Despite a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the US of late, the Golden Globe Awards are scheduled to go ahead as planned, albeit in a manner quite different from earlier years.

The awards ceremony will be organised by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and will be held at its traditional venue, the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, January 9.

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However, according to HFPA President Helen Hoehne, the similarities end there. Earlier, Hoehne had told Variety that the Golden Globe Awards would not be “the celebrity-driven event like it has been in the past,” and that HFPA would try “something different for January 9” in cognizance of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases.

Who will attend?

Unlike previous years, the 79th Golden Globe Awards will feature no audience, not even nominees, and only “select members and grantees” will be allowed physical access to the venue.

Even the very limited attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination, as well as proof that they have taken a booster shot. Further, they will have to present a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of the event and social distancing norms and wearing masks will be enforced.

Another major change from previous years is that the 79th Golden Globe Awards will have no red carpet ceremony, and media outlets have not been invited to attend the event.

Where to watch:

NBC has traditionally aired the awards ceremony but it announced in May 2021 that it would not air the 79th Golden Globe Awards after a Los Angeles Times expose revealed that all of the HFPA’s 87 members, who select nominees and winners, were white. The report sparked tremendous controversy and outrage in Hollywood, and Tom Cruise even returned his three Golden Globe Awards as a sign of protest.

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Subsequently, in a press release, the HFPA said that it had overhauled its internal laws, “implementing sweeping changes from top to bottom that address ethics and code of conduct, diversity, equity and inclusion, governance, membership and more. Recently, the HFPA admitted their largest and most diverse class to date of 21 new members, all of whom are first-time Golden Globe voters.”

However, even then, there has been no update on whether the event will be televised. Neither has the HFPA announced anything on a live stream.

Where to know the winners:

The winners will be announced on the Golden Globe Awards website. Opoyi.com will bring you comprehensive coverage of the awards ceremony and all there is to know about the winners.