The 2019 Golden Globes seems to have finally found a host — or, rather, hosts. With only 32 days to go before NBC’s marquee awards telecast, Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh are set to take the Beverly Hilton stage on Jan. 6.
Globes partners The Hollywood Foreign Press, producers Dick Clark Productions and broadcaster NBC took quite a while to nail down the duo. Samberg, next seen in Brooklyn Nine-Nine when it relaunches on NBC after five seasons on Fox, comes to the film-and-television kudos with a hosting resume that includes a warmly-received go at the 2015 Emmys. As for Oh, she may seem like an unexpected choice, but the Grey’s Anatomy alum gave one of the most-talked about performances of 2018 on BBC America dramedy Killing Eve. Oh and Samberg presented together at the 2018 Emmys in which the duo mockedthe Oscars’ La La Land fiasco in one of the night’s better pairings.
“Sandra and Andy are the perfect choices to host this world-class event,” said Paul Telegdy and George Cheeks, co-chairmen, NBC Entertainment. “They bring wit, charm and style to a room filled with the very best of film and television. It’s sure to be another unforgettable fun-filled night.”
Time was getting tight for the deal, which just closed this week. Talks with other talent in recent months went nowhere. Not helping the search was the fact that NBC’s new rights deal with the HFPA took longer than expected, an eight-year pact not formally coming together until September. There was even a point where many suggested that the 2019 Golden Globes have no host at all, as was the case in all but one telecast prior to 2010.
ABC and the Academy Awards also cut things close for the 2019 show, only setting comedian Kevin Hart on Tuesday — though at least the Oscars are at still nearly three months away.
At a time when awards show ratings are down across the board, even if live programming remains one of few future-proofed offerings on traditional TV, hosts have become key to the marketing and promotion of a show. The Golden Globes experienced a boon during the three-year stint in which Tina Fey and Amy Poehler co-hosted — in large part because the pair locked in their returns so early.
Despite ratings declines in the awards space, the Golden Globes do at least remain among the more consistent performers — thanks in no small part to the intimate mingling of film and television stars. The 2018 telecast, hosted by Seth Meyers, netted a 5.0 rating in adults 18-49 and drew 19 million viewers overall.
“We’re excited to welcome Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg as co-hosts of Hollywood’s Party of the Year,” said HFPA president Meher Tatna. “Both Golden Globe Award recipients have continually showcased their talents in film and television, and we can’t wait see what their undeniable chemistry will bring to the Golden Globes stage.”
Samberg is a longtime part of the NBC family. After launching his career at Saturday Night Live in 2005 and staying with the show through 2012, Samberg almost immediately segued to the Universal Television-produced Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
(Excerpt) Read more in: The Hollywood Reporter