None of the films or series eventually received Golden Globe nominations, despite other honors
A HFPA spokesman, who on Monday promised to have at least 13% black members by the end of 2021 following a growing setback over the lack of diversity, declined to comment on this story. But an individual close to the group said that the HFPA held a press conference for ‘Bridgerton’ after the premiere of the program, with a program for ‘Queen & Slim’ canceling the studio and that he did not have a press conference for ‘Girls Trip’ was not held due to travel conflicts.
Press conferences with HFPA members are key elements in raising awareness of films and TV shows among the club group of foreign journalists voting for the annual Golden Globe Award. The HFPA does not grant the privilege to every project. In the case of black-led projects, insiders told TheWrap that there is often not enough interest in planning a press conference.
A person who worked on the shows told TheWrap that many press conferences are only canceled or postponed due to lack of responses. “There is a cost involved in getting everyone together, getting the space, doing the glamor and then we do not want to enter the room that only has four or five people,” the informant said. “It happens all the time.”
Also read: HFPA promises to admit at least 13 black members to a new Golden Globe commitment this year
“Bridgerton” (thanks to Netflix)
However, a second HFPA insider said the group will often refuse to cover a film or show if event organizers think the talent is not famous enough to justify a sale to overseas publications for which members write stories not.
This may partly explain the lack of interest in projects rooted in racial issues such as Ava DuVernay’s Netflix-restricted series ‘When They See Us’ of 2019. The show was completely excluded by the Globes last year, despite excellent reviews and 16 Emmy reviews. nominations (and two victories, including for lead actor Jharrel Jerome). Update: DuVernay responded to this story with a tweet about her experience at the press conference.
During the US / HFPA press conference, less than 20 of them turned up. Based on the quality of their questions, I jokingly asked, “Have any of you seen the series?” Crickets. More came into the room when the photo had to be taken, and then two threw their scripts. https://t.co/pBWbUz2FZ3 pic.twitter.com/5XbiSeOBDz
– Ava DuVernay (@ava) 16 March 2021
HBO’s UK series ‘I May Destroy You’, which was widely acclaimed in 2020, was also excluded during this year’s Globe nominations.
In the case of ‘Bridgerton’, the surprising hit Netflix series produced by Shonda Rhimes, a person close to the project said that the HFPA initially rejected the streamer’s request for a press conference last December showed up and a few weeks later – just a few days – suddenly asked. before the deadline for Golden Globes ballots.
“They refused to attend the preview of the program,” the insider said, referring to a press conference held before the program debuted. “They came back after the launch, like a lot of people who did not know what it was … After the new year, it was, ‘We have to do this,’ three or four days before the ballots close.” The individual close to the HFPA said that the group held a press conference with the stars Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor on January 8, just before the ballots for nominations would take place.
Eventually, “Bridgerton” was completely knocked out for Globes nominations. The program received two nominations for the awards for next year’s Screen Actors Guild, for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series and Page as Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Also read: Tiffany Haddish bursts into tears over Grammy Win on set ‘Kids Say’ (video)
‘Girls Trip’ (thanks to Universal)
According to individuals aware of the situation, the HFPA also has requests from Universal for opportunities for “Girls Trip”, a 2017 comedy starring Tiffany Haddish, and “Queen and Slim”, a 2019 drama, directed by Lena Waithe written and directed by Melina Matsoukas.
The HFPA did not hold a press conference for ‘Girls Trip’, a comedy by director Malcolm Lee, which received praise from Haddish as one of a group of friends traveling to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival and their relationships flare up again. The film was a huge hit that grossed $ 140 million in the box office – and Haddish won the award for best supporting actress in the New York Film Critics Circle. But the comedy did not receive a single Globes nomination.
Jada Pinkett Smith, who starred with Haddish in ‘Girls Trip’, expressed her displeasure at the way she said the film was treated by HFPA. “I’m not upset about @TiffanyHaddish or @GirlsTripMovie not getting a nomination … I’m discouraged that the Hollywood Foreign Press / goldenglobes would not even WATCH the film,” Pinkett Smith said. tweeted.
“People were irritated at the time,” a person close to the film told TheWrap. ‘Tiffany Haddish did not hold a press conference. She was not nominated (her team) was disappointed at the time and this delayed the Oscar conversation. A rep for Universal declined to comment.
The individual close to the HFPA said no press conference was held for the film because members could not travel to New Orleans.
Also read: 100 PR companies in Hollywood draw celebrity clients from HFPA events pending ‘explicit plans’ for change
“Queen & Slim” (Campbell Addy / Universal Pictures)
The film “Queen & Slim” from 2019 generated ‘a lot of back and forth’ while planning shows and a press conference, said an individual with knowledge of the project, adding that there are many non-shows and failures to the RSVP of HFPA. members.
The film, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith as a couple on a first date, whose evening takes an unexpected turn when a policeman pulls them for a minor traffic offense, has received many awards from other groups. The drama won Best Picture at the BET Awards and received nominations for Kaluuya at the American Film Awards and for Matsoukas at the DGA Awards.
Director Matsoukas told Variety in 2019 that members skipped several screenings of “Queen & Slim” set for them, and therefore were not surprised when the film was excluded for nominations for Globe.
A person with knowledge of the project confirmed that Universal set up shows for ‘Queen & Slim’ and that few HFPA members attended it. “They were given performances and did not attend a press conference,” the individual said.
However, the first HFPA insider said a press conference “was on the calendar for some time” with Kaluuya, Turner-Smith, Matsoukas and Waithe until the studio decided to cancel. A regular visit was also canceled by the studio due to a change in the shooting program. Universal declined to comment.
Insiders said they see unequal treatment of black-led projects as more evidence of prejudice, another challenge the HFPA must address in its high-profile struggle to save its reputation amid growing frustration over the lack of diversity of the group. The issue has become a conspiracy for radical change, caused by the fact that the 87-member organization, made up of foreign journalists, has no black members and has been accused of self-negotiating $ 2 million in annual payments to members for basic committee work.
Also read: HFPA promises to admit at least 13 black members to a new Golden Globe commitment this year
Criticism of the HFPA and the lack of diversity is not new. As early as 2013, TheWrap reported that a black applicant from the UK had been rejected by an overwhelming vote. According to observers, the recent Black Lives Matter movement made the focus on the lack of black members in 2021 impossible to ignore.
A few days before last month’s ceremony, the Time’s Up organization launched a #TimesUpGlobes protest campaign over the group’s lack of diversity. Hollywood influencers such as Ava DuVernay, Judd Apatow and Shonda Rhimes have jointly made statements in which they call on the organization to make a commitment to diversification.
Since then, HFPA members have called for the Board of Directors to resign, as TheWrap exclusively reported, and the organization has hired a diversity consultant and an external law firm to make ‘transformation changes’. Still, more than 100 PR companies in Hollywood on Monday demanded that the HFPA institute a “profound and lasting” change, otherwise their clients would no longer “participate in HFPA events or interviews”.
The looming eclipse could be devastating for the HFPA, whose members earn their living by writing articles from press conferences and movie newspapers featuring Hollywood stars. For example, the Marvel show “Black Widow” will be released on May 7, starring Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz and others. Under this action, the stars would not be available.
Diane Haithman contributed to this report.