Matt Damon’s 2015 sci-fi film The Martian was a commercial and critical hit and won several accolades, including two Golden Globes. However, Judd Apatow, the Hollywood filmmaker and producer, was not very pleased with its win under Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. And he did not hesitate to point out the same during his appearance at the 2016 Critics’ Choice Awards.
The filmmaker, who is known for his hit comedies, took the stage and criticized Hollywood’s ways of treating comedians and comedy films during award seasons after his 2015 romantic comedy Trainwreck lost the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy to The Martian.
Judd Apatow Criticized The Martian’s Golden Globes Win
Trainwreck director Judd Apatow, who took a hit at the action star Tom Cruise during the 75th DGA event, criticized Golden Globes, as he took the stage at the 2016 Critics’ Choice Awards to present an award to Amy Schumer. The filmmaker called out the Golden Globes organizers along with The Martian’s Golden Globes wins.
“I got Matt Damon staring at me right now,” he said before adding, “After that whole Golden Globe comedy thing.” The filmmaker further went on to state the lack of recognition and appreciation for comedy films during the award season in the film industry. Apatow said at the Critics’ Choice Awards via A&E,
“We only have one award, Matt [Damon], that’s all we get. I’m like a nerd on the schoolyard, and you stole my milk money. Can we just pick whatever category we want to be in? We have an Asian man in our movie – can I go foreign film now?”
The 2016 Critics’ Choice Awards was not the first time Judd Apatow shared his opinion against a drama movie competing under the comedy category. Earlier, in October 2015, he took to X (Twitter) and called out drama movies for listing themselves as comedy. He called it a “punk move” as he claimed that these movies do this due to the fear of dramatic competition.
Golden Globes Changed Comedy Rules After The Martian’s
Controversial Win
Ridley Scott’s 2016 sci-fi The Martian win at the Golden Globes sparked a significant controversy for one of the most high-profile awards ceremonies in Hollywood. The issue got so serious that the organizers of the award ceremony later revised the criteria for categorizing a movie under the Musical or Comedy category.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association introduced new rules that stated that motion pictures should enter the category that best matches the tone of their content. It also said, “Dramas with comedic overtones should be entered as dramas.”
The Martian is available on Prime Video.
Trainwreck is available on Peacock.
Source: A&E
