Inside the 2024 Golden Globes: What you didn’t see on camera

The Golden Globe Awards likes to think of itself as the party of the year, but instead of a debauched, champagne-fueled romp, it can sometimes feel more like a strange high school reunion for the extremely famous

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- The Golden Globe Award s likes to think of itself as the party of the year, but instead of a debauched, champagne-fueled romp, it can sometimes feel more like a strange high school reunion for the extremely famous.

Some are catching up with old friends and co-stars, some are kissing their dates in plain sight and some fawn over the cool kids they haven’t yet met. Sometimes it happens on camera, as with “Poor Things” director Yorgos Lanthimos swooning over his proximity to a personal idol, Bruce Springsteen, but most of the time those interactions are saved for when the cameras are off – though Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner clearly didn’t get the memo that there were still live cameras even during the commercial breaks.

You’d never know that the Golden Globes were coming back from several scandal-plagued years inside the same ballroom where they’ve been held for years. The chatter was about how fun it felt to be back, whether or not Travis Kelce would show with Taylor Swift (he didn’t) and who was going to get the Oscar boost out of it. Some grumbled about the last minute seating assignments for high-profile attendees who weren’t told who their tablemates would be until late Saturday afternoon.

It’s always a flurry of excitement in the moments before the show begins, as the biggest stars rush in from the red carpet to make the opening monologue. Jennifer Lawrence, noted appreciator of “lukewarm chardonnay,” walked in with minutes to go, martini in hand and purpose in her eyes. Right behind her was Oprah Winfrey, seemingly the only A-lister in the room with a full security detail clearing the way for her and Gayle King.

Many of the most famous faces were seated on the stage level where Harrison Ford took his seat early, at a table with Selena Gomez who was excited about the Nobu sushi being served. Attendees were largely thrilled with the upgraded food choice after years of chicken and fish and root vegetables that were usually long gone by the time everyone took their seats.