Golden Globes: Here are the winners (and what they mean for 'Birdman')

Academy Award for Best Picture contender “Birdman” lost out on the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy prize at the 2015 Golden Globes, while awards-season frontrunner “Boyhood” cemented its status by winning the Best Motion Picture – Drama prize at the ceremony.

Does this mean “Birdman” won’t get nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars this year? Probably not. But it could give a boost to the film that did receive the best comedy or musical award at the Golden Globes, the film “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Wes Anderson's quirky comedy was in the mix for the Best Picture race, but securing the Golden Globe may cause the public to give it more attention as the Oscars draw nearer. 

However, the only winner of the Golden Globe comedy or musical prize that took the Best Picture award within the past 10 years was the 2011 movie “The Artist.” Almost all of the other recipients of the Oscars' highest honor within the past 10 years were nominated in the drama category at the Golden Globes. (Only nominated – the Golden Globes best drama pick sometimes doesn’t match up with the Oscars Best Picture. To look at fairly recent history, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association picked 2010’s “The Social Network,” the 2009 movie “Avatar,” and 2007’s “Atonement” for best motion picture – drama, none of which won Best Picture.) 

Meanwhile, many of the movie-acting races cemented actors’ statuses as those to beat when it comes to Oscar time. “Whiplash” actor J.K. Simmons took the Best Supporting Actor prize (actors from all types of films are eligible for this award), while Patricia Arquette of “Boyhood” won the Best Supporting Actress prize. Frontrunner Julianne Moore of the film “Still Alice” took the Best Actress in a Drama prize. 

However, with Amy Adams of “Big Eyes” winning the Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical award, we may see her appear on the Oscar ballot. Moore, “The Theory of Everything” actress Felicity Jones, Reese Witherspoon of “Wild,” and Rosamund Pike of “Gone Girl” have long been regarded as locks for the Best Actress Oscar race. Jennifer Aniston of “Cake” made the fifth slot for Best Actress in a Drama at the Globes. Those who will be competing at the Oscars have already been determined (according to Reuters, voting for whom to put on the ballet has already finished) and Aniston will be tough to edge out for that fifth spot, but Adams taking the Golden Globe may be a sign of support for her in the category.

Meanwhile, “Birdman” actor Michael Keaton took the Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical prize and Eddie Redmayne of “The Theory of Everything” won the Best Actor in a Drama award. Redmayne will be hard to catch up to in the Best Actor race, but Keaton’s victory may give him a boost in a tough competition that also includes “Foxcatcher” actor Steve Carell, Benedict Cumberbatch of “The Imitation Game,” “Selma” actor David Oyelowo, and Jake Gyllenhaal of “Nightcrawler.” 

Stay tuned – the Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 16.

In TV, the Showtime program “The Affair” won the Best Drama Series prize over such shows as “Game of Thrones” and “House of Cards,” while the show “Transparent” took the comedy prize over such programs as “Orange Is the New Black” and “Girls.” Both “Affair” and “Transparent” won the award for their first seasons. The praise for the shows spilled over to the acting categories, where “Affair” actress Ruth Wilson took the Best Actress in a Drama Series award and Jeffrey Tambor of “Transparent” won the Best Actor in a Comedy Series prize. Meanwhile, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association bestowed the best miniseries or TV movie award on “Fargo,” and “Fargo” actor Billy Bob Thornton took the Best Actor in a Limited Series award.