Austin Butler wins the Daniel Day-Lewis Taking Method Too Far Prize and more THR Awards Season Awards

Most executive enemies made in a monologue

Jerrod Carmichael

California’s new pay transparency law went into effect on Jan. 1, and the Golden Globe Awards host celebrated by roasting his bosses for a night and telling the world he was paid $500,000 for his services. Not only did the statement raise eyebrows — it’s 30 times the normal pay for awarding the Oscars — but it no doubt angered everyone involved in keeping these expensive broadcasts afloat amid steep ratings. Comedy reps will cite Carmichael’s alleged payday as host of negotiations for years to come.

Save Your Tears Award

Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan

What was in the water on the set of Encino man? In an award cycle where acceptance speeches bounced from sincere to dumb to crass, these one-time co-stars stayed on track with wet, wet gratitude. And it’s not like anyone begrudges them! Fraser’s comeback is here The whale and Quan’s return Everything Everywhere Everything at once were the feel-good stories of the season. But as front-runners in the category, there’s a genuine concern that they’ll all be parched by Oscar night.

Daniel Day-Lewis takes method too far

Austin Butler

The supermarket checkout tabloids were always right. Elvis Presley is still alive, conveniently hidden in the 31-year-old actor who brought him to the big screen in the Baz Luhrmann movie about the life of the legendary singer. Butler’s inability to shake off the deep voice he assumed to play the King started out as a charming awards season and has since become an annoying concern, but perhaps the real reason is that two years after filming wrapped hoarse because he is constantly being forced to talk about it.

Outstanding Achievement in Social Networking

Mary McCormack

Not since Jesse Eisenberg stepped into Mark Zuckerberg’s “fuck-you-flip-flops” has the internet done more for an Oscar campaign. Andrea Riseborough’s A-lister-endorsed Best Actress nomination for little seen To Lesley made her the most high-profile person in any race. And while Jennifer Aniston and Charlize Theron got caught up in this knotted grassroots, it was McCormack (To Lesley the wife of director Michael Morris) who really got the voice troops on their feet. She may have a future as a strategist.

Self-Sabotaging Misogyny Award

Andrew Dominik

Say what you want Blond, his much-maligned film about Marilyn Monroe, but it was always in the awards talk. The movie could have done better than his only Oscar nomination to star Ana de Armas. But Dominik, who showed little sympathy for his tragic heroine in the film or the press tour — going so far as to call Monroe a “well-dressed whore” in an interview — shot himself in the foot every time he got the chance. Godspeed to the next studio to fund this bro.

James Corden Award for Theater Kid Fatigue

Ariana DeBose

Aside from New York’s August Wilson Theater, where Lea Michele might be singing “Don’t Rain on My Parade” right now, you probably won’t find a better example of uncontrolled theater kid enthusiasm anywhere than DeBose’s bizarre opening BAFTA rap. The reception has been politely mixed – except in Britain, where the song sparked a rare deviation in manners – but it’s a reminder to everyone that you should never break into original songs unless your lyrics are rigorously focused.

Animal Overexposure Award

Donkeys

The lobbyists for Big Donkey made their living in 2022. Filmmakers cast the little equines as if they were going extinct – they appeared in the Best Picture nominees The Banshees of Inisherin And Triangle of sadnessand also starred in the Polish international feature film nominee EO. Now, instead of the glue factory, these screen veterans are competing for overalls at Netflix.

Ultimate Awards Season Winner

Will Smith

Let’s get this straight: In the wake of The Slap and his ensuing decade-long Oscar ban, Will Smith made only three public appearances in a year, barely campaigning for his starring role in Emancipation And won two more awards — the NAACP Image Award and the AAFCA Beacon Award. Most people pound the pavement for months on end and happily hand it over for much less, so consider this the most unlikely masterclass of the season.

This story first appeared in the March 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.