Golden Globe Awards 2022 Set For January 9, COVID Forces Exclusion Of Audience And Media

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is moving ahead with the 2022 edition of Golden Globe Awards on January 9 but the event will be without audience or media in attendance due to the rising cases of Covid variant Omicron. Select HFPA members and philanthropists will be in attendance as this year’s nominees are feted, and winners revealed.

Golden Globes 2022: HFPA Announces Date For The 79th Ceremony As January 9

"Over the past 25 years, the HFPA has donated $50 million to more than 70 entertainment-related charities, film restoration, scholarship programs and humanitarian efforts; incredibly impactful organizations, many of whom were hit hard over the last two years as a result of the pandemic," the HFPA said in a statement.

The HFPA also plans to use the event as an opportunity to redress ongoing diversity concerns that the organisation has been facing for a while now.

"During the program, Kyle Bowser, Senior Vice President of the NAACP Hollywood Bureau, will further discuss the 'Reimagine Coalition,' a joint five-year initiative to increase diversity, equity and inclusion across the global entertainment industry," the HFPA said.

"Each year the HFPA and the NAACP Hollywood Bureau will collaborate on, fund, and support a series of trailblazing initiatives, with the overall goals of ensuring visibility of projects from artists of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds; increasing diverse representation in the industry; and building pathways to inclusion for young artists and journalists of color," the association added in the statement.

Attendees are required to have proof of vaccination and a booster shot along with a negative PCR test in the last 48 hours before the entry to the event. All guests will be masked and socially distanced at all times within the ballroom. There will be no red carpet, and no media credential requests will be accepted.

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"Over the last eight months, the HFPA has completely overhauled its bylaws, implementing sweeping changes from top to bottom that address ethics and code of conduct, diversity, equity and inclusion, governance, membership, and more. Recently, the HFPA admitted their largest and most diverse class to date of 21 new members, all of whom are first-time Golden Globe voters," the organisation said in a release, posted on its official website.

The HFPA, which consists of US-based international journalists, has been at the centre of criticism after an investigative report by The Los Angeles Times last year revealed lack of representation of Black and female members in its ranks, accusations of self-dealing and other issues, leading to severe criticism from Hollywood stars to production companies.