Golden Globes: Colin Farrell pays emotional tribute to Brendan Gleeson after Best Actor win

Colin Farrell brought the house down last night as he accepted the Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy award at the Golden Globes for his part in The Banshees of Inisherin.

Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy also won in the Best Picture – Musical or Comedy category, while the Irish writer-director took home the gong for Best Screenplay.

Farrell's emotional speech saw shoutouts to his fellow cast-mates, including his "dance partner" Brendan Gleeson, who he heaped praise upon.

""All I did when I came to work every day was aspire to be your equal," he said, "I love you."

He also told off Dubliner co-star Barry Keoghan for eating his Crunchy Nut cereal, thereby "sending a man off to work in the morning with an empty stomach" and delivered warm words to the "family" of communities who welcomed them on Achill Island during filming.

Farrell initially began his speech by thanking Banshees and In Bruges director, McDonagh.

"Martin McDonagh thank you so much for. 14 years ago, you put me working with Brendan Gleeson my dance partner and you changed the trajectory of my life forever in ways I will be begrudgingly grateful for the rest of my days.

"I never expect the films I work on to find an audience but when they do it's shocking to me so I am so horrified by what has happened around Banshees over the last couple of months in a thrilling kind of way."

This speech. Colin Farrell telling Brendan Gleeson he loves him. The emotion. The charisma… Toxic masculinity found dead in a ditch!!!! #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/xWGngZ9UId

— Meech (@MediumSizeMeech) January 11, 2023

14 years earlier, Farrell won a Globe for McDonagh's In Bruges, which likewise paired him with Brendan Gleeson. In his remarks, Farrell thanked the playwright, his castmates, his kids and the film’s donkey, Jenny.

Spielberg’s autobiographical coming-of-age film The Fabelmans won best drama film and the dark friendship tale The Banshees of Inisherin, captured best film, comedy or musical. Abbott Elementary, White Lotus and House of the Dragon led the TV awards.

For the fifth time, one of Spielberg's films won a best picture Globe. Nominated 14 times by the Globes for best director, Spielberg also won the honour for the third time.

The first award of the night went to Ke Huy Quan, the former child star of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, for Best Supporting Actor in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

A hugely emotional Quan, who had left acting years before directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert cast him in their multiverse tale, thanked them for his second act.

"More than 30 years later, two guys thought of me," said Quan. “They remembered that kid. And they gave me the opportunity to try again.”

Michelle Yeoh, star of Everything Everywhere At Once, also won, for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical, while Jennifer Coolidge won her first Golden Globe award. She was helped up the stairs by Colin Farrell in a touching moment for the veteran American Pie actress and White Lotus star.

For your consideration: the moment Jennifer Coolidge saw Colin Farrell offer his arm to walk her up the stairs #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/ZHnAHmVs8b

— Ashley Spencer (@AshleyySpencer) January 11, 2023