ADOLESCENCE AND THE WHITE LOTUS IN BLOCKBUSTER AWARDS SHOWDOWN

The race to the 2026 Golden Globe Awards is officially underway, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most competitive years in recent memory. The nominations, announced yesterday, revealed a stacked lineup across both film and television, with two shows in particular, Adolescence and The White Lotus, going head-to-head in one of the most heated TV award battles we’ve seen in years.

While the TV categories fuel the biggest buzz, the film side is equally dramatic. Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest epic, One Battle After Another, stormed ahead of all film contenders with an impressive nine nominations. The sweeping drama earned nods for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor for DiCaprio himself, alongside strong supporting nominations for Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn. With such a heavyweight cast and creative team behind it, the awards chatter surrounding the film has intensified, positioning it firmly as a frontrunner.

One Battle After Another dominated the 2026 Golden Globe nominations, announced on Monday ahead of the January 11 ceremony.

In the Best Picture, Musical or Comedy category, One Battle After Another will face off against Blue Moon, Bugonia, Marty Supreme, No Other Choice, and Nouvelle Vague. However, the biggest shock came from what wasn’t included - Wicked: For Good was widely expected to appear but was noticeably snubbed. The omission has already sparked discussions online about what it means for the blockbuster musical’s awards campaign.

Adolescence stars Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty both earned acting nominations, with the Netflix hit receiving five nods in total.

Over in the Drama category, the Best Picture nominees are just as competitive. Frankenstein, Hamnet, It Was Just An Accident, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Values, and Sinners will all vie for the prestigious title. With a mix of literary adaptations, high-budget thrillers and emotional dramas, this section of the awards night promises no easy predictions.

On the television side, the critically acclaimed Netflix hit Adolescence continued its meteoric rise, fresh off its success at the Emmys. The show secured nominations for all its principal cast members, Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and breakout star Owen Cooper, who at just 16 has now become one of the youngest Golden Globe acting nominees in recent years. Ashley Walters’ surprise nomination added even more firepower, giving the series a total of five nominations, including Best Limited TV Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for TV.

But while Adolescence made an impressive showing, it was HBO’s The White Lotus that landed six nominations, narrowly beating its streaming rival. The nominations were driven largely by its ensemble cast, which includes some of Hollywood’s biggest names and fan-favourite performers. With its razor-sharp writing and character-driven drama, The White Lotus has consistently dominated awards-season conversations, and this year is no different.

The White Lotus edged out Adolescence with six nominations, most of them in acting categories thanks to its all-star cast.

For viewers, this sets the stage for an exciting showdown: the fresh, youth-driven intensity of Adolescence versus the polished prestige and proven awards pedigree of The White Lotus. Fans of both shows are already debating the outcomes online, and as Golden Globes voting gets underway, the competition looks closer than ever.

With so many heavyweight contenders across film and television, the 2026 Golden Globe Awards promise an evening full of surprises, emotional wins, and possibly a few shock upsets. Whether you’re cheering for DiCaprio’s commanding turn, the rising stars of Adolescence, or the powerhouse ensemble of The White Lotus, one thing is certain, this year’s ceremony will be unmissable.

The Wicked sequel was a surprise snub, missing out on the Best Musical or Comedy category, though Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande still earned recognition in the acting categories.