Golden Globes 2020: Inside the After Parties

Variety Staff

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The Golden Globes are known for being one of awards season’s best parties and after the broadcast wrapped, stars and executives were ready to loosen their bow ties, kick off their heels and celebrate.

Variety reporters and editors were inside all the best bashes to deliver what went down after everyone left the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles:

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Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Official Viewing & After Party
Wilshire Garden

For all of the A-list guests buzzing about the Beverly Hilton on Sunday night, there was no spot more star-studded than at the engraving station inside the bash.

There were still a few categories to go when “Fosse/Verdon” winner Michelle Williams arrived, smiling as she watched her statue go through the five-step process of having her name engraved. After she received her now-personalized trophy, Williams’ smile only got wider as a staffer handed her the coveted HFPA slippers that attendees received at the party.

“I wish I had my phone,” Awkwafina said as she watched her name being etched onto the Golden Globe statue. The actor’s name had already been written in the history books after “The Farewell” star made history as the first Asian performer to win a lead actress Globe award for film, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want some personal shots of the cool process for herself. A member of her team quickly offered up their device to commemorate the moment. “Great crowd, I didn’t notice you guys back there,” Awkwafina quipped as she looked at the large crowd that had begun to gather to cheer her on.

After the broadcast ended, a steady stream of winners appeared to cap off their big evening by getting their names etched into their awards. Ramy Youssef was so excited to receive his award, he accidentally skipped back to the end of the line. “Chernobyl” star Stellan Skarsgård sipped from a mini Moët bottle while he waited to get his trophy engraved. Patricia Arquette and Joaquin Phoenix shared a hug and a lively conversation before they made their way down the line.

By the time “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” director Quentin Tarantino arrived, the station faced a massive — albeit starry — traffic jam. In fact, Tarantino had a near collision with “The Crown” winner Olivia Colman, as she made a beeline to celebrate with Laura Dern. Colman was all-smiles as she signed for her trophy, sipping a glass of white wine while she waited and clinking trophies with “Missing Link” writer-director Chris Butler. Colman also gave a hug and a kiss to Noah Baumbach, who watched Dern collect her engraved trophy.

Renee Zellweger was giddy as she accepted her award, smiling and holding up her trophy excitedly as her engraving was completed. The “Judy” star chatted with “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho before “1917” filmmaker Sam Mendes and actors George Mackay and Dean-Charles Chapman arrived a few minutes later, celebrating their big night as a team.

It was a family affair for some of the winners, including Dern, who brought her son Ellery and daughter Harper along to watch the process.

In a particularly touching display, Phoenix shared the moment with his mother Arlyn Phoenix, walking down the assembly line together until he had to be pulled away for interviews, leaving the trophy in the ever-safe hands of his mom. “Rocketman” Taron Egerton brought his family to the engraving station as well, and his two younger sisters Mari and Rosie totally stole the show, literally bouncing along as they watched their big brother get his name engraved. The actor beamed as he collected his first Golden Globe, relishing the moment and posing with his whole family after the trophy was officially personalized. —Angelique Jackson

Netflix
9900 Wilshire at Merv Griffin Way

If you’d walked into Netflix’s lively and star-packed Golden Globes after party having not watched or read about the preceding ceremony, you’d be forgiven for not realizing that the streamer was arguably the night’s biggest loser.

Housed in a giant, lavishly appointed tent on the barren plot next to the Beverly Hilton where the old Robinsons-May building used to stand, Netflix’s shindig boasted seemingly every star who debuted a Netflix project over the last year or so who’d attended the Globes. The stars spotted include Jennifer Aniston (“Murder Mystery”), Gwyneth Paltrow (“The Politician”), Sandra Bullock (“Bird Box”), Paul Rudd (“Living With Yourself”), Kerry Washington (“American Son”), Jason Bateman (“Ozark”), Karamo Brown (“Queer Eye”), Jason Ritter (“Raising Dion”), Keegan-Michael Key, Craig Robinson and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“Dolemite Is My Name”), Toni Collette (“Unbelievable”), Patricia Arquette (“Otherhood”), Jonathan Pryce (“The Two Popes”), Scarlett Johansson and Best Supporting Actress winner Laura Dern (“Marriage Story”), best Actress in a TV drama winner Olivia Colman (“The Crown”), and Carol Burnett Award recipient Ellen DeGeneres (standup special “Relatable”) with her wife Portia de Rossi (“Arrested Development”).

Some took advantage of the ice cream sundae bar, dim sum food station, giant charcuterie table, and passed hors d’oeuvres; the bar serving Moet & Chandon champagne and tequila-based specialty cocktails (like “100% Match” and “Binge Worthy”); the makeup touch-up stations; the playful video booths; and the innovative shoe valet, where you could trade your high heels for Netflix branded slippers.

Many made a point to swing by the far corner of the party where Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos was holding court with the ebullience and good humor of a man making the absolute best of a terribly disappointing awards season showing. At one point, Sarandos even talked with host Ricky Gervais (star of the Netflix series “After Life”) about his joke that he should have opened the show by saying, “Well done, Netflix, you win! Everything!”

“The joke worked!” Sarandos was overheard telling Gervais with a guffaw. (One presumes Sarandos was praising Gervais’ humor, and not his abilities as a fortune teller.)

Elsewhere, a more placid Scott Stuber, head of Netflix’s film division, waded through the VIP area, chatting up two major stars who weren’t in Netflix movies last year: “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” headliners Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio. Pitt and “Hollywood” co-star Margaret Qualley worked the party together, posing for photos with other partygoers before disappearing for the night. DiCaprio, by contrast, set up camp on one of the VIP couches for at least an hour. At one point, he even posed for a photo with Stuber and most of the team from “The Irishman,” including director Martin Scorsese and stars Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel.

Unfortunately, their co-star Al Pacino missed the photo op, as he was seated across the dance floor, but he still seemed to be having some fun. As he was getting up to leave, Pacino walked past “When They See Us” filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who waved at the iconic actor. Pacino paused, gave a wry smile, and spontaneously began dancing to Beyoncé’s “Baby Boy” while DuVernay and her friends just about squealed with delight.

After Kaitlyn Dever introduced her “Booksmart” co-star Beanie Feldstein to her “Unbelievable” co-star Merritt Wever, Dever, Feldstein, and “The Politician” stars Ben Platt and Zoey Deutch all started dancing together. “Little Women” director Greta Gerwig and star Saoirse Ronan talked on a couch for most of the party; later, Gerwig’s partner, “Marriage Story” writer-director Noah Baumbach, joined them. And Aziz Ansari arrived about an hour into the party with his “Master of None” partner-in-crime Lena Waithe and co-creator Alan Yang — a conspicuous public appearance for Ansari, who has largely laid low after the sexual misconduct allegations were made against him in January 2018.

While the party began to wane after 11 p.m., anyone who stayed past midnight witnessed Tiffany Haddish taking the DJ microphone and treating the crowd to a performance of her song with Todrick Hall, “Dripeesha.”

As you do. —Adam B. Vary

WarnerMedia and HBO
Circa 55

Who says corporate greed is a bad thing?

HBO’s annual poolside bash was hopping thanks to the “Succession” cast members who were mobbed by partygoers who simply had to tell each member of the Roy clan how much they love the show’s inside-showbiz dish and dirt.

Jeremy Strong sported a long-ish salt and pepper beard that is totally something his Kendall Roy character would grow during one of his periods of exile from the clan. Kieran Culkin had a receiving line that wrapped around the VIP tables. So did Sarah Snook, whose full skirt helped a bit in keeping the Shiv groupies at bay, but creator Jesse Armstrong was inundated with well wishes. Despite many attempts, he was not about to give up any clues about Season 3.

The Globe triumph for “Succession” and “Chernobyl” was a particularly nice way for WarnerMedia Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt to usher in his new era as the big boss of HBO. Greenblatt couldn’t help but recall the night in 2001 when “Six Feet Under,” the beloved HBO drama that he exec produced with former producing partner David Janollari, won the Globe at a key juncture for the show.

“It’s really thrilling to be back nearly two decades later and have this company be as strong as it’s ever been,” Greenblatt told Variety, adding that the upcoming programming slate assembled by HBO programming chief Casey Bloys has “blown me away.”

WarnerMedia, of course, is gearing up for the launch in May of HBO Max, the much-anticipated entry into the streaming wars. Much has been said and speculated about how the complementary service will impact HBO and its gilded brand. Greenblatt sees a “rising tide that lifts all boats” in the competitive waters ahead.

“HBO will always have its own identity that will be addressed in HBO Max,” he said. “There will be an HBO hub within HBO Max. It’ll be part of this bigger entity that will only enhance it. The good news is that hopefully millions of additional potential viewers will come into this service and will have access to HBO, people who would have never subscribed on their own before.” —Cynthia Littleton

The Walt Disney Co.
Disney Terrace on the roof deck at the Beverly Hilton

For years, 21st Century Fox held a post-Golden Globes bash atop the Beverly Hilton parking garage, featuring talent, producers and execs from Fox, FX, 20th Century Fox TV and its various corporate siblings.

But now following the acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox’s production units, Disney — which had previously eschewed a post-Globes celebration — has inherited the space and the shindig. This year’s event touted the sheer size of the new synergistic Disney beast, starting with an invite that included logos for Disney, Pixar, Disney Plus, Disney Television Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 20th Century Fox, ABC, Freeform, FX, Hulu and National Geographic.

Attendees included mega producer Ryan Murphy, who’s now based at Netflix, but whose Globes-nominated “The Politician” is produced by Fox 21 TV Studios. Murphy spent quite a bit of time holding court with Disney TV Studios/ABC Entertainment chairman Dana Walden, as they said hello to “The Politician” stars Ben Platt and Zoey Deutch, as well as “Pose” actor Billy Porter (whose series is also executive produced by Murphy).

Surprise winner Ramy Youssef, who won the best comedy actor Globe for his Hulu series “Ramy,” was all smiles as he entered the party, clutching his new award. “I’m going to give it to my mom, so she can put it on her shelf in Jersey,” he told Variety. “This has been so amazing!”

Guests nibbling cheeseburger sliders, mini grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup or diving into the party’s massive sushi bar also included Hulu CEO Randy Freer, Walt Disney Studios co-chairman Alan Horn, Disney TV Studios president Craig Hunegs, Freeform president Tom Ascheim, and FX Networks’ Chuck Saftler.

Spotted dancing his way into the party: “Jojo Rabbit” director and star Taika Waititi, who busted some moves as DJ Daisy Dell played old school tracks like De La Soul’s “Me, Myself and I.”

Meanwhile, ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke revealed she had another reason to celebrate at the Globes party: The exec got married on Christmas Eve, in a surprise ceremony, to writer-director Michael Duggan. (Burke shared photos of the nuptials, which took place in her living room, with WarnerMedia’s Kevin Reilly officiating.)

As for the Globes telecast, although it received mixed reactions, Rooster Teeth general manager Jordan Levin praised host Ricky Gervais’ monologue, especially when he poked at Hollywood hypocrisy. “I thought it was fantastic,” he said. “He was truthful, and the truth hurts. He did what everybody says every entertainer should do: entertain and enlighten.” —Michael Schneider

NBCUniversal
Jean-Georges Restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills

NBCUniversal kicked off its Golden Globes after party in fine style, just steps away from the Beverly Hilton.

Among the winners in attendance was “1917” director and co-writer Sam Mendes, who took home two statutes for best director and best drama film. “1917” star and “Game of Thrones” alum Dean-Charles Chapman was spotted sitting with Mendes later on in the night. “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo partied with the film’s director Kasi Lemmons, co-stars Vondie Curtis Hall and Vanessa Bell Calloway and producers Debra Martin Chase and Daniela Taplin Lundberg, while Rita Wilson also attended the bash. Lifestyle maven Martha Stewart was seen enjoying of the desserts at the party with a small group of friends.

Food was plentiful at the party, with multiple hot pasta bars set up, including one next to the photo area to tempt those waiting to get their pictures taken with an impromptu dinner. The party also featured sushi and seafood bars, with the seafood area well-stocked with tasty treats like shrimp and oysters. There was also a carving station serving up beef tenderloin, while the attentive waitstaff made the rounds with finger foods like flatbread pizza and beef sliders. All of this no doubt proved very tempting for any of the awards show attendees, who were treated to an all-vegan menu during the course of the telecast.

The desserts were also plentiful at the party. One particularly popular option was a mobile make-your-own-sundae bar. A server carrying the tray would offer you a small dish of ice cream, with the tray then stocked with small bowls of sweet toppings like sprinkles and crushed nuts. —Joe Otterson

Amazon Studios
The Stardust Ballroom

Acavalcade of celebrities came and went at the Amazon Studios party. First there was Patrick Stewart, looking dapper in a petite waist coat, followed by Tiffany Haddish, plowing her way through the crowds to be taken up in one of the elevators to the Beverly Hilton’s rooftop lounge

Before leaving the party, Awkwafina stopped for an obligatory selfie with a fan on the way, while Jon Hamm greeted one man like an old friend just next door.

Lulu Wang and Barry Jenkins made their exits shortly thereafter, but not before Wang was tapped on the shoulder by none other than Shailene Woodley, who told her she loved “The Farewell.”

Andrew Scott, meandering towards the next party to celebrate a double win for “Fleabag” and “1917,” swiftly followed by the Haim sisters.

A walk through two corridors populated with party guests led to a raucous dance floor where Snoop Dogg was busy DJ’ing and revelers were getting down to his classic Dr. Dre collaboration “The Next Episode.”

Snoop stopped to say hello to several stars of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” including Rachel Brosnahan in a shimmering pink dress and Tony Shalhoub, before handing over the hype man role to Haddish.

As Haddish got her groove on, the crowds pressed forward, forming a semi-mosh pit which was mostly avoided by the likes of “Chernobyl” star Jared Harris and “Carnival Row” star Orlando Bloom who nursed a whiskey near the windows with a panoramic view of Los Angeles.

After belting out a few crowd pleasers like “Sweet Caroline” and “My Neck, My Back (Lick It)” by Khia, Snoop and Tiffany called it a night roughly around midnight. —Will Thorne

Warner Bros. / InStyle Magazine
The Oasis Courtyard

Always a safe bet for serious glamour and post-show abandon, the annual celebration from Warner Bros. Pictures and InStyle magazine popped off early and to great effect — serving up dazzling looks from Globes spectators like Laura Dern, Yara Shahidi and a newly brunette Bella Thorne.

Pulsing music and a streamlined decor made for 360-degree people watching, whether you caught Snoop Dogg, making his rounds at multiple after-parties, in his anime-inspired windbreaker and joggers or Dern in her earth mother gown and golden statuette in hand.

Fried chicken bites and tuna tartare was passed but sparkling wine was the main attraction as Whitney Houston classics and minimal seating forced guests like Hailey Bieber, winner Awkwafina, Rachel Brosnahan, Cynthia Erivo, Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa and more to dance nonstop.

Conversations about Ricky Gervais and WB’s big winner “Joker” prevailed, but both were upstaged by one of the latest arrivals and easily the buzziest guest — Golden Globe winner Patricia Arquette, rocking a plastic Viking helmet and tucked into an outdoor corner, soaking up her win with friends and family. —Matt Donnelly

Launch Gallery: Inside the 2020 Golden Globes After Parties

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