Golden Globes 2026: Sean Penn's Indoor Smoking and Seyfried's Reactions Steal Spotlight

The 2026 Golden Globe Awards ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, was meant to celebrate the year's finest in film and television. However, the event was equally notable for a series of off-camera incidents involving A-list stars behaving questionably, from blatantly ignoring venue rules to displaying less-than-gracious loser etiquette.

Stars Flout Rules and Etiquette

Sean Penn, 65, sparked controversy after multiple reports confirmed he lit a cigarette inside the strictly smoke-free Beverly Hilton. According to a live blog from Vanity Fair, the two-time Oscar winner disregarded the venue's policy to satisfy a nicotine craving. Reporter Rebecca Ford noted that 'several guests' were seeking outdoor smoking areas, but one director witnessed Penn 'just light up inside the theater, right at his table.' This follows Penn's chain-smoking during a news conference at the 2024 Marrakech International Film Festival. Representatives for Penn have not yet commented.

Meanwhile, Amanda Seyfried's conduct drew scrutiny after she lost in two categories. The 40-year-old actress, nominated for 'The Testament of Ann Lee' and 'Long Bright River', was seen grimacing with a pained expression when she lost the Motion Picture Actress award to Rose Byrne for 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'. She later faced further attention for her reaction to Michelle Williams ('Dying for Sex') beating her in the Limited Series category. Social media users were quick to comment, with one noting, 'Amanda Seyfried not paying attention and preemptively clapping because she probably didn't think she'd win is the best thing I've seen all night.'

Winners, Losers, and a Muted Tribute

In terms of awards, the night belonged to Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another', which won four Golden Globes including Best Picture - Comedy or Musical. However, its star, Leonardo DiCaprio, saw his Oscar hopes dented as Timothee Chalamet surged ahead in the Best Actor betting odds after winning Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for 'Marty Supreme'. According to prediction market Kalshi, Chalamet is now the massive favourite for the Academy Award in March.

Chalamet's acceptance speech also raised eyebrows for its muted acknowledgement of girlfriend Kylie Jenner, whom he simply referred to as 'partner', a stark contrast to his bold declaration of love for her at the Critics Choice Awards the previous week.

On the drama side, 'Hamnet', starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, took the top prize of Best Picture - Drama, with Buckley winning Best Actress in a Drama. In television, Netflix's 'Adolescence' swept its categories, with 16-year-old Owen Cooper becoming one of the youngest Globe winners ever.

The ceremony concluded with a tribute to the late filmmaker Rob Reiner that left many viewers cold. Host Nikki Glaser donned a 'Spinal Tap' baseball cap and said the show 'went to 11', a reference to Reiner's comedy. The gesture was criticised online as 'the most tepid Rob Reiner tribute imaginable'. Furthermore, several notable guests, including Selena Gomez and Kristen Bell, reportedly left the event early before all major awards had been handed out.