Biggest Snubs & Surprises of Golden Globe Nominations: ‘IWTV,’ ‘Bridgerton’ & More
The Golden Globe‘s 2025 nominations have officially been unveiled, and while the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is no stranger to controversial choices, the latest nominee lineup will surely cause a stir among audiences.
While there are some nice surprises like nominations for True Detective breakout Kali Reis and Slow Horses favorite Jack Lowden, there were plenty of surprising exclusions like Bridgerton, Interview With the Vampire, Rivals, and so much more.
Below, we’re rounding up some of the biggest surprises and snubs for the 2025 Golden Globe Awards. Let us know what your thoughts on the nominations are in the comments section, and scroll through for a peek at our running list.
82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, Sunday, January 5, 2025, CBS
SNUB: Tom Hollander's Capote
While Feud: Capote vs. The Swans may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, it is sort of shocking to see Naomi Watts nominated without costar Tom Hollander who delivered a stunning performance as the titular Truman in Ryan Murphy’s anthology series. Hollander’s portrayal was a standout moment in the show that included one heck of an ensemble. —Meaghan Darwish
SURPRISE: Squid Game Season 2
By the time the Globes air, Squid Game Season 2 will have been available on streaming for a few days, but considering no one else from the public has viewed this chapter of the South Korean title, it’s a little surprising to find it on the list of Best Television Series -Drama nominees. Dropping December 26th on Netflix, this nomination is certainly encouraging as it hints that the next chapter is good enough to be nominated. —Meaghan Darwish
SNUB: Interview With the Vampire
The AMC drama received rave reviews upon its return (and in Season 1) and has been included in nearly every major entertainment news outlet’s lists for best shows of 2024 (it’s TV Insider’s top pick). It’s also one of the few shows on TV that stars people of color playing queer characters. In the past the HFPA promised to become more inclusive and diverse with its nominations and voting pool, but the opposite seems to be true with Interview With the Vampire‘s exclusion. It is, hands down, one of the best TV shows of the last decade with acting performances that should not be overlooked. But the Golden Globes are clearly willing to do that. — Kelli Boyle
SURPRISE: True Detective's Kali Reis
True Detective‘s latest season, Night Country delivered a riveting story following Ennis, Alaska detectives, Navarro (Reis) and Danvers (Jodie Foster) as they worked to unravel an icy mystery. While Foster’s nomination is less shocking based on name recognition, it’s a really nice surprise to see Reis also nominated for her performance which was just as captivating and heartwarming. Her breakthrough among this year’s nominees is certainly a nice one to see. —Meaghan Darwish
SNUB: What We Do in the Shadows
FX‘s mockumentary comedy about vampire roommates continues to deliver the funny in its sixth and final season, making What We Do in the Shadows‘ exclusion all the more confounding. With standout performances from all of its stars, including Harvey Guillén and Kayvan Novak (above), it’s a shame the Globes couldn’t show these Staten Island bloodsuckers some much-deserved love. —Meaghan Darwish
SURPRISE: Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
First of all, I love that Slow Horses is getting love at awards shows (Season 3 won an Emmy for Writing), and I’m especially pleased to see Jack Lowden getting recognized for his work as River Cartwright. To bookend Season 4, he delivered brilliant performances with River’s grandfather when David (Jonathan Pryce) thought he’d killed his son (it was a decoy) and then when he brought him to a care home. Plus, he also grappled with learning his father was mercenary Frank Harkness (Hugo Weaving). —Meredith Jacobs
SNUB: Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan
Sure, Bridgerton may not be Emmy-worthy television, but it’s certainly a strong Golden Globes contender, and Nicola Coughlan‘s Season 3 performance only served to solidify her reputation as a comedy queen. Balanced with plenty of drama, Coughlan’s latest portrayal of Penelope, a.k.a. Lady Whistledown, seemed poised for Golden Globes recognition, making its exclusion rather confusing. —Meaghan Darwish
SNUB: Rivals
Hulu’s racy drama about a battle for a local TV franchise in 1980s England might have arrived later in the year, but its recent buzz and European roots made it seem like a potential candidate for nomination. While the ensemble includes fine performances from all of its stars, including heavy hitters like David Tennant and Aidan Turner, it was Alex Hassell and Nafessa Williams (above with Tennant and Turner), that were certainly overlooked in the performances categories. —Meaghan Darwish
SNUB: Evil
Robert and Michelle King created a thriller that was consistently great (one of the best shows on television every year it was on) and the perfect mix of comedy, drama, and horror (in the same scenes!). And this year, they rose to the task when they had to wrap up the show in just four bonus episodes. The acting was superb, and it’s a shame that at the very least Katja Herbers (grappling with her husband’s infidelity, having to raise the baby made without her permission using her egg, and as always dealing with the threat of Leland) and Michael Emerson (always chilling and now equally humorous dealing with raising a baby) weren’t recognized with nominations for its final season. —Meredith Jacobs
SNUB: Industry
Industry Season 3 is not only the show’s best season yet but also one of the best-reviewed titles of the year (it’s No. 5 on TV Insider’s best shows of 2024). It’s certainly HBO’s most original programming this season, but it received zero Golden Globes nominations. IWTV and Industry‘s snubs show a disconnect between what critics and viewers are saying are the best shows on TV and what awards show voters think are worthy of nominations. — Kelli Boyle
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