Jessie Buckley triumphs for role as Shakespeare’s wife - as Adolescence dominates at the Golden Globes
Irish star Jessie Buckley was named best actress in a drama and Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty continued Adolescence’s winning streak through awards season as they all secured gongs at the Golden Globes.
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Buckley picked up the prize for her turn as William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes Hathaway – historically known as Anne – in the big-screen adaptation of Hamnet.
“This is not a normal feeling or situation to be in,” she said, as she collected the award.
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The film, based on Maggie O’Farrell’s book about the death of Shakespeare’s son, which inspired him to write Hamlet, was also named best motion picture drama, while One Battle After Another was named best motion picture comedy/musical.
Graham was named best actor in a TV mini series while Cooper was named best supporting actor and Doherty was named best supporting actress.
The Netflix show, about a teenage boy arrested for the murder of a classmate, also won the prize for limited series, anthology series or television motion picture.
Speaking on stage, co-creator Jack Thorne said: "Some think our show is about how we should be frightened of young people. It’s not.
"It’s about the filth and the debris we have laid in their path."
After thanking the young cast, he said: "You are proof the world can be better."
He added: "Removing hate is our generation’s responsibility.
“It requires thought from the top down. The possibility seems remote now, but hope is a beautiful thing.”
The show won the same four prizes at the Critics’ Choice awards last week and has also won a string of Emmys.
Graham appeared to read notes off the palm of his hand as he collected his acting gong, saying: “I’d just like to say a massive congratulations to all the nominees in the category.
He also thanked his producer wife Hannah Walters, adding: “I’ve said it before, but you’ve saved my life. You saved my life. And to my two beautiful children, Grace and Alfie, I love you to the moon and back forever.
“My dad, my pops, my hero, and I would just like to dedicate this particular award to my mum and all my friends and family, you all know exactly who you are, and without you, none of this is possible.”
He was momentarily distracted when he spotted rapper and actress Queen Latifah in the audience and said “Queen Latifah, wow,” and bowed, before continuing: “God bless and in the words of Bob Marley, One Love.”
Cooper gave a nod to his beloved football team Liverpool as he collected the gong.
He said: “Standing here at the Golden Globes does not feel real whatsoever. What an incredible journey me and my family have been put through.”
He added: “What started off as what I thought I might be OK at, I might be awful at, I took a risk and I went to drama classes, I was the only boy there, it was embarrassing but I got through it.
“But I’m still very much an apprentice, I’m still learning every day, I’m still every day learning from the people sat in front of me who have inspired me. I wouldn’t be here without you guys.
He wrapped up the speech by saying: “Bring on 2026. You’ll never walk alone.”
The closing line is a reference to the anthem of Liverpool Football Club.
Teyana Taylor was the first winner of the night, scoring the best supporting actress in a drama film for her role as a revolutionary in One Battle After Another.
Accepting her prize, she said: “To my brown sisters and little brown girls watching tonight, our softness is not a liability.
“Our depth is not too much. Our light does not need permission to shine.
“We belong in every room we walk into, our voices matter, and our dreams deserve space. Thank you so much, everybody.”
The film’s director Paul Thomas Anderson took home the best director prize, as well as the screenplay gong.
Stellan Skarsgard won the best supporting actor Golden Globe for his performance as a film director past his prime in Sentimental Value, while Rose Byrne was named best actress in a musical/comedy for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.
Timothée Chalamet beat Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney to the award for best actor in a musical or comedy for table tennis caper Marty Supreme.
She thanked her husband, who was not present, saying: “I want to thank my husband Bobby Cannavale, who couldn’t be here tonight because he’s getting a bearded dragon and he went to a reptile expo in New Jersey. So thank you. Thank you, baby.”
Cannavale is actually currently starring in a play on Broadway.
Narcos star Wagner Moura won the award for best actor in a drama for The Secret Agent.
Collecting the prize, the Brazilian star said: “The Secret Agent is a film about memory, or the lack of memory and generational trauma. I think that if trauma can be passed along generations, values can too.
“So this is to the ones that are sticking with their values in difficult moments.”
Noah Wyle was named best actor in a TV drama for The Pitt while Jean Smart won the best actress in a TV musical/comedy prize for Hacks and Seth Rogen won best actor in a TV musical/comedy for The Studio.
The series about a fictional Hollywood studio was also named best musical or comedy series.
Medical drama The Pitt was named best television drama series, while Rhea Seehorn won best actress in a drama for her role in Apple TV’s Pluribus.
Good Hang with Amy Poehler won the first ever Golden Globe for best podcast while vampire drama Sinners won the prize for best cinematic and box office achievement.
KPop Demon Hunters was named best animated film, while the movie’s signature track Golden won the best original song prize.
All of the Golden Globes winners 2026
FILM
- Best Drama: Hamnet
- Best Musical/Comedy: One Battle After Another
- Best Non-English Language: The Secret Agent
- Best Animated: KPop Demon Hunters
- Best Actress Drama: Jessie Buckley - Hamnet
- Best Actor Drama: Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent
- Best Actress Musical/Comedy: Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
- Best Actor Musical/Comedy: Timothée Chalamet - Marty Supreme
- Best Supporting Actress: Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another
- Best Supporting Actor: Stellan Skarsgård - Sentimental Value
- Cinematic & Box Office Achievement: Sinners
- Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another
- Best Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another
- Best Original Song: Golden - KPop Demon Hunters
- Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson - Sinners
TV
- Best Drama Series: The Pitt
- Best Comedy/Musical Series: The Studio
- Best Limited Series: Adolescence
- Best Actress Drama: Rhea Seehorn - Pluribus
- Best Actor Drama: Noah Wyle - The Pitt
- Best Actress Comedy/Musical: Jean Smart - Hacks
- Best Actor Comedy/Musical: Seth Rogen - The Studio
- Best Actress Limited Series: Michelle Williams - Dying for Sex
- Best Actor Limited Series: Stephen Graham - Adolescence
- Best Supporting Actress TV: Erin Doherty - Adolescence
- Best Supporting Actor TV: Owen Cooper - Adolescence
- Best Stand-Up: Ricky Gervais - Mortality
- Best Podcast: Good Hang with Amy Poehler