When Natalie Portman called out ‘all men nominees’ for Best Director at Golden Globes 2018 | Watch

In 2018, Natalie Portman made waves at the Golden Globe Awards by addressing the absence of any female nominees for Best Director. Dressed in a stunning black gown, the actress co-presented the award with a remark that raised eyebrows. This critique echoed in subsequent years, as 2019 also saw an all-male list of best director nominees. However, in a positive shift two years later, three out of the five nominees were women.

How did Natalie shame an all-men nominations list?

As Portman’s co-presenter said, “To be here to present the award for best director,” Natalie added, “And here are the all-men nominees”. This throwback video of Portman's bold statement resurfaced on YouTube, sparking varied responses.

Netizens' reaction to Natalie's statement

Some viewers applauded her and expressed sentiments like, "Male directors, I'm really happy for you, but females directed some of the best videos of all time! Of all time!" Others agreed, highlighting the systemic issues in Hollywood's nomination process and questioning if women were provided equal opportunities and resources.

However, not everyone supported Portman's stance. Critics pointed out that despite her advocacy, she, too, had a production company where she hired only one woman – herself. Some argued that her approach overshadowed the achievements of those nominated, turning a celebratory moment into a platform for ideological discussions on quotas.

The 2018 Golden Globe nominees for Best Director included Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman, Peter Farrelly for Green Book, Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born, and Adam McKay for Vice.

Golden Globe Awards 2024 details

The upcoming 81st Golden Globes will be taking place on Sunday, January 7th. The three-hour show will be hosted by comedian Jo Koy and the list of presenters includes Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Affleck, Dua Lipa, Angela Bassett, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Annette Bening, Mark Hamill, Kevin Costner, Jonathan Bailey, Orlando Bloom and Will Ferrell among others.