‘One Battle After Another’ Leads 2025 Golden Globe Nominations/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ “One Battle After Another” leads the 2025 Golden Globe nominations with 9 nods, positioning it as an early Oscar contender. The Globes introduced a new Best Podcast category, nominating popular shows like “SmartLess” and “Call Her Daddy” while avoiding political podcasts. Netflix and indie studio Neon dominated TV and film nominations, respectively, ahead of the January 11 ceremony hosted by Nikki Glaser.
Quick-Look:
- Event: 83rd Golden Globe Awards
- Top Film: One Battle After Another (9 nominations)
- New Category: Best Podcast
- TV Leader: The White Lotus (6 nominations)
- Leading Studios: Netflix (TV), Neon (Film)
- Air Date: January 11, 2026
- Host: Nikki Glaser
- Broadcast on: CBS & Paramount+
‘One Battle After Another’ Leads 2025 Golden Globe Nominations as Awards Expand to Podcasts
LOS ANGELES — The 83rd Golden Globe Awards kicked off awards season Monday with a bold new direction — not only honoring film and television, but for the first time, recognizing podcasting as part of its growing entertainment scope. And leading the charge on the film side was “One Battle After Another,” a darkly comedic thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which dominated the field with nine nominations.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” follows DiCaprio as a disillusioned revolutionary drawn back into action to protect his daughter. The Warner Bros. film is a frontrunner in the Best Musical or Comedy category, going up against “Marty Supreme” and “Bugonia,” among others.
Film Nomination Highlights:
- “One Battle After Another” – 9 nominations
- “Sentimental Value” (Neon) – 8 nominations
- “Sinners” – 7 nominations
- Other Best Drama contenders: Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein”, Shakespeare-inspired “Hamnet”
The international family drama “Sentimental Value” and supernatural horror “Sinners” trail closely behind, both strong contenders in the Best Motion Picture – Drama category.
Big Names in Acting Nods:
- Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, and breakout star Chase Infiniti received nominations for their roles in “One Battle.”
- George Clooney and Adam Sandler were recognized for their performances in “Jay Kelly”
- Dwayne Johnson earned a nod for “The Smashing Machine”
- Jessie Buckley was nominated for her role in “Hamnet”
- Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo secured nominations for “Wicked: For Good”, though the film was snubbed in the top musical/comedy film category
Podcasts Join the Spotlight
In a significant expansion of its scope, the Globes introduced a Best Podcast category, acknowledging the medium’s massive cultural footprint.
First-ever podcast nominees include:
- “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard”
- “Call Her Daddy”
- “Good Hang with Amy Poehler”
- “The Mel Robbins Podcast”
- “SmartLess”
- NPR’s “Up First”
The nomination list showcases a mix of celebrity interviews, comedy, life advice, and daily news — but notably steers clear of political controversy.
Politics & Podcasters Snubbed
Despite being among the most downloaded shows of the year, popular political podcasts were notably absent, including:
- “The Joe Rogan Experience”
- “The Ben Shapiro Show”
- “The Megyn Kelly Show”
- “Candace” by Candace Owens
- Progressive favorite “Pod Save America”
Critics and media observers noted that Luminate Data, the analytics firm behind the shortlist (and owned by Penske Media, which also owns the Globes), appeared to curate the final list to avoid controversy during the live CBS telecast.
Podcasting analyst Karl Hughes applauded the medium’s recognition but noted the nomination process lacked transparency. “It’s great for podcasting to finally get this spotlight,” Hughes said. “But what makes something the ‘best’ podcast? Listener numbers? Storytelling? Production? It’s still very subjective.”
Streaming Giants & TV Nominees
HBO’s “The White Lotus” led the television nominations with six nods, followed closely by Netflix’s “Adolescence,” a limited series centering on a 13-year-old accused of murder.
Streaming services dominated the TV category:
- Netflix received 22 nominations, more than any other network
- Neon, the indie studio behind “Sentimental Value,” also topped film studio nominations with 21
Ceremony Details
The 2025 Golden Globes will air January 11 on CBS and stream live on Paramount+. Comedian Nikki Glaser will return as host, following a successful debut last year.
Golden Globe winners are selected by over 300 entertainment journalists worldwide, a revamped and expanded voting body following reforms implemented after prior scandals regarding ethics and diversity.
The Bigger Picture
The inclusion of podcasts marks a major milestone for the entertainment industry, elevating digital audio storytelling to the same level of prestige as film and television.
“This move says podcasting is no longer the scrappy underdog,” said Quinnipiac professor Ben Bogardus. “It’s now a major entertainment category that rivals radio and even streaming platforms.”
Despite questions about how nominees were selected, industry insiders expect the move to open doors for broader recognition of audio creators.
“I hope this gives new podcasters hope that their stories can reach a global stage,” Hughes said.
As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, so too do its accolades. With films, series, and now podcasts in the spotlight, the Golden Globes appear ready to embrace the new age of storytelling.
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