Awards season is officially underway following the 34th annual Gotham Awards, which took place in New York on Monday. However, audiences are likely much more familiar with the Oscars and the Golden Globes, which will be held early next year.
It’s easy to conflate the two ceremonies, which are both televised, located in Los Angeles and cater to a buzzy set of celebrities, but there are key distinctions between them.
Below, WWD breaks down the differences between the Oscars and the Golden Globes.
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What’s the difference between the Oscars and the Golden Globes?
The Oscars, also known as the Academy Awards, honor artistic and technical achievements in the film industry, while the Golden Globes celebrate excellence in both film and television. The Oscars predate the Golden Globes by 15 years, with the 97th annual ceremony bowing in 2025. The Golden Globes are typically held in January, while the Oscars happen in March.
In 2024, the Golden Globes had 27 categories while the Oscars had 23. Categories for the former are separated by genre, with television shows and films being split between drama and musical or comedy. There is also a separate television category that encompasses limited series, anthology series and movies made for television.
Additionally, the Oscars present technical awards in categories like cinematography, sound design and costume design, which the Golden Globes do not include.
Who votes on the Oscars and the Golden Globes?
The Oscars are voted upon by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which comprises more than 10,000 members across the film industry, including actors, screenwriters and directors.
Winners of the Golden Globes are determined by a group of more than 300 entertainment journalists from 85 different countries. This body was formerly known as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Today, this group is known as the Golden Globes Foundation.
Where do the Oscars and the Golden Globes take place?
Since 2002, the Oscars have been held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, while the Beverly Hilton hotel has hosted the Golden Globes since 1961.
What are the dress codes for the Oscars and the Golden Globes?
The Oscars once had a white tie dress code, which denotes the most formal kind of attire. This was relaxed in 1969, however, when Gower Champion, dancer and Broadway choreographer, was hired to produce the award show. That year, the show’s dress code was changed to black tie.
Today, the dress code at the Oscars is formal, but guests still tend to stick to floor-length gowns, tuxedos and spiffy suits. The AMPAS also has its own Sustainability Style Guide, which encourages attendees to wear vintage, borrowed or recycled looks.
At the Golden Globes, the dress code is typically black tie, though in recent years some guests have flouted the rules. WWD’s Luis Campuzano reported that, at the 2024 ceremony, attendees including Lenny Kravitz, Jonathan Bailey and Pedro Pascal opted for “creative black tie,” putting a more contemporary spin on the dress code — read: cutout jackets and unbuttoned shirts.
Who attends the Oscars and the Golden Globes?
Members of the film industry, including actors and creatives who are nominated, usually attend the Oscars. There is some crossover with the Golden Globes, as many Oscar nominees are also Golden Globes nominees.
For example, in 2024, stars including Emma Stone, Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy attended both ceremonies, with Murphy winning Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama at the Golden Globes and Best Actor at the Oscars for “Oppenheimer.” Stone also scored the Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy and an Oscar for Best Actress that year for her role in “Poor Things.”
Since the Golden Globes also encompasses television, stars and crew members from several hit shows typically attend. Last year, Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White were high-profile guests as “The Bear” swept several categories.