The Austin film scene continues to excel on the national stage, with South by Southwest and Austin Film Festival providing a taste of Hollywood to Austin each year and directors like Austin local Richard Linklater consistently shining on the silver screen. Texas-related television and film filled the nominations at the 83rd Golden Globes Sunday night.
The Daily Texan compiled a list of Texas-tied winners and nominees and their connection to the Lone Star State.
Winners:
“One Battle After Another”
“One Battle After Another,” inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel, follows Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a former revolutionary protecting his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti) from military officer Col. Lockjaw (Sean Penn). Filmed in El Paso, Texas, and California, the film held nine nominations, winning Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture for Teyana Taylor’s performance, and Paul Thomas Anderson won the awards for Best Director and Screenplay in Motion Picture.
“Hamnet”
“Hamnet,” based on the book by Maggie O’Farrell, dramatizes the story of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes as they grieve the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet. Produced by former Austin Film Society board member Nicolas Gonda, the film received six nominations, winning Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Jessie Buckley’s performance and Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Nominees:
“Blue Moon”
Linklater’s “Blue Moon” portrays the real story of Broadway songwriter Lorenz Hart on the opening night of “Oklahoma!,” a musical by his former collaborator, Richard Rodgers. “Blue Moon” was nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy with Austin-born actor Ethan Hawke’s performance and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
“Nouvelle Vague”
Linklater received his second nomination for “Nouvelle Vague,” a film about the production of “Breathless” (1960), directed by Jean-Luc Godard. The film follows Godard making “Breathless,” one of the first and most influential films of the French New Wave era that cemented his place in the industry. “Nouvelle Vague” was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
“Train Dreams”
“Train Dreams,” based on the novella by Denis Johnson, follows the quiet love, life and loss of Robert Grainier, a laborer in the American West in the early 20th century. Directed by Austin Film Society-supported filmmaker Clint Bentley, the film was nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Joel Edgerton’s performance and Best Original Song – Motion Picture.
“Chad Powers”
“Chad Powers,” adapted from an Omaha Productions skit by Eli Manning, stars Glen Powell as Russ Holliday, a disgraced former college quarterback who disguises himself as the playful character Chad Powers to try out for the football team at a small school. Growing up in Austin, Powell attended UT in 2008 before pursuing his acting career. In 2024, Powell returned to UT to finish his radio-television-film degree. Powell was nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for “Chad Powers.”
“Frankenstein”
“Frankenstein” reimagines Mary Shelley’s timeless novel as a story of generational trauma and unconventional love. Director Guillermo Del Toro holds a strong affinity for Austin. He lived in the city for a short time during his career between 1999 to 2000, and became a member of the Texas Film Hall of Fame in 2015 as an honorary Texan. “Frankenstein,” starring Jacob Elordi as The Creature, attained a nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture and Best Motion Picture – Drama.
“Only Murders in the Building”
“Only Murders in the Building” stars Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez as they uncover the murders of their New York City apartment building, the Arconia. Gomez, born and raised in Grand Prairie, Texas, was nominated for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy after her performance in season five of the hit show, and Martin, born in Waco, Texas, was nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
