Entertainment,Awards & EventsJAN 12, 2026

2026 Golden Globes Faces Chaos As "Arrogant Stars" Leave Early And Smoke At Tables Despite Ban

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The 2026 Golden Globes brought together some of the biggest names in Hollywood, from Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Roberts to Sean Penn and George Clooney.

Image credits: Kevork Djansezian/CBS/Getty Images

The ceremony was particularly memorable, as it marked the first Golden Globe for 30-year-old Timothée Chalamet, who won for his role in Marty Supreme.

Highlights

A group of celebrities ignored guest bans at the Golden Globes, sparking criticism from viewers.
The ceremony was held on Sunday (December 11) at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California.
Not everyone stayed for the full three-hour event, which honored the best in film and television of the past year.

It also featured the first-ever “Best Podcast” award, which went to Good Hang with Amy Poehler.

As the awards show does not allow the general public to purchase tickets, much of what unfolds behind the scenes remains unknown.

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However, according to a Vanity Fair source, a few A-listers reportedly broke the rules of the prestigious ceremony.

Sean Penn, who was nominated for his role in One Battle After Another, raised eyebrows after lighting a cigarette inside the Beverly Hilton hotel, where the ceremony was held.

The two-time Oscar winner appeared to disregard the rule prohibiting smoking inside the venue.

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Rebecca Ford, a senior correspondent for Vanity Fair, shared that “several guests” looked for a spot to smoke outside, but said that one director told her “he saw Sean Penn just light up inside the theater, right at his table.”

Reacting to the report, one viewer called Sean "arrogant,” while another said he was “full of himself” for ignoring the ban.

Another group of viewers jumped to his defense, writing, “So funny the hysteria over something so banal.”

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It wasn’t an ideal evening for Sean, whose appearance was compared to a “leather handbag” by the host, comedian Nikki Glaser.

"Everyone in this town is obsessed with looking younger, but Sean Penn is like, 'What if I slowly morph into a s*xy leather handbag?'" Nikki quipped, making the 65-year-old laugh. "It's hot. It's good."

She also joked about the actor’s humanitarian efforts, adding, "I feel like a lot of actors talk the talk, but Sean Penn will actually go to the places in the world that need help the most—and he will do c*caine there."

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Another group of guests exposed for controversial behavior included Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco, Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, and Keegan-Michael Key, who reportedly broke protocol by leaving the ceremony before many winners received their prizes.

Selena was nominated for Only Murders in the Building but left empty-handed. Meanwhile, Dax was nominated in the Best Podcast category, and Kristen received a nomination for Nobody Wants This.

Image credits: selenagomez/Instagram

Comedian Kevin Hart also tried to exit the ceremony early and was even called out on stage by Julia Roberts.

“Kevin Hart, thank you for staying. Cause he was gonna leave, and I said, ‘Can you stay?’” the actress told the crowd when presenting Best Motion Picture–Musical or Comedy, prompting the stand-up comedian to laugh.

Image credits: Golden Globes

Another moment that left viewers disappointed was Nikki Glaser’s tribute to Rob Reiner, the filmmaker who was fatally stabbed at his home with his wife, Michele Singer, last month.

The host closed the show wearing a Spinal Tap baseball cap, a reference to the late director’s heavy metal mockumentary.

She also said the ceremony “went to 11,” a riff on the famous moment from Rob’s 1984 comedy, in which the band’s amps go up to 11 in case they “need that extra push over the cliff,” as per Variety.

Image credits: Golden Globes

Viewers questioned the tribute, deeming it too superficial and arguing that it failed to reflect the director’s legacy. “Literally a room full of people who knew him and that's what they did,” one viewer fumed.

“The so-called Rob Reiner tribute just being Nikki Glaser wearing a Spinal Tap hat,” another shared.

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A separate moment that sparked conversation was Amanda Seyfried’s visible disappointment after losing in the Best Actress in a Motion Picture–Musical or Comedy category to If I Had Legs I'd Kick You star Rose Byrne.

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Amanda, who was nominated for The Testament of Ann Lee, appeared to pull a face before forcing a smile and applauding the winner, The Mirror reported.

The Mamma Mia actress was, however, praised for her humble reaction to the Dying for Sex actress beating her in the category for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series.