Golden Globes: ‘Elvis’ star Austin Butler wins, calls Brad Pitt ‘hero’; Jennifer Coolidge presents an Oscar

Austin Butler praised Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington and Elvis Presley as he picked up his first Golden Globe award for best actor in a drama at the 80th annual awards show Tuesday night.

Standing in awe on stage after winning for his starring role in Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic “Elvis,” he said, “I’m in this room full of my heroes. Brad, I love you.”

Pitt, who skipped out on the red carpet, was nominated for best supporting actor in “Babylon.”

He lost out on the award to “Everything Everywhere All at Once” actor Ke Huy Quan,” who was the first actor of Asian descent in 40 years to win in the category.

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Austin Butler, left, thanked his heroes while accepting his first Golden Globe award.
(Getty Images)

Comedian Jerrod Carmichael talked Hollywood Foreign Press Association controversies during his opening monologue.

“I’m here because I’m Black,” Carmichael said. “I won’t say they were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single Black member until George Floyd died, so do with that information what you will.”

“Like, one minute, you’re making mint tea at home; the next, you’re invited to be the Black face of an embattled White organization. Life really comes at you fast,” he joked.

He laughed, “I’m unfireable.”

Angela Bassett won a Golden Globe for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” marking the first major award for a Marvel film actor.

Jennifer Coolidge remembered getting a call about being asked to present at the Golden Globes and initially saying yes, but then having a “complete anxiety attack” and rescinding her offer.

She then thought about having to walk from “behind the curtain without breaking my skull.”

One of the Globes producers said, “Jennifer, then why don’t you just wear a pair of Crocs?”

She remembered, “Are you kidding me? With my Dolce & Gabbana dress? All of those Italians would lose their minds,” Coolidge said.

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The “White Lotus” star joked, “And the Oscar goes to,” before announcing the winner.

Tyler James Williams from “Abbott Elementary” won the Golden Globe for supporting actor – TV series. He thanked the cast and crew of the show, created by Quinta Brunson. Eddie Murphy was pictured giving a standing ovation to the first-time Golden Globe winner.

“I truly, truly appreciate this, and I pray that this is a win for Gregory Eddie (his character on “Abbott”) and for his story and for stories like his … that we may understand that his story is just as important as his story that have to be told out here. 

Jeremy Allen White won best actor in a television series for his role in “Bear” and declared, “I love acting,” as he thanked the cast and crew for his award.

“Rihanna, I love you and I dressed up as you for Halloween. I had to take my moment,” Niecy Nash told the “Umbrella” singer from the stage before announcing Brunson as the winner for best actress in a television series.

The “Abbott Elementary” star thanked her husband, her “wonderful, wonderful, wonderful cast,” and laughed as her group chats full of family and friends kept her phone buzzing.

The star-studded event returned for the first time since 2021 after a controversy involving the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).

At the time, the HFPA came under fire after a Los Angeles Times investigation revealed ethical lapses and a stunning lack of diversity — there was not a single Black journalist in the 87-person group. Studios and PR firms threatened to boycott. Tom Cruise even returned his three Golden Globes, while other A-listers condemned the group on social media.