“Birdman” dominated the 72nd Golden Globe nominations Thursday morning, earning seven nods including best picture in its category, best director and best actor for Michael Keaton, who plays a washed-up movie superhero seeking redemption.
“Boyhood” and “The Imitation Game” followed with five nominations apiece, including best picture in their categories. Though it was shut out from Wednesday’s Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations, “Selma” — a historical drama about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. — earned four major nominations including best drama, best director for Ava DuVernay and lead actor for David Oyelowo.
Also earning four nominations apiece were the films “Gone Girl,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “The Theory of Everything.”
“Boyhood,” “Foxcatcher,” “The Imitation Game,” “Selma” and the “The Theory of Everything” were the five films nominated in the best motion picture drama category. “Birdman,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Into the Woods,” “Pride” and “St. Vincent” earned nominations for best comedy or musical.
Although the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which presents the Golden Globes, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences often don’t agree, the Golden Globes are considered a strong indicator of who will take home Oscar gold in February.
Unlike the Academy Awards, though, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association divides its film nominations into drama and comedy or musical categories.
“Hollywood Sessions”: Why Michael Keaton loved watching “Birdman”
Michael Keaton talks about the making of “Birdman” with Eddie Redmayne, Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch and Steve Carell in “Hollywood Sessions.”
Among the actors earning top nominations were Reese Witherspoon (“Wild”), Jennifer Aniston (“Cake”), Julianne Moore (“Still Alice” and “Map to the Stars”), Michael Keaton (“Birdman”), Steve Carell (“Foxcatcher”) and Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”).
The best director nominees were Ava DuVernay (“Selma”), David Fincher (“Gone Girl”), Richard Linklater (“Boyhood”), Alejandro G. Inarritu (“Birdman”) and Wes Anderson (“The Grand Budapest Hotel.”)
On the TV side, “House of Cards” and “Downton Abbey” were among the series earning nominations.
As previously announced, newlywed George Clooney is this year’s recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award.
NBC will air the Golden Globe Awards live Jan. 11 from the Beverly Hills Hotel with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler returning for their third and supposedly final time as hosts.