From Ariana Grande to Demi Moore, the seven best celebrity moments from the 2025 Golden Globes

Comedian Nikki Glaser's opening monologue was well received, but Vin Diesel’s special hello to The Rock was awkward

The Golden Globes saw a number of celebrities have funny and awkward interactions on and off the stage. Getty Images. Golden Globes.

While it is always important to celebrate the great wins of film and television every year at the start of award season, it is also always a fun exercise to observe the great celebrity moments of the night.

The 82nd Golden Globe Awards took place on Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in California, where many of the last year's films and television shows were celebrated and actors honoured for their performances.

But what about the unplanned moments between these stars, the jokes at their expenses, and the winning speeches that touched and entertained audiences?

Here are The National’s seven best celebrity moments from this year’s Golden Globe ceremony.

Nikki Glaser’s opening monologue

Stand-up comedian and actress Nikki Glaser was the host of the 2025 Golden Globe Awards. Photo: Golden Globes

The stand-up comedian and actress was nominated for Best Performance in a Stand-Up Comedy on Television for her HBO special Someday You'll Die, and was also the host for this year’s awards.

There is perhaps nothing scrutinised as much as the opening monologue of an award ceremony, and Glaser showed why she was also a nominee with her witty takes on celebrities, each delivered in a sharp and entertaining way.

“Welcome to the 82nd Golden Globes, Ozempic’s biggest night,” she started off as she walked on stage. “I look out and I see some of the hardest working actors in show business and by that I mean your servers.”

Glaser continued her roast of celebrities by mocking them for being so powerful that they were unable to sway this year’s presidential elections. She went on to say that she was “scared” about the country's future and called out to Ariana Grande in the audience for support.

“Ariana hold my finger,” she joked. Glaser was referencing the moment when, during their Wicked tour this year, Grande went viral with co-star Cynthia Erivo for holding her finger during a moment of solidarity in a press interview.

Ariana Grande holding Cynthia Erivo’s finger as part of Nikki Glaser's opening monologue. Photo: Golden Globes

In Golden Globe tradition, Glaser made light of the television nominations by also making another Wicked press tour reference. “Tonight we celebrate the best of film and hold space for television,” she said as the audience laughed.

Holding space was a phrase used by journalist Tracy E Gilchrist while speaking to Grande and Erivo in reference to the lyrics of the title song of the film, Defying Gravity.

Another moment that went viral from Glaser’s speech was her mockery of actor Timothee Chalamet's surname, saying it sounded like something actor Adam Sandler would say in his iconic accent. She then turned to Sandler, who was in the audience, and asked him to pronounce Chalamet’s name, which he obliged.

Glaser also made a joke at the expense of Selena Gomez’s fiance, record producer and songwriter Benny Blanco. “And she’s here tonight with her new fiance Benny Blanco, yes, and Benny Blanco is here because of the genie who granted him that wish.”

Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet were seated together at the Golden Globes. Photo: Golden Globes

The notoriously private couple are not often seen together in spite of the public persona of Jenner’s reality star family. However at last year’s Golden Globes, fans were privy to seeing intimate moments between the couple, as Jenner and Chalamet were filmed, speaking to each other and holding hands and kissing.

Similarly this year, Jenner accompanied Chalamet as his date. And while they were not seen or photographed together on the red carpet, there were again seen on their table having some warm moments.

The couple were filmed having private conversations, Jenner playfully photographing Chalamet with her camera, and looking at him approvingly or laughing with him during Glaser comments about his name and moustache in her opening monologue.

Sofia Vergara’s reaction to Jodie Foster’s win

Jodie Foster and Sofia Velgara had a funny moment during the Golden Globe. Photo: Golden Globes

Both actresses were nominated for Best Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture, Vergara for Griselda and Foster for True Detective. When Foster was announced as the winner and walked on to the stage to accept the award and started her speech, Vergara was heard yelling “give me one!”

Foster laughed and in her speech, while mentioning that at this age and time in her career it was important to have a supportive community around her, made sure to mention Vergara by name. “Especially you Sophia!” she said in jest, pointing at Vergara in the audience.

Demi Moore’s win

Demi Moore giving her acceptance speech on stage at the Golden Globes 2025. Photo: Golden Globes

The actress who has a firm and renowned place as an influential pop culture figure was visibly emotional after collecting her first Golden Globe award for her performance in the film The Substance.

Moore addressed the audience, stating this was the first time in her 45-year career that she has ever won anything as an actor. “Thirty years ago I had a producer tell me that I was a popcorn actress,” she said. “And at that time I made that mean that this wasn’t something I was allowed to have, that I could do movies that were successful that made a lot of money but that I couldn’t be acknowledged, and I bought in and I believed that.”

She went on to say that this belief “corroded me over time” to the point where she thought a few years ago that her career was done until she was presented with the script for The Substance.

“In those moments when we don’t think we are smart enough or pretty enough or skinny enough or successful enough or basically just not enough …” she continued to say. “I had a woman say to me, just know, you will never be enough, but you can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick.”

Tadanobu Asano’s happiness

Japanese actor and star of the epic historical show Shogun gave a short but endearing acceptance speech when he won the award for Best Male Supporting Actor in a Television Series.

“Wow, maybe you don’t know me. I’m an actor from Japan, my name is Tadanobu Asano, wow. Thank you so much,” he said. “I’m filming so I have to go to Tokyo tonight. Tomorrow morning I go to shooting again. But this is very big present for me. Thank you so much. Thank you Shogun team, thank you everybody. I’m very happy.”

Elton John’s reaction

Elton John with artist Brandi Carlile on stage. Photo: Golden Globes

The multiple Grammy award-winning artist and legendary cultural figure was on stage with artist Brandi Carlile to present the award for Original Score in a Motion Picture.

John started of with a strong joke, making mention of the media speculating about his regressive eye sight. He reassured the audience that “it’s not as bad as it seems,” before stating that he was so pleased to be there with his co-host Rihanna.

However, even more entertaining was when he and Carlile announced the winners – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the composers for the film Challengers – to which John let out two enthusiastic ‘yay!’s. Based on his reaction, John is obviously a fan of the duo.

Vin Diesel and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

When Vin Diesel walked on stage to present the award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, no one expected him to give a special hello to The Rock

The two action stars have had a long-running feud during their time working together on the Fast and Furious franchise, particularly in the film The Fate of the Furious. Both Johnson and Vin Diesel have in the past called each other out and used less than pleasant terms to refer to each other in the media.

However during the Golden Globes ceremony as seen in the video above, Vin Diesel walks up on stage, looks mockingly at him and says “Hey Dwayne”. Johnson smiles with some awkwardness.