Award-Winning Films and Their Breakout Stars
Let’s start with Paul Thomas Anderson, or PTA if you want to sound like you’re in the know at a cocktail party. Anderson snagged Best Director – Motion Picture for One Battle After Another, a film that also clinched the title for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture, thanks to Teyana Taylor. Known for pushing cinematic boundaries with works like Magnolia and There Will Be Blood, Anderson also experimented in the world of musical dystopia with ANIMA, starring Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, now available on Netflix. That’s right, your music video obsession just got a 15-minute upgrade.
Speaking of groundbreaking performances, Jessie Buckley took home Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Hamnet, alongside Paul Mescal. Buckley’s genre-hopping resume mixes writer-director Alex Garland’s folk-horror Men, Sarah Polley’s Oscar-winning Women Talking, and hits like I’m Thinking of Ending Things and The Lost Daughter.
On the musical/comedy front, Rose Byrne brought home Best Performance by a Female Actor for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Instead of a lengthy thanks to her pet, she explained her partner was “at a reptile expo in New Jersey” adopting a bearded dragon. Byrne’s comedic timing is matched by her roles in Neighbors, Bridesmaids, and Annie (2014), not to mention her vocal work in animated smashers like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. And yes, it’s all true about the bearded dragon. Only at the Globes!
Streaming Winners You Might’ve Missed
If you like a good whodunit, Owen Cooper is one to watch. Winning Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television for Adolescence, he plays Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old entangled in a murder investigation. This breakout role is just the start; he’ll soon appear with Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in Wuthering Heights.
- Adolescence, created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham and directed by Philip Barantini, won four Golden Globes. Erin Doherty snagged Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television for playing clinical psychologist Briony Ariston. Her path to stardom began with The Crown as Princess Anne.
- Stephen Graham, also co-creator and star, won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie for portraying Eddie Miller. Fun fact: Graham is revisiting his gangster roots in the upcoming Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
- KPop fans, rejoice! KPop Demon Hunters took home Best Motion Picture – Animated and Best Original Song, courtesy of singer-songwriter EJAE. She described the song as a beacon for anyone embracing their true selves. The film is currently streaming, and you can catch EJAE at the 2026 Super Bowl’s Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party.
- Wagner Moura won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for The Secret Agent. If the name rings a bell, it’s because Moura gained global recognition as Pablo Escobar in Netflix’s Narcos and starred in films like Elysium and The Gray Man.
Comedic Gold and New Frontiers
Ricky Gervais, best known for co-creating the UK version of The Office (yep, the show that gave the world Michael Scott—thanks, Ricky), won Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television for Ricky Gervais: Mortality. His other Netflix stand-up specials and series, from Humanity to After Life, await your next binge-fest.
Seth Rogen, never far from a punchline, nabbed Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for The Studio, which also won for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Rogen is, of course, famous for Superbad, Pineapple Express, and voice work in animated chaos like Sausage Party.
Jean Smart—she of the seven Emmys and three Golden Globes—secured another Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for Hacks. Her story began back in the ‘80s with Designing Women and continues through acclaimed projects on stage and screen.
Unmissable Hidden Gems, Streaming Now
- Michelle Williams shone in Dying for Sex (Limited Series or TV Movie). Her early role as Jen Lindley in Dawson’s Creek—now on Netflix—shows her staying power.
- Noah Wyle, former ER doc, won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama for The Pitt, which also won Best Drama Series. Between hospital rounds, don’t miss him in The Librarian films and Falling Skies.
- Timothée Chalamet, always headline-worthy, won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Marty Supreme. Fans can revisit Lady Bird, Call Me By Your Name, The King, and both Dune films for a binge-worthy marathon.
- Other standout wins: Rhea Seehorn in Pluribus (collaborating again with Vince Gilligan), and Stellan Skarsgård’s supporting performance in Sentimental Value. Skarsgård fans will spot him from Mamma Mia! to The Avengers.
The 2026 Golden Globes packed more than glam and gossip—they spotlighted eclectic, binge-worthy work that’s ready to stream right now. So grab your popcorn and maybe a bearded dragon—this awards season, the gems are hiding in plain sight.
