NBC won’t air Golden Globes in 2022 due diversity criticisms

The Golden Globes and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the enigmatic, celeb-loving organization that gives out the awards, came under fire this year for the lack of Black nominees, and things got even more heated when, after this year’s awards it was revealed that they had had no black members for nearly two decades. NBC, the network that produces and airs the Golden Globes ceremony, said that it encouraged the HFPA to make “necessary changes.” NBC has now announced that they will not air the Golden Globes in 2022.

“We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform,” NBC said in a statement. “However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right. As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globes. Assuming the organization executes on its plan, we are hopeful we will be in a position to air the show in January 2023.”

The announcement comes after the HFPA announced that it had passed a plan for inclusion and reform that was met with widespread criticism. Both Netflix and Amazon Studios announced they would not work with the Golden Globes until more meaningful changes were made. Netflix’s Ted Sarandos told Deadline that the the new policies did not fully address “systemic diversity and inclusion challenges, or the lack of clear standards” for HFPA members, while GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said the reforms “do not go far enough to ensure the organization as a place where historically marginalized communities — including the LGBTQ community — feel welcomed.”

In addition to NBC’s announcement, Deadline reports that Tom Cruise has returned the three Golden Globes he was awarded over the years. Scarlett Johansson, meanwhile, slammed the HFPA in a statement, saying, “As an actor promoting a film, one is expected to participate in awards season by attending press conferences as well as awards shows. In the past, this has often meant facing sexist questions and remarks by certain HFPA members that bordered on sexual harassment. It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences.”