Golden Globe Reactions: Ariana Grande Cries, Demi Moore Snuggles With Her Puppy Pilaf and Cynthia Erivo Realizes She Forgot to Call Her Mom

Grande was nominated for best performance by a female actor in a supporting role in any motion picture, for her role as Glinda in “Wicked.”

Congratulations on your first Golden Globe nomination! I imagine it’s been an emotional morning.

Yeah, I truly am an absolute mess. I’m so grateful. I have just been crying on FaceTime with my mom, and it’s hard to find words. I am so grateful I don’t know what to do! I have tissues in my hand just in case, because I’ve been crying on and off nonstop.

Have you spoken with Cynthia Erivo this morning?

She was literally the first voice note I sent, and then we FaceTimed immediately. I’m so proud of her and grateful to share this together, and with every single person who has poured their everything into these films. It feels really surreal and beautiful.

Now that we are a couple of weeks beyond the release of “Wicked,” what are some of your favorite examples of fans engaging with the film and the music?

It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I love watching them make a meal out of every little detail of it. From learning the choreography to making TikToks as Glinda’s grandma seeing the hat on the news to baby Nessa’s “yes!” To see people share a love for the parts that we love so much, and to notice the things that we weren’t sure if anyone was going to notice, it feels really overwhelming and beautiful and exciting. We’re constantly sending each other links to little things here and there.

We’re now getting into the heart of the awards race. Have there been conversations about you and Cynthia possibly performing at the Oscars? Is that something you’d want to do?

Oh my goodness. We haven’t even — it’s only been five minutes since this happened! That has not… I don’t even… I have no idea! All I know is we are incredibly grateful to even have the conversation happening and to see the acknowledgment for the work. I have no idea what is to follow, but we’ll have to see.

You saw “Wicked” in the movie theater with your family. What was that experience like, and how do you feel about singing along in the theater?

Cynthia and I really enjoy singing during “One Short Day,” but for the rest of it we’re quite quiet. But we enjoy seeing the reactions around us, it’s very special. My nonna, who is 99, had a very enthusiastic response to the sugar glider on the drums in the Ozdust Ballroom. She literally grabbed my arm and said, “Oh, I love that.”

With “Part Two” coming out in less than a year, how do you feel about embarking on yet another press tour?

It’s very exciting. I’ve had a really fun and extraordinary experience with my sister, Cynthia. We have been having such a beautiful time and staying present. We feel excited and grateful, and I know that sounds like something that you’re supposed to say on a press tour, but it’s really the truth. We don’t feel overwhelmed or daunted. We feel grateful and excited and carbonated. We worked so hard on it for such a long, long, long time, and so it’s such a privilege to be able to share it with the world in this way and to talk about the work.

It’s funny because we finished the first round of the press tour and then thought of a million other things that we can’t wait to dig deeper into on this next wave of it. We’re so excited now that the world has finally seen it, to be able to share some more of the experience. It feels like an extension of our time with these characters that we fell so deeply in love with and each other, and our Ozian family. It’s lovely to have more time.

Glinda is a role that you have spoken about wanting to play for quite a long time. Looking back, how does it feel to now be recognized for awards for your portrayal of her?

Oh my God [cries]. I’m sorry! It is so surreal I don’t even know how to articulate it. I am so moved and grateful. I have always respected this role and have always been aware of what it requires to play it. That’s why I’ve always adored and admired so many brilliant women who have played it before me. I know what it requires, and all I wanted to do was the work. From my first audition to my last day on set, I was so grateful for that privilege. When you’re focused on something for that long, and to see this kind of acknowledgment — it really is extraordinary. I’m deeply grateful, and I literally can’t wait to call my acting coach, Nancy Banks, and wake her up wherever she is in the world. I think she is across the country, but I don’t care. I’m going to call her and wake her up.

Has this experience energized you to want to do more acting? Are there roles in other films that you want to explore?

Right now I’m just trying to stay present in this moment. But I really feel at home being an actress, and I look forward to hopefully finding more things to explore in that world. 

Are you wearing a Shiz sweatshirt?

Yes! This is a coincidence.

Erivo was nominated for best performance by a female actor in a motion picture – musical or comedy, for her role as Elphaba in “Wicked.”

Who was your first call after you heard the news? 

My first call was to sweet Sam, who is part of my publicity team. I was like, “Hi, what’s going on?” My phone had gone off crazy, so I called her. I had a million missed calls. I don’t know what was going on. I was so out of it. It was 6 a.m. here [in Los Angeles], and I landed yesterday, so my brain was like, “What is happening? This is crazy!” Then I went to text my best friend. I have to call my mom! I haven’t managed to call her yet! This has been so quick. The one person I need to call is my mother, but this has been the wildest ride this morning. I feel like I’m doing cartwheels in my brain. 

Is the “Wicked” group chat going crazy right now? 

It’s going off in the “Wicked” group chat with Jon [M. Chu] and Ari [Grande]. I’m so proud of us, and so proud of the work we’ve done together. It’s been wild. We’ve been receiving messages from the whole team. It’s been really special. 

How does it feel being nominated alongside Ariana, albeit in different categories?

It’s so awesome. I’m so proud of her. I’m so pleased that we could both do this together. For her to make her debut as an actress like this — to really come into the room and just wow everyone — it’s really special. I’m so proud of us. I’m so proud of her. I couldn’t wait to pick up the phone and be like, “Hi there, Golden Globe nominee!” It’s so cool to be able to say that!

This is your fourth Golden Globe nomination. All four have been in different categories. How does it feel to be recognized for your work across so many different mediums and projects?

It’s really wonderful, and I did not realize until this morning — I didn’t even put two and two together. I just thought how lovely it is to be celebrated for the work across the different mediums, across the different styles and spaces. It means a lot.

“Wicked Part Two” is coming next year, and there are two new songs from Stephen Schwartz. What are you most excited for fans to experience from the new music?

I think they further extend the story, and it tells you a little bit more about who these women are and what they’ve been through, and what they want for this next part of their lives. The songs are very special. Some of it you might recognize, but that is as far as I can go. I can’t tell you anything else because I don’t want to get into trouble. But there are things in the songs that you will recognize.

Would you and Ariana be open to performing at the Oscars? 

I mean, sure! I’ll sing anywhere with her. If you need us, we’ll be in the alleyway singing together if need be. We just love singing together. It doesn’t matter where, or when. 

The internet has made a lot of memes about you and Ariana getting emotional on this press tour. Where does that emotion come from?

What people don’t realize is that we’ve been with this project for like three years. We were cast in 2021 and we didn’t start shooting until 2022, into 2023, and we finished this year at the top of 2024. So it’s been a really, really, really long journey, and both of us are doing something that we have been dreaming of for a very, very long time. This piece was a really emotional piece to be part of, and cracked us open in different ways. We had to pour everything that we had into it, and then we had to keep it to ourselves for a matter of months without really being able to share what the experience was. 

And so finally, when we’re on this press tour, we’re talking to people who have also seen it, and they come in also with a lot of energy and a lot of emotion, and it’s hard not to match that emotion when you finally get to speak about something that you deeply love, and you get to share that with a person that you care about, and you get to sit with that person and finally discover the things that you maybe didn’t even know were part of their process and were part of your process. There are things that we were discovering during the press tour that we hadn’t had a chance to really even process yet. So you are sort of seeing just two humans be humans. Hopefully it makes people flow with emotion, too. We could do with a little of that right now.

Powell was nominated for best performance by a male actor in a motion picture – musical or comedy, for his role as Gary Johnson in “Hit Man.”

This movie came out in May after a SXSW premiere. It’s hard to capture voter attention with movies that come out so early, especially genre titles. What about “Hit Man” is so sticky?

What a crazy turn of events. But the best audience feedback comes over time. “Hit Man” is an empowering movie about the person you can be if you put your mind to it. People have responded to that. There’s also a lot of joy there. The movies we watch at this time of year, they can leave you with a different feeling. Ours leaves you a little fuller, It was designed to be thoughtful and make you smile. Always leading to a better place in terms of your identity and how people feel about themselves. And to go on this journey with [Richard Linklater], an inspiring Texan who works at the highest level…

There are also constant rumblings that movies get “lost” on streaming, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

I’m so glad you brought that up. I’m grateful for all the hard work Netflix did around this movie, not only making sure it was a cultural moment but understanding the tone and translating it to the PR and marketing campaigns. Think about the bus ads they did with all my different hit men characters. They really understood.

I’d ask how you’re celebrating this, but you probably need to have a blowout for this entire year you’ve had.

What a crazy year. As an actor, you understand ebbs and flows, but I always feel like any great moment is married with a sense of all the other roads your life could be on. I know how lucky I am. I’m calling you from the “Running Man” set, and my family is here. We’re celebrating.

What’s the most surprising thing about your take on “The Running Man”?

Edgar Wright is one of my favorite filmmakers. A lot of sci-fi and other movies in this genre rely on VFX. We are doing so much practically in this film. The sets are huge and the stunts are practical. As a fan of Edgar, this movie will not disappoint.

Moore was nominated for best performance by a female actor in a motion picture – musical or comedy, for her role as Elisabeth Sparkle in “The Substance.”

“The Substance” scored big with five nominations! How are you feeling about all this love for the film? 

Oh, it’s so exciting. And I think it really shows that the film and its impact is kind of stepping beyond the genre. It’s really being seen for the whole, as opposed to being isolated into just one little pocket. I’m still in such awe. I feel like I’ve been riding a wave of awe all the way since Cannes. 

Once you got the good news this morning, who was your first call? 

I had an entire group of maybe eight people on a FaceTime call of my entire team congratulating me. I barely had a voice to respond. It was so early in the morning! You’re getting me at a little bit more of an awake moment. I’ve had a chance to reach out to many of the other nominees, and send my congratulations and joy for all of us. I’ve been able to send a message to almost everybody that I have a connection to, including my “Landman” co-star Billy Bob Thornton, my co-star Naomi Watts for “Feud” and to Ryan Murphy. It’s a very joyous time. It’s been a long time since I’ve been part of this conversation. It’s been since “Ghost.” I’m really honored and very humbled. 

You being back in the awards conversation like this for the first time in 35 years really speaks to the film’s themes. 

It’s really the icing on the cake, as they would say. I’ve never been at this point. I am 62, and I’m just inside myself living and trying to be the best version I can possibly be. In doing so, I hope that I can be part of setting down the stones on this pathway that creates a change for all women. Not just women, but for all of us as human beings, to step back and find that recognition within ourselves of value and to know that we all matter, just as we are, at whatever stage we’re at. As I look at the film, really the message is that there’s no better you than you. 

Both your co-star Margaret Qualley and director Coralie Fargeat also got nominations. Have you spoken to them today? 

I have had a text with Coralie and Margaret on one chain, but I don’t know if we’ve heard from Margaret yet. She might still be sleeping! But Margaret was the first person that I reached out to, because I really do love and adore her, respect her tremendously, and I’m just so grateful that I’ve been on this journey with her. I think she is so wildly talented, and she truly is just getting started. This was a major undertaking for all involved. It wasn’t easy. With no guarantees of whether or not this would have come together, we certainly had no idea that it would have had the impact that the film has had. So to have this acknowledgement, it’s like getting a treat. 

What was your dog Pilaf’s reaction to the news? 

She was zipping around the bed! Believe me, this is early for her. She was awake and very excited. She was running and like pawing on the bed. I don’t know if that was just because she’s saying, “Feed me.”

I choose to believe she knows it’s a big moment for her mom. 

She’s literally staring at me right now. You know, she was my anchor. I was in a foreign country and she was the only thing from home that I had with me. I had none of my normal support system, none of my family. So I was really there alone, and she was my everything. What I realized is that, wherever I am, when she’s there, I’m home. 

As we’re talking, what I’m realizing is I don’t know if I’ve really processed, or if any of this has completely landed. I think it’s all up in my head right now, and I haven’t fully taken it into my body what it means. Maybe it’s that fear of, I don’t want to make it mean too much. But I have to remember: don’t make it mean too little, because then you miss the moment of the joy and the beauty of all the hard work that’s gone in to get to this point. Like I said, it’s a little treat. Like when your dogs get a treat and they start to move and wiggle and do a little spin. 

I think what’s meaningful [about “The Substance”] is that it’s not a new story. It’s just one that we as women have got into. We’re pushed aside. And if we want that to be different, then we have to change that from within us, how we are holding ourselves. And I hope that I can be part of that for future generations, so that this becomes a non-issue.

Saldaña was nominated for best performance by a female actor in a supporting role in any motion picture for her role as Rita Mora Castro in “Emilia Pérez.”

Who are you with, and who was the first person to congratulate you?

I’m with my glam team because we’re working in Paris. So, I’m here with Vera Steimberg who does my makeup; Petra Flannery, and he’s been styling me forever; and my agent, Jessica. I was surrounded by love and respect because I’m away from my family. They congratulated me first, and then my husband, who’s in California, called me, and then I woke up my mom.

What was your mom’s reaction?

Well, I woke her up. It took me a minute to tell her what it was. My mom is always blessing us with prayer. So she went on to do what she does, which is just to pray, and it was so beautiful. She said how proud she is and that I’ve worked hard for this and that I deserve it. It just means a lot when it’s coming from your mom.

“Emilia Pérez” made history by becoming the most-nominated musical or comedy at the Golden Globes. What is that like to be a part of this film?

It’s almost surreal. It’s what you always hope for movies to do, to help you connect on a human level. I think that is what makes this movie so special. I haven’t been able to think from the moment I auditioned for Jacques Audiard until today, but it’s about feeling and going with your feelings.

Is there a group chat for the “Emilia Pérez” team?

Yes! We always connect. After I called my mom and husband, I did leave a message for Selena because it is an honor to be nominated with her. I know how hard she works, and I know how beautiful of a person she is and how deserving she is of this nomination. I immediately left her a voice message, and then she just left me one back, and she sounded the same way, crying and screaming. It was beautiful. The next person I’ll send a message to is Jacques, and then Camille.

This is your first Golden Globe nomination, which is insane given your incredible career. How does that all feel?

In that sense, it feels great. After a while, I stopped hoping for that and thinking that there was going to be better. We work really hard because we have an innate need to connect with other people. That’s why an artist makes art — they don’t need the art to hold in a closet or just for their own pleasure. They make it to connect and share it with so many people. And so when what you do lands, it gives you an instant connection, even if it’s just temporary.

The Golden Globes don’t recognize CGI motion-capture performances, disqualifying you for the “Avatar” movies. Should awards bodies amend that rule?

I’m going to keep hoping that people and members of academies and organizations reach a level of understanding of what performance capture truly is and what it does for the artist. It gives the artist the right to take full proprietorship of their work. It is not a work that is cloned or imitated. The artist is the one that really does all the labor and the technicians, in post, paint over it. You don’t go into a studio in your sweatpants, and you lend your voice, and then somebody else creates an idea of how they think you would move if you said something like this. Every movement that every character that has been done under performance capture has been performed either by an actor or a stunt actor, and I hope that one day it is able to be recognized, because it is just a shame to overlook the sacrifices and the work put into these films.

Kidman was nominated for best performance by a female actor in a motion picture – drama, for her role as Romy in “Babygirl.”

Who were you with when you got the nomination?

With my daughter Sunday Rose, who was getting ready to go to school. My other daughter was sick — so that’s working and motherhood. Sunday, who is 16, was like, “Congratulations, I gotta go to school, I’m running late.”

Do you have a “Babygirl” group chat? If so, what’s the vibe?

No, we all talk directly. If I want to talk to Harris [Dickinson], I text him. If I want to talk to Halina [Reijn], I text. I’m just so excited because even though it’s me being acknowledged, it’s the film being acknowledged, and we haven’t released the film yet. So, all of this is helpful to create a lane for “Babygirl.” I say, “This is ours together: Antonio [Banderas], Harris, Halina, Sophie [Wilde] and Jasper [Wolf], our cinematographer. For [my character] Romy to work, the film had to work.

Aside from Sunday, who was the next person to congratulate you? 

Keith [Urban]! He’s just left for L.A. He’s doing Jimmy Kimmel. So, he was like, “Congratulations, Babygirl.”

What does it mean to see audiences connecting with Romy?

It means that there is room for this storytelling. It’s pretty new, and as the head of A24 was saying, it’s a pioneering film. There hasn’t been a film like this with a woman and this existential sexual and emotional crisis in every frame of the film. The way it begins and ends, it’s unusual, but it means it’s still not niche, which is what’s good. It has broader appeal, and it’s not relegated to a corner.

You have two projects coming up: “Practical Magic 2” and “Big Little Lies.” Can you provide any update on them?

It takes time. We’re looking to 2025 as the year for it.

Stan was nominated twice: for best performance by a male actor in a motion picture – drama, for his role as Donald Trump in “The Apprentice”; and for best performance by a male actor in a motion picture – musical or comedy, for his role as Edward in “A Different Man.”

You’re a double nominee. How do you feel?

I’m sort of stunned. This is such a great morning. Both films have had such interesting, difficult journeys. We did “A Different Man” two years ago, and it got shelved because of the strike. The fact that we’re still here … and “Apprentice” was a film trying to be made for five years. This is extremely humbling and gratifying.

Now that the noise of the general election is over, what do you hope people take away from a film like “The Apprentice”?

Our goal is always insight. As creatives, we owe due diligence to the times we are in. To ask uncomfortable questions and remain curious. If the election showed us anything, we need to try to understand this figure [Donald Trump] in a more complex way than we have so far. Usually, we confront history after the fact. But, we have a chance to do so on its nose as it’s happening. I hope people have more permission to look at this movie. Today reflects that it can move on in a more public way where people can see it without fear. We should be weary of fear.

How will you celebrate?

I gotta call my mom.

Did you wake up at 5 a.m. to watch the nominations being announced?

I wanted to sleep through it, but then my body just naturally woke up, and then we put it on, and, I don’t know, I was ready to be disappointed. But then it happened, and I was just floored.

Why were you ready to be disappointed?

You never know how these things will go. I feel it’s best to not have any expectations. So to have it happen is just so overwhelming.

Let’s take a look at who you’re up against: Colin Farrell, Richard Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor and Andrew Scott.

It is a pretty legendary lineup. It feels crazy to be listed among those names. It’s unbelievable.

Did you scream, did you cry when you heard your name?

I am a crier but I didn’t cry. I think the adrenaline was so much. I was just like, “Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” Then my partner [filmmaker Stuart McClave] and I embraced and we hugged for a while and he told me he was really proud of me. 

Who did you hear from first? Who texted you right away?

My team. They FaceTimed me and they were all freaking out. But then I also got a text congratulating me from Colman Domingo.

When will you start writing your acceptance speech?

I think I’m just gonna wing it [laughs].

Who will you bring to the Globes?

My partner and my twin brother Payton. They’ll have to battle it out — or maybe they’ll let me bring both of them.

What kind of meetings and scripts have you been getting since “Monsters”?

I’m meeting with some really, really cool producers and some really cool directors, and meeting with the studios. I’m so lucky that I signed with UTA. They’ve been amazing and have been helping me get those meetings, and it’s just been great. I have nothing specific I can say right now. I’m being patient and picky, but everything that’s been coming my way has been great, and I’m just lucky and fortunate to be in the position that I’m in now. It’s very, very surreal.

Have you heard from Kim Kardashian this morning yet?

No, not yet. She’s probably still getting her beauty sleep.

She should be sending you a Skims basket or something.

Maybe [laughs]. We’ll see.

When was the last time you spoke to Erik Menendez?

It’s been a minute, but hopefully soon. I texted [Erik’s wife] Tammy recently just to send my love.

How are you feeling today about Erik and Lyle’s chances of being released from prison?

I feel good. I still have cautious optimism, because you just never know with these things. They pushed their latest court date, so that was a little disappointing because I know that their family members are older and they wanted them to be home for the holidays. I’m still really positive. One of the first things that I thought about when I got the nomination was: “Oh my gosh, this gives me another moment to have a stage and a platform to advocate for them and speak about them.” I’m super grateful that I get to do that again.

Besides “Monsters,” what other series have you been watching?

When I was shooting the show, everyone started talking about “Baby Reindeer,” and then I started watching that. I binged it in one day. Absolutely loved that show. “Ripley” is amazing, and I still have to finish “Disclaimer.”

Have you seen “Wicked”? Are you a musical boy?

Oh, yes. When I couldn’t sleep last night, I kept singing, “I’m limited,” from “For Good.”

As an out actor in Hollywood, have you been hearing from young LGBTQ people thanking you?

I don’t have social media, so I don’t have that direct line of communication, but if I’m letting young gay boys or girls or anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community be seen and heard, that makes me so happy. I’m so grateful that I can be an advocate and a person to look up to.

Why don’t you have any social media? Do you have secret accounts?

I really don’t. I don’t have a Finsta. It’s just not good for me. It’s not good for my brain. But I do see some stuff because someone will send me a tweet when it’s something good.

What was your reaction when you heard about the nominations?

I literally screamed into my apartment out of joy. I think all the neighbors heard me. This is such a huge honor, and an amazing achievement for the film. We all put our heart and our guts into this film. The fact that it really reached the audience and the journalists, it seems that this energy has translated and has been recognized and rewarded. For me, that’s really incredible.

How significant is it for you to see a body horror film like “The Substance” cross over and earn such recognition at a major award show?

Genre films are highly political and of course they’re a great way to entertain and have fun and create an extreme experience. But deep down, they are such a powerful tool to confront political or social matters through the lens of entertainment. Everything I wanted to express with that film, I could do it in the best possible way, because it was a genre film, and I was allowed to go very far and not restrain myself. I wanted to break free all the constraints and all the things that are not possible in real life.

Have you already congratulated Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley?

I immediately texted Demi and Margaret to congratulate them! I’m so happy because taking this role was risky and challenging. When Demi read the script, she loved it. When you do a movie like this you have to do it 100%, and you have to trust the vision. You have to take the risk of doing what is on the page, with the tone, with the nudity, with the prosthetic, with everything. And so it’s a huge commitment, because until it’s done, you have to trust the vision and do everything you can to be 100% sincere, and honestly that’s what she did. She had this intelligence and instinct, and she had no fear going there. She was at a moment of her life where she wanted to take control of her life and make a very strong move for herself.

You’re one of several international filmmakers nominated at the Golden Globes. Is this year a milestone for international filmmakers breaking into the U.S awards race?

It’s so great to see very different voices express themselves. I think that’s how cinema is still very much alive. It’s a medium that always creates new voices and visions, new ways of making films. And to see that all of these voices have been welcomed at the table, to me this is such a positive sign for cinema and for the industry that continues to transform itself and create new opportunities for filmmakers. It’s a great gift to include all of these voices, and I’m extremely proud to be one of them, and to be here with all the other talented filmmakers who I deeply admire.

Congratulations on your nomination! What were you doing when you first found out about the recognition?

I just had woken up and checked my phone and saw a lot of excited text messages from my community. I was just kind of gaining consciousness. It’s a really, really interesting thing to be emerging from sleep to very, very exciting news.

Who’s the first person that congratulated you, and what was it like being recognized alongside Jean Smart and the show as a whole?

I think Paul [W. Downs], Jean and Lucia [Aniello]. Yeah, that’s the first message I saw. Getting this recognition alongside the show and Jean Smart means so much. You know, we go to work every day and I really do not let a day pass without looking around at the people who make “Hacks” and feeling such deep gratitude. We’ve worked together for four-ish years now, and we’ve all gotten so close. We laugh and we cry and we’re making something that we are all so, so proud of. And you know, Paul, Jen and Lucia have single-handedly changed my life by casting me in the show, and Jean has made me into the actor that I am just by being able to act with her and look into her eyes. And you know, this recognition is just a cherry on top of a very tall sundae.

With Season 4 in production right now, what is the atmosphere like with the rest of the cast and crew following the Golden Globe nominations?

Just excitement. You know, I think everybody on our show recognizes how special and singular the experience of being on it is. This very wild ride has been filled with a lot of really, really incredible recognition, and so we’re always just appreciative and relishing in it.

What are you most excited for with Season 4?

I’m just looking forward to the community of fans of the show being able to watch it, and kind of being able to experience it, not only in shooting but also through their eyes. I think we all feel very connected to the group of people who watch our show, so I’m really excited for them to see it and to experience it with them.