Scarlett Johansson Says It’s Time To “Step Back” From The Golden Globes (UPDATE: NBC Has Shit-Canned The 2022 Ceremony)
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization behind the Golden Globes, has been getting absolutely shit on recently. Major PR firms are telling their clients to just ignore the HFPA until it makes changes to become more diverse and inclusive, including adding more people of color as members and putting restrictions on gifts and money to members (see: the Emily In Paris mess). Deadline says that Netflix, home to Emily in Paris, has cut ties with the organization altogether and actors like Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo are dragging the HFPA too. Well, ScarJo is a woman of color so she’s looking out for her own!
The HFPA tried really hard to recover from all their bad press, even going so far as having three of their people come out during the 2021 Golden Globes and take one for the team by publicly eating craw and promising to do better. They also announced that they will hire a Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer and add more people of color to their membership. They currently have ZERO Black members. But those moves are a little too late for some. Co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos, sent a letter to the HFPA Leadership Committee, saying that they need to do more and until then, Netflix is out:
“Like many in our industry, we’ve been waiting for today’s announcement in the hope that you would acknowledge the breadth of issues facing the HFPA and provide a clear roadmap for change… However, we don’t believe these proposed new policies — particularly around the size and speed of membership growth — will tackle the HFPA’s systemic diversity and inclusion challenges, or the lack of clear standards for how your members should operate…. So we’re stopping any activities with your organization until more meaningful changes are made… We know that you have many well-intentioned members who want real change — and that all of us have more work to do to create an equitable and inclusive industry. But Netflix and many of the talent and creators we work with cannot ignore the HFPA’s collective failure to address these crucial issues with urgency and rigor.”
Mark Ruffalo decided to shift into that sexy version of the Hulk and then elbow slammed the HFPA while they were down, and told Deadline it was “discouraging” to see them “resist the change that is being asked of them.” He also said he can’t even be happy about his Golden Globe win (he won Best Actor in a Mini-Series for I Know This Much Is True):
“Now is the time to step up and right the wrongs of the past. Honestly, as a recent winner of a Golden Globe, I cannot feel proud or happy about being a recipient of this award.”
And then Woody Allen defender, ScarJo, released a statement where she brought up Harvey Weinstein and slammed the sexiest questions she’s been asked my member of the HFPA. ScarJo called on the industry to temporarily wash its hands of the Golden Globes:
“As an actor promoting a film, one is expected to participate in awards season by attending press conferences as well as awards shows. In the past, this has often meant facing sexist questions and remarks by certain HFPA members that bordered on sexual harassment. It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences.
The HFPA is an organization that was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein to amass momentum for Academy recognition, and the industry followed suit. Unless there is necessary fundamental reform within the organization, I believe it is time that we take a step back from the HFPA and focus on the importance and strength of unity within our unions and the industry as a whole.”
If only ScarJo channeled some of that energy into the Woody Allen situation too. But if this boycott gets any bigger, then next year’s Golden Globes will be filled with nothing but tumbleweeds and mothballs, which will still be more entertaining than this past Oscar ceremony.
UPDATE: Give it up for the POWER OF SCARJO (not really), because NBC has announced that they will not air the Golden Globes next year.
“We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform. However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right. As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globes. Assuming the organization executes on its plan, we are hopeful we will be in a position to air the show in January 2023.”
Pic: Wenn.com