I always knew I would be supported — Baz Luhrmann, I love you.”

The actor also thanked Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley, who were in the audience. “Thank you, guys, thank you for opening your hearts, your memories, your home to me. Lisa Marie, Priscilla, I love you forever,” he told the pair as piano music played louder and louder to urge him to wrap up his speech.

And that’s when Butler offered up a suggestion for the person behind the ceremony’s play-off music. “You could at least play ‘Suspicious Minds’ or something!” he joked, referencing The King’s 1969 Billboard Hot 100 hit.

The actor wrapped up his speech by giving the late artist a shout-out. “You were an icon and a rebel, and I love you so much,” he said of the three-time Grammy winner.

Austin beat out Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Hugh Jackman (The Son), Billy Nighy (Living) and Jeremy Pope (The Inspection) for the best drama actor trophy.

The 80th annual Golden Globes were hosted by comedian Jerrod Carmichael, and held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. The ceremony aired on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

The 2023 Golden Globes served up an early surprise when the award for best original song in a motion picture went to “Naatu Naatu” from RRR by Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani and Rahul Sipligunj.

The tune was up against heavyweights Taylor Swift’s “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing, Lady Gaga and BloodPop’s “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, and Rihanna’s comeback song “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Also nominated was Roeben Katz and Guillermo del Toro’s “Ciao Papa” from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

Keeravani accepted the award from presenter Jenna Ortega, the star of Netflix’s hit Wednesday. “I’m very much overwhelmed with this great moment,” he began his speech. “This award actually belongs to someone else. I was planning not to say those words when I get an award like this, but I’m afraid I’m going to repeat the tradition because I mean my words.” He went on to thank the film’s director, as well as the song’s lyricist, animator and programmer.

Besides Gaga, Swift and Rihanna, singer Selena Gomez also earned a Golden Globe nomination, though not for her musical abilities. The star nabbed a nod in the best actress in a TV series, musical or comedy category for her portrayal of Mabel in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, in which she stars alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short, who were both nominated for best actor in a TV series, musical or comedy, also for Only Murders.

Zendaya was also nominated for best actress in a TV series, drama for her portrayal of Rue on HBO’s Euphoria, while Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) earned a best actor in a TV series, musical or comedy nod for playing Earnest Marks on Atlanta, and “In the Evening” singer Sheryl Lee Ralph was recognized in the best supporting actress, TV category for her portrayal of Abbott Elementary‘s Barbara Howard.

Comedian Jerrod Carmichael hosted the 80th annual event, which was held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., and aired on NBC.

The powerful combination of composer Justin Hurwitz and film director Damien Chazelle was once again triumphant at Tuesday’s (Jan. 10) 2023 Golden Globes, where Hurwitz took home best original score for Chazelle’s Babylon.

This is hardly the duo’s first success story: Hurwitz is now four-for-four at the Globes working on Chazelle films exclusively, previously winning best original score and best original song (“City of Stars”) for La La Land in 2017 and best original score for First Man in 2019.

Hurwitz took his opportunity onstage at the Beverly Hilton to encourage the industry insiders in the room to “spread opportunity around,” so more creatives (young and old) have the opportunity to foster their talents.

“I’m very grateful that I had the opportunity how to figure out at a young age that music was the thing for me,” he said. “I’m grateful to my parents. I’m grateful to the public schools I went to that had music classes. I think a lot about all the people out there who are really talented at something but never get the chance to figure out what that thing is. So I just think it’s really important to spread opportunity around, to make sure that everybody — kids and adults and everybody — has the opportunity to be exposed to things, to try things out, to figure out what’s for them. … Things would be better if people could figure out the thing that they were good at, the thing they loved doing more than anything else, and we just need opportunity.”

The composer wrapped his speech by thanking “team Babylon” and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which awards the Golden Globes.

Hurwitz was up against Alexandre Desplat (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio), Hildur Guðnadóttir (Women Talking), John Williams (The Fabelmans) and Carter Burwell (The Banshees of Inisherin) in the category. Williams remains tied with Dimitri Tiomkin and Maurice Jarre for the most wins in the history of the category.