As this awful year of 2020 draws to a close, all of us here at Gold Derby want to have brighter, happier thoughts. That’s why we are thinking back to the greatest awards moments from an otherwise dreadful and dreary year.
Tour our photo gallery featuring 16 selections by editors and contributors from Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes and more. They include shocking wins, amazing speeches, hilarious presenters and knockout performances. Our choices feature “Parasite” victories for the film awards, “Schitt’s Creek,” “Watchmen,” “Succession” and Zendaya wins for TV, Taron Egerton and Ramy Youssef at the Globes, Billie Eilish‘s domination and virtual ceremonies everywhere.
Do you think we forgot to mention anything on this list? Be sure to sound off and let us know your favorites in the comments below.
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“Parasite” wins Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars
Image Credit: JOHN ANGELILLO/UPI/Newscom/The Mega Agency You could tell Jane Fonda knew she was participating in history when she opened that Best Picture envelope and announced “Parasite” the winner, making it the first foreign language film to claim the top prize in the Academy’s 92-year history. But that wasn’t even the most shocking moment of the night. No one was more surprised than “Parasite” helmer Bong Joon Ho when Spike Lee called his name for Best Director, and you can’t blame him considering frontrunner Sam Mendes had won the lion’s share of precursors for “1917.” Director Bong used the opportunity to acknowledge his fellow nominees, paying tribute to Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”) and thanking Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) for championing his early works before expressing a desire to take “a Texas chainsaw” to the Oscar statuette and split it between them, Mendes and Todd Phillips (“Joker”). It was a cinephile’s dream of an acceptance speech from a cinephile’s dream director. Written by Zach Laws.
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“Schitt’s Creek” Emmy sweep
Image Credit: ABC/Disney Few could have predicted just one year after getting their first Emmy nominations, that the small-budget Canadian comedy would end up pulling off an unprecedented sweep of the comedy categories in its final season. Comedy legends Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy finally earning Emmys for acting already had me emotional but seeing Dan Levy and Annie Murphy also accept well-deserved trophies for their hilarious, poignant work was just the cherry on top. What made the sweep extra special was that they were all together, allowing us to witness precious moments like Eugene taking the time to acknowledge how his son made the show what it was, O’Hara being given a standing ovation by her fellow castmates and Dan giving Murphy a giant hug after her win. Written by Kevin Jacobsen.
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Jeremy Strong wins for “Succession” at the Emmys
Image Credit: Television Academy / ABC What I love about Jeremy Strong’s Emmy win is that it was a rare instance of voters choosing the same performer from a stellar and large ensemble as I would for recognition. While any of the “Succession” nominees would have deserved a win, Strong gives a tour-de-force performance that truly is the beating pulse of the show. That he seemed shocked and overwhelmed by the win makes it all the more sweet to have seen play out for an actor so worthy. Written by John Benutty.
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Billie Eilish’s sweep at the Grammys
Image Credit: CHRISTINE CHEW/UPI/Newscom/The Mega Agency Billie Eilish’s historic sweep of the Grammys broke ground for so many reasons. Most importantly, the 18-year-old singer-songwriter is now the youngest Album of the Year winner ever (sorry, Taylor Swift). Eilish is also the second youngest Best New Artist champ (behind LeAnn Rimes) and the second person ever to claim all four general field categories (after Christopher Cross). Written by Marcus Dixon.
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Zendaya wins for “Euphoria” at the Emmys
Image Credit: Television Academy / ABC In the weeks leading up to the Emmys, I had a sneaking suspicion that people were passionate about Zendaya and her breathtaking turn as the troubled Rue on Sam Levinson’s audacious and electric “Euphoria.” When the ingenue was announced as the winner of Best Drama Actress, it felt like the remote pandemic Emmys erupted in a pure moment of unbridled joy. I know I certainly did. This is just the beginning for Zendaya. She’s the real deal. Written by Rob Licuria.
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Awkwafina wins for “The Farewell” at the Golden Globes
Image Credit: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency Awkwafina made history as the first woman of Asian descent to win the Globe for Best Comedy/Musical Actress for her performance in “The Farewell.” While that statistic alone would have made her victory special, it was particularly moving to see the usually boisterous comic get choked up in her speech. Of course, Awkwafina also managed to land a joke amid her heartfelt thank yous. “If I fall upon hard times, I can sell this, so that’s good,” quipped the actress. Written by Sam Eckmann.
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Eminem’s surprise Oscar performance of “Lose Yourself”
Image Credit: AMPAS / ABC In Hollywood, it’s very difficult to keep a secret. However, members of this year’s Oscar audience (and presumably some dogged reporters) were shocked when, without any introduction, a figure rose up from beneath the stage, a figure who was revealed to be Academy Award winner Eminem. With its first unmistakable notes, Eminem launched into “Lose Yourself,” the song that brought him the Oscar at the 2003 ceremony, though he was not present that year so he was unable to accept his trophy or perform the song. This year, that slight was corrected, as the secret held — crew members given a rundown sheet saw the phrase OMIT ITEM in the place where the Eminem performance was to be, and no one was the wiser. Though there were a few grumblers in the audience — Martin Scorsese’s disapproving expression quickly became an internet meme — most of the audience was rockin’, with several older actors mouthing the lyrics perfectly. For five glorious minutes, the place to be was the party at the Dolby Theater. Written by Tom O’Brien.
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Regina King among several “Watchmen” Emmy winners
Image Credit: Television Academy / ABC “Watchmen” stars, Regina King and Yayha Abdul-Mateen II, each took home an Emmy for Best Limited Series Actress and Supporting Actor, respectively. Both took their moment to spotlight Black women. King, who earned her fourth Emmy Award in five years wore a t-shirt with a picture of Breonna Taylor with the words “Say Her Name” written across the top as tribute to Taylor who was murdered by a police officer in her apartment. In his acceptance speech, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, dedicated his win to “all the Black women in my life”. It was a great moment as a Black man to see two deserving actors be recognized for their work but to also use their platform shine a spotlight on a group that is too often overlooked. Written by Cordell Martin.
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Ramy Youssef wins for “Ramy” at the Golden Globes
Image Credit: Jen Lowery / MEGA The first award presented at this year’s Golden Globes was one of the biggest surprises but it also became one of the best wins and speeches of the night. Ramy Youssef didn’t even think he was going to win Best TV Comedy Actor for his self-titled Hulu show (thanks to his seating placement and Gold Derby’s odds). He started off by thanking his God (“Allahu Akbar”) and then said to the audience, “I know you guys haven’t seen my show. Eveyone’s like, ‘Is this an editor?’” He also thanked his mom, who he admitted “was rooting for Michael Douglas. Egyptians love Michael Douglas.” It was the perfect way to entice more people to watch the show and probably helped him land two Emmy nominations later in the year. Written by Charles Bright.
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Daytime Emmys 2020 virtual telecast
Image Credit: Daytime Emmys When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and forced awards shows to flee during the spring, who’d have thought that the pioneers into the socially distanced awards space would be the Daytime Emmys? They bounced around between cable TV and online ceremonies in recent years, but their surprisingly smooth and streamlined 2020 events — starting with a televised ceremony on CBS and followed by streaming ceremonies for other categories — were a proof of concept that laid the groundwork for the innovative awards shows that followed. Written by Daniel Montgomery.
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Taron Egerton wins for “Rocketman” at the Golden Globes
Image Credit: JIM RUYMEN/UPI/Newscom/The Mega Agency Though he didn’t land a well-deserved Oscar nomination, “Rocketman” star Taron Egerton blasted off into the awards derby with a victory at the Golden Globes for his brilliantly confident, uncanny, and gamut-running turn as iconic musician Elton John in the fantasy biopic. The Globes love musical performances—Egerton himself sang at least 20 of Elton’s best-known songs in the film—so it may not have surprised many pundits that he took the prize over an incredibly impressive category that included Leonardo DiCaprio and Eddie Murphy. And while Egerton gave a perfectly lovely speech, Elton’s unbridled joy at Egerton’s win made the moment truly soar. Elton, who also picked up a Globe and Oscar for the original song he wrote for the movie, couldn’t leap out of his seat fast enough to applaud the actor, and the camera catches his utterly gobsmacked and elated expression before Egerton thanks the singer himself for “living a life less ordinary.” – Written by David Buchanan.
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The “Pand-Emmys” are revealed with host Jimmy Kimmel
Image Credit: Television Academy / ABC Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue at the Emmys this year was the least funny one that he has given at an awards show, but it was perfectly calibrated. The comedy that was there made for sufficient escapism, with a reassuring host in Kimmel taking time to explain why it was okay to laugh. Kimmel’s jokes appeared to be received by an uproarious audience; no matter what point it became clear that the editors were recycling reaction shots from previous ceremonies, the ensuing image of Kimmel standing before an empty arena made for a chilling reveal worthy of a great anthology series. The gag realized the potential of television as an art form, using fantasy to illustrate our real-world tragedy. Written by Riley Chow.
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Tom Hanks receives Cecil B. DeMille Award
Image Credit: NBC / HFPA Any chance to get Tom Hanks on stage giving a 7-minute speech is a good thing. He received the Cecil B. DeMille Award almost a year ago at the Golden Globes and got quite emotional about his family and the star-studded audience. Shout-out to both “The Love Boat” and “Bosom Buddies”, plus almost making presenter Charlize Theron cry. Tom, we have checked the gate and the gate is good! Written by Chris Beachum.
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Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles tribute to Laura Dern at the Indie Spirits
Image Credit: IFC / Film Independent Laura Dern swept the season for her turn in “Marriage Story,” capping it off with her first Oscar, but let’s be real, her greatest honor came at the Independent Spirit Awards. No, we’re not talking about the Robert Altman Award that the “Marriage Story” cast received, but a tribute from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. The choir was ostensibly there to croon about the gayest moments that you didn’t realize were gay in 2019’s top films (“J.Lo pole-dancing to Fiona Apple,” “The title of the film ‘Diane’”), but the song soon morphed into a hilarious serenade of Dern and her “Marriage Story” highlights (“Laura Dern ordering a kale salad,” “Laura Dern dressed slutty in court”) – and just, you know, all of Laura Dern. The only thing that made this even better was Dern vibing to the whole thing. In conclusion: Laura Dern. Written by Joyce Eng.
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Julia Garner wins again for “Ozark” at the Emmys
Image Credit: ABC / Television Academy There is a lot that came together to produce my shout for joy when Julia Garner’s name was read aloud on Emmy night. First and foremost, she saved “Ozark” from going 0 for 18 for what was an incredible season of TV that should have been showered with multiple statuettes instead of having to settle on just one. But there is something uniquely special about Garner, 26, being the one from a cast of legendary veteran actors to save the day; it only speaks to the quality of work she has turned in as her character Ruth Langmore. A lot of people chalked up her first victory in 2019 to the inevitable vote-split between the four “Game of Thrones” gals, but there is no way of denying the chord she’s struck with this turn after triumphing a second time over titans including Meryl Streep. The moment was capped off by a moving speech from an awestruck Garner, who needed a few seconds to grasp that she had actually won. Honestly though, she deserved the gold alone for calling Laura Linney a “b****wolf” onscreen. Written by Luca Giliberti.
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“Parasite” wins for film ensemble at SAG Awards
Image Credit: TNT / SAG AFTRA Despite not having a single nominee in any of the individual acting categories, “Parasite” made history by becoming the first foreign film to win as the top film ensemble at the SAG Awards. The all-Korean cast upset the year’s front-runner, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” proving it had enthusiastic support from actors. That support would prove to be beneficial when “Parasite” went on to become the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars as well. Watching this cast of incredible Korean actors receive a thunderous standing ovation as they accepted their award was one of the highlights of the 2020 awards season. Written by Denton Davidson.
