2025 Golden Globes Predictions: Who I Think Will Win, from ‘The Brutalist’ to ‘The Substance’

• PureWow predicts: The Brutalist
• Last year's winner: Oppenheimer

Breathtaking visual effects, stunning performances and timely themes are just a few reasons I can see this historical drama coming out on top. Easily one of Brady Corbet's best works, it paints an honest portrait of the immigrant experience, thoughtfully exploring the downsides of capitalism, the American Dream, xenophobia and racism. The movie was met with rave reviews and currently has a 97 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Definitely sounds worthy of a Golden Globe win.

• PureWow predicts: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
• Last year's winner: Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

Critics are already predicting an Oscar win for Brody's performance in this haunting 3-hour epic, and it's easy to see why. He portrays a Holocaust survivor and skilled architect who emigrates to America and struggles to achieve the American Dream, and he does such a great job of showing the complex emotions that come with such a big transition. Brody truly embodies the hopeful immigrant who finds joy in his craft, despite the exhausting (and often brutal) journey to success.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture: Drama

• PureWow predicts: Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door)
• Last year's winner: Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) 

This one is tough, because there are so many strong contenders in this category. It could honestly be a toss-up between Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman and Tilda Swinton, but my money is on the latter because I still think about her raw and gripping performance in The Room Next Door. She truly shines as the ill woman who is making her peace with death, and her shared scenes with the equally brilliant Julianne Moore—who plays the reluctant but supportive friend—are phenomenal.

Best Motion Picture: Comedy or Musical

• PureWow predicts: Wicked
• Last year's winner: Poor Things

Sure, I may be biased because I've had "Defying Gravity" on repeat for several days, but it's worth noting that the film was a major box office hit, and it's already generating Oscar buzz, thanks to the epic musical numbers and solid storytelling. Beauty and Cultures Chelsea Candelario wrote in her rave review that "it's worth the hype" and noted the brilliant cast, "from Jonathan Bailey's charisma to Michelle Yeoh's eloquence to Peter Dinklage's impressive voice work as Dr. Dillamond."

Best Actor in a Motion Picture: Comedy or Musical

• PureWow predicts: Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain)
• Last year's winner: Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)

I imagine that many can relate to David's crippling anxiety in this film, because Eisenberg adds so much depth and authenticity to the role. David's complex relationship with his cousin, Benji, makes this film all the more compelling, and David delivers quite a few honest (and memorable) lines. Like: “I love him and I hate him and I want to kill him and I want to be him.” Eisenberg's performance has garnered so much praise from critics that it's hard to imagine him not winning in this category.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture: Comedy or Musical

• PureWow predicts: Demi Moore (The Substance)
• Last year's winner: Emma Stone (Poor Things)

Moore outdid herself in this chilling horror film, where she plays an aging movie star who takes extreme measures to regain her youth and fame. Thanks to her thoughtful and authentic portrayal of Elisabeth Sparkle—easily one of the best roles of her career—the movie was met with critical acclaim. In her honest review, PureWow Senior Editor Dana Dickey wrote, "I was surprised by the emotional undercurrent that kept me engaged, largely thanks to the subtle but powerful acting of Demi Moore."

Best Limited Series

• PureWow predicts: Baby Reindeer
• Last year's winner: Beef

Netflix's Baby Reinder is dark, but arguably one of the streamer's best original shows to date. Both Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning are phenomenal, and the series runs the gamut of emotions, making viewers chuckle one moment and gasp the next. It pulls no punches and it explores heavy topics (like trauma and mental health) with nuance, which explains why the comedy thriller already has six Emmy Awards under its belt—including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.

Best TV Series: Drama

• PureWow predicts: Shōgun
• Last year's winner: Succession

Shōgun, which has already been renewed for a second and third season, currently boasts an impressive 99 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Plus, the historical drama has already earned 18 Emmy Awards, setting a new record for the most-awarded single season in Emmy history. The performances are nothing short of phenomenal, and the show deftly tackles themes like religion and cultural adaptation, so I can definitely see this series coming out on top.

Best Actor in a Drama Series

• PureWow predicts: Hiroyuki Sanada (Shōgun) 
• Last year's winner: Kieran Culkin (Succession)

Sanada deserves this win because he delivers a powerful, career-topping performance as a 17th-century warlord, and countless critics would agree. New York Times writer Mike Hale wrote that he "carries the show as the relentlessly pragmatic, humanely inhumane Toranaga," and Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall said that "Sanada's charisma and intense stillness makes it wholly believable that Toranaga is both an inspiring leader of men and a brilliant strategist who is always five moves ahead of his many enemies." I rest my case.

Best Actress in a Drama Series

• PureWow predicts: Anna Sawai (Shōgun)
• Last year's winner: Sarah Snook (Succession)

Fun Fact: Yoko Shimada made history as the first (and only) Japanese actress to win in this category for her role in the 1980 adaptation of Shogun. So, it's only natural that Sawai wins for her thoughtful and nuanced portrayal of Toda in the modern remake. With her tall posture and steely expressions, she brilliantly depicts a woman who carries an air of confidence and poise while dealing with inner turmoil. It's no wonder the role earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Best TV Series: Musical or Comedy

• PureWow predicts: Abbott Elementary
• Last year's winner: The Bear

Abbott Elementary is the gift that keeps on giving. With three solid seasons and a fourth on the horizon, the ABC sitcom already has three Golden Globe wins, with Quinta Brunson winning the award for Best Actress, Tyler James Williams winning for Best Actor and the show winning for Best Television Series (Musical or Comedy) in 2023. Because of its charming cast and comical take on the education system, we can see why the series is still generating constant buzz. (And why it deserves a Golden Globes victory.)

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Series

• PureWow predicts: Ted Danson (A Man on the Inside)
• Last year's winner: Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)

From Cheers to The Good Place, it's no secret that Danson is a comedic genius. In Netflix's A Man on the Inside, he brings plenty of charm and enthusiasm to his role as a retired-professor-turned-amateur-spy, but his character also has quite a bit of depth, and it's impossible to not root for him. If he wins this category, this will mark Danson's fourth Golden Globes victory.

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Series

• PureWow predicts: Jean Smart (Hacks)
• Last year's winner: Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)

Jean Smart's incredible, layered performance as Vegas star Deborah Vance is so convincing that some fans thought the character was inspired by a real person. Hacks co-showrunner Paul W. Downs told Elle, “Somebody said to a friend of ours, ‘I had no idea about Deborah Vance’s career until I started watching the show,’ as if it was a real comedian. We were like, ‘That’s very nice. But yeah, she’s fictional.’” That alone is a testament to Smart's unmatched talent, and it explains why she has earned three Emmys and a Golden Globe for her role. I'm willing to bet she'll add another trophy to her collection in January.