Tom Cruise is adding his name to the list of stars protesting the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, returning the three Golden Globe Awards he has won over the years to the HFPA shortly before NBC confirmed it would not be airing the 2022 Globes, Deadline reported Monday. Cruise’s three wins at the Globes included that for Best Actor in Jerry Maguire and Born on the Fourth of July as well as the Best Supporting Actor trophy he won for Magnolia.
Cruise has four additional Golden Globes nominations to his name, including Best Actor for The Last Samurai, Best Supporting Actor in Tropic Thunder, Best Actor in A Few Good Men and Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for Risky Business. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been subject to widespread criticism over its lack of diversity with the revelation that the group lacked a single Black member, amid other complaints, and has been called to enact drastic reform measures by heavy-hitting studios such as Amazon, Netflix, and WarnerMedia.
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NBC announced Monday that amid the controversy surrounding the HFPA, it would not be broadcasting the 2022 ceremony, but would keep open options for the future. “We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform. However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right,” the network said in a statement. “As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globe. Assuming the organization executes on its plan, we are hopeful we will be in a position to air the show in January 2023.”
Cruise is the first actor to return his trophies in protest but stars like Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson have openly spoken out against the HFPA, with the Black Widow star calling out the organization for “sexist questions and remarks” from members “that bordered on sexual harassment.”
“It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences,” she said in a statement obtained by Deadline. “The HFPA is an organization that was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein to amass momentum for Academy recognition, and the industry followed suit. Unless there is necessary fundamental reform within the organization, I believe it is time that we take a step back from the HFPA and focus on the importance and strength of unity within our unions and the industry as a whole.”
