8 Best Grownup Moments at the Golden Globe Awards

There was a palpable sense of relief in the crowd at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards telecast Jan. 7. Hollywood’s writing and acting strikes are over; pandemic fear no longer prevented the stars from showing up en masse for a party; and the awards organization itself is making a comeback. After years of scandals that besmirched the name of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes organization dropped the old HFPA name and cleaned up its act.   

Here are some more of the most memorably historic moments of a show that gave some over-50 talents their due:​

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Meryl Streep (left) and Martin Short

Francis Specker/CBS

Meryl Streep, 74, did a command performance

Host Jo Koy, 52, addressed Only Murders in the Building nominee Meryl Streep, 74: “Thirty-four nominations! This woman, there’s nothing she can’t do. ... My mom loves you. Everybody loves you, Meryl.” But he really wanted her to do his favorite line from her movies: “Wakanda forever!” Though Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was one of the rare films she did not star in, she obligingly did it, crossing her fists across her chest. Alas, she lost best supporting TV actress to Elizabeth Debicki, who admittedly was dazzling as Diana in The Crown. There, there – maybe next time, Meryl! 

Robert Downey Jr. (center)

Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images

Robert Downey Jr. gave an honor to the Golden Globes

The winner for best supporting movie actor, Oppenheimer’s Robert Downey Jr., 58, gave the Golden Globe voters — 300 showbiz journalists from around the world — a welcome shout-out. “Golden Globe journalists!” said the star. “Thank you for changing your game, therefore changing your name, salute!” He was more self-deprecating about his own Globe honor. “Dozens of folks have come up to me since the summertime saying that I was, I quote, ‘unrecognizably subtle’ as Lewis Strauss. To my fellow nominees: Let’s not pretend this is a compliment. This is a first time — this is more of a most improved player thing!”