The Golden Globes Public Relations Winners

Team Poehler/Fey

The first award goes to a duo. The 2015 hosts, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, have perhaps ruined the chances for any person to ever again successfully host an awards show. The two accomplished what few hosts have ever been able to successfully pull off. Not only did they include touchy subjects and biting humor, but they did so in a way that made even the targets of the jokes love them more. This was not their first Golden Globes hosting experience, but it is their last, and they killed it with commentary on pretty much everyone who is anyone. If someone had a big nomination and were there, they got a mini roasting. We suspect people who didn’t get mentioned were probably a bit hurt by it.

Getting the most from an event such as this is all about paying attention and learning what you can. If you are an attendee, you may just have the chance to talk with some of the winners. But watching it from another location offers learning opportunities as well. Pay attention to the presenters and the winners as they speak. How would you say thank you to the most important people? Is humor something you could do, or do you prefer heartfelt and humble?

Maggie Gyllenhaal

As the winner of the award for best actress in a miniseries or television film, Gyllenhaal picks up her first Golden Globe for her role in “The Honorable Woman.” She had the opportunity to make the best acceptance speech of the night. After the obligatory round of thank yous, she spoke about the progress of women in the industry and specifically the roles available for actresses. Noting that roles for “actual women” in television and film are now revolutionary and evolutionary. She ended by thanking complicated women in her life and her husband for being a lover of complicated women. This brief speech was both gracious and poignant, and it set the stage for others to follow as the night progressed.

Maggie brings a wealth of experience as a first-time winner. Probably because of her years as an actress and opportunity to discuss things with her brother, Jake, she showed great poise in her acceptance. How can you develop that kind of calm-in-the-storm appeal?

George Clooney

Mr. Clooney needs very little help in the public relations department, but this year he got plenty of it thanks to his new wife, Amal Alamuddin. She’s an accomplished scholar and attorney, as well as one of the world’s leading human rights lawyers. Clooney, of course, was on hand to receive a lifetime achievement award. The fact that he was the one receiving the award was not lost on the hosts, who joked about the irony of him being accompanied by a person with so many true lifetime achievements, and yet he was getting the award. Clooney mentioned some moments from film that have stuck with him, also saying he didn’t have any idea how many times the actors did or didn’t win, just those moments in film. Two he spoke about were Lauren Bacall and her put your lips together comment and Robin Williams saying seize the day. Finally, he spoke about finding the love of his life and that being the best part of his year. Mr. Clooney is always great in front of an audience, usually eloquent and funny at the same time, but as he spoke of Amal, he became visibly shy and vulnerable. Love does that for all of us, we’re glad he’s found that too.

George Clooney is seasoned in acting and awards. It doesn’t hurt that he knew he won the award in advance either. Someone else might have helped him with the words (or not), but there was never any doubt what he had to say was all George. That’s a major lesson in life. You have your style and gifts to offer. Do not try to act like someone else.

Gina Rodriguez
As first-time nominee and winner, Gina Rodriguez won as best actress in a comedy for Jane the Virgin. Her acceptance was not polished, but deeply heartfelt as she worked hard to keep emotions from taking control. She thanked all the right people and talking about the show, said it represents a culture wanting to see themselves as heroes. Ending her comments she spoke about her father, who has always advised her to start out every morning saying “today is going to be a great day. I can and I will.” Gina then continued, “well, Dad, today’s a great day. I can and I did.”

No matter how new an experience is, you still have your own stories you can tell. Rodriguez did that while so nervous she had a hard time catching her breath and keeping the deep emotion from overtaking her. Her stories touched people because they were hers, and they were real.

Eddie Redmayne

Another first-time nominee and winner as best actor in a drama was Redmayne. The Theory of Everything, a film based on the life of Stephen Hawking gave the actor the opportunity to meet and spend time with the man. Redmayne confessed he spent the night tripping over himself in trying not to be too much of a fan while being in the same room with actors he admires immensely. Making special apology to Robert Duvall. His speech ended uniquely since he got married only a few weeks before and cut his honeymoon short to be at the event, saying, “Thank you for giving me and us a night at the end of our honeymoon we will remember.”

If you’re a geek, wear it with confidence. If you’re a bit of a wallflower, thrive where you are planted. Redmayne fearlessly apologized for possibly getting a bit giddy in meeting people he has long admired. It was charming and relatable. If you accomplish that, it’s a good thing.

Patricia Arquette

The final PR award goes to actress Patricia Arquette, who won the best supporting actress award for her work in Boyhood. She looked great, appeared truly surprised to win, and graciously gave credit to all the right people, while making the project for which she won come to life in a human context. She unashamedly read from a list, so she didn’t forget anyone. The acceptance turned out to be good practice for her, since a couple months later she was able to accept an Oscar for the same category. In both speeches, she took the time to honor women and mothers. In the Oscars she noted women gave birth to every single taxpayer in America and it’s time to give them the respect they are due in the form of wage equality.

Much like Maggie Gyllenhaal, Arquette comes from an acting family and has many years in the acting field. Yet her approach could not have been more different than Gyllenhaal’s while still being amazing. Their messages were similar in honoring women. When you are comfortable with what you are saying and how you approach things, you can get your message across with clarity.

As many stars have discovered, winning the award is sometimes the easy part. Accepting it graciously and with style can be trickier. This year, several actors amped up their PR cred by being stars of the acceptance speech, according to the CEO of Ny based PR Firm 5WPR.

About Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is the Founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations. He is an experienced leader in the public relations industry with over 20 years of experience. Ronn Torossian has been named as Public Relations executive of the year by the American Business Awards, and has run countless award-winning Public Relations programs.