'Argo' Golden Globe Winner

In a surprise move at the 70th Golden Globe Awards on January 13, 2013, the award for Best Drama went to Argo, the true story of how the CIA faked a science-fiction movie as cover to rescue hostages in Iran. Ben Affleck also won Best Director, which was notable because he had been overlooked for an Academy Award nomination just days earlier.

Argo taking the top award was an upset over Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, which took home Best Actor in a Drama for Daniel Day-Lewis, and Zero Dark Thirty, which won Best Actress in a Drama for Jessica Chastain. Django Unchained nabbed Best Screenplay for Quentin Tarantino along with Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz, and Life of Pi won Best Original Score for Mychael Danna.

Even with the win, Argo was considered a longshot for the Best Picture Oscar, given Affleck's snub for a Best Director nomination. The last movie to win the top prize without its director being nominated was Driving Miss Daisy in 1990. The directors of fellow Best Picture nominees Zero Dark Thirty (Kathryn Bigelow), Django Unchained (Quentin Tarantino), and Les Miserables (Tom Hooper) were also left off the Best Director list.

In the Comedy/Musical categories, Les Miserables dominated, winning Best Picture, Best Actor for Hugh Jackman, and Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway. Jennifer Lawrence was named Best Actress in a Comedy for Silver Linings Playbook.

The film winners

Best Motion Picture, Drama: Argo Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Les Miserables Best Director: Ben Affleck, Argo Best Actor, Drama: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln Best Actress, Drama: Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty Best Actor, Comedy or Musical: Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables Best Actress, Comedy or Musical: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables Best Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained Best Original Score: Mychael Danna, Life of Pi Best Original Song: "Skyfall," Adele, Skyfall Best Animated Feature: Brave Best Foreign Language Film: Amour

The television winners

Best Drama Series: Homeland Best Comedy Series: Girls Best Miniseries or TV Movie: Game Change Best Actor, Drama: Damian Lewis, Homeland Best Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, Homeland Best Actor, Comedy: Don Cheadle, House of Lies Best Actress, Comedy: Lena Dunham, Girls Best Actor, Miniseries: Kevin Costner, Hatfields and McCoys Best Actress, Miniseries: Julianne Moore, Game Change Cecil B. DeMille Award: Jodie Foster

What happened next

The Globes turned out to be the leading indicator everyone dismissed. Argo went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, becoming the first film since Driving Miss Daisy to take the top Oscar without a directing nomination for its filmmaker. Affleck's snub became the story of the Oscar season, and his Globe speech, gracious and a little stunned, became its symbol.

FAQ

When were the 70th Golden Globes? January 13, 2013, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

What won Best Drama? Argo, in an upset over Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty.

Why was Affleck's director win notable? He had just been snubbed for an Oscar directing nomination, as had Bigelow, Tarantino, and Hooper.

Did Argo win the Oscar? Yes, Best Picture, despite the directing snub.

The takeaway

The Globes called it, the pundits doubted it, and the Oscars confirmed it. Argo's night was the night the awards season stopped pretending it knew what would happen next.