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Mike Leigh is bringing love and care to the Golden Globes’ comedy race.
Bleecker Street will submit “Tender Loving Care,” Leigh’s likely final film, in the musical or comedy categories at the upcoming 84th Golden Globes,
Variety has learned exclusively.
Marion Bailey will compete for best actress in a musical or comedy, where she is expected to face contenders including Julianne Moore (“The Debut”), Inde Navarrette (“Obsession”) and Olivia Wilde (“The Invite”). Kate O’Flynn, Alice Bailey Johnson and Paul Jesson will compete in the supporting acting races, which the Globes do not divide by genre. The submissions mirror the studio’s overall acting strategy heading into the Oscar campaign.
The news comes a week after Focus Features submitted “Obsession,” Curry Barker’s horror breakout, as a comedy — a classification that prompted plenty of head-scratching among awards pundits and moviegoers on social media. Leigh’s film, however, seems like a more natural fit. It can be argued that Leigh has never really made comedies or dramas; rather, he makes films about life, which tends to be both at once.
“Tender Loving Care” follows Amy (O’Flynn), a London social worker who moves in with her friend and colleague Rosie (Johnson) after a breakup. Meanwhile, Amy’s parents, Birdie (Bailey) and Geoff (Jesson), navigate the indignities of getting older. Drunken singalongs and kitchen dancing sit alongside hospital visits, with the laughs often arriving with a wince attached.
The last time the Golden Globes classified a Mike Leigh film as a comedy, Sally Hawkins walked away with the best actress prize. That was 18 years ago, for “Happy-Go-Lucky,” with a 21-year-old O’Flynn in a small role that marked her first screen job. Coming off her Emmy win for supporting comedy actress in Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay,” O’Flynn’s momentum is building. She won the Silver Shell for best leading performance at the San Sebastian Film Festival in September, where the film also took the Golden Shell and the best screenplay prize.
For Bailey, the Globes push represents long-overdue recognition for the veteran performer. Leigh’s real-life partner and a longtime member of his acting company, she previously played Sophia Booth, J.M.W. Turner’s Margate landlady and companion, in his 2014 film “Mr. Turner.” In “Tender Loving Care,” she acts opposite her real-life daughter, Johnson, who plays Amy’s best friend.
Leigh’s films have earned six Golden Globe nominations across three titles throughout his career, with two of his leading ladies taking home trophies. “Secrets & Lies” scored three nominations, including best motion picture (drama) and supporting actress for Marianne Jean-Baptiste, while Brenda Blethyn won best actress in a drama. Imelda Staunton also earned a nomination in the same category for her critically acclaimed titular role in “Vera Drake.” Then came “Happy-Go-Lucky,” which landed a best motion picture (musical or comedy) nom alongside Hawkins, who won best actress. The film, and Hawkins’ performance, failed to translate into an Oscar nom.
Shockingly, Leigh himself has never been nominated at the Globes for either directing or screenwriting, despite garnering seven Oscar noms throughout his career. “Topsy-Turvy,” “Another Year,” “Mr. Turner” and “Hard Truths” all came up empty.
After a 50-year career, Bleecker Street is hoping to get Leigh the recognition he deserves. The company will release “Tender Loving Care” in theaters Dec. 4. The 84th Golden Globe nominations will be announced Monday, Dec. 7, and the ceremony, hosted by Nikki Glaser, is set for Sunday, Jan. 10.
See all Academy Awards predictions
Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars
Best Picture (Drama)
“Dune: Part Three” (Warner Bros.)
“Fjord” (Neon)
“I Play Rocky” (Amazon MGM Studios)
“La Bola Negra” (Netflix)
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
“Wildwood” (Laika)
Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)
“The Debut” (A24)
“The Invite” (A24)
“Michael” (Lionsgate)
“Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios)
“Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street)
“Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures)
Actor (Drama)
Matt Damon, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Pedro Pascal, “Behemoth!” (Searchlight Pictures)
Robert Pattinson, “Primetime” (A24)
Andrew Scott, “Elsinore” (Focus Features)
Sebastian Stan, “Fjord” (Neon)
John Turturro, “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Actor (Comedy or Musical)
Tom Cruise, “Digger” (Warner Bros.)
Ryan Gosling, “Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Jaafar Jackson, “Michael” (Lionsgate)
John Malkovich, “Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures)
Brad Pitt, “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” (Netflix)
Seth Rogen, “The Invite” (A24)
Actress (Drama)
Emily Blunt, “Disclosure Day” (Universal Pictures)
Rosalind Eleazar, “Misty Green” (A24)
Sandra Hüller, “Fatherland” (Mubi)
Sandra Hüller, “Rose” (Mubi)
Renate Reinsve, “Fjord” (Neon)
Léa Seydoux, “Gentle Monster” (Netflix)
Actress (Comedy or Musical)
Marion Bailey, “Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street)
Julianne Moore, “The Debut” (A24)
Inde Navarrette, “Obsession” (Focus Features)
Meryl Streep, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” (20th Century Studios)
Olivia Wilde, “The Invite” (A24)
Zendaya, “The Drama” (A24)
Supporting Actor
Colman Domingo, “Michael” (Lionsgate)
Andrew Garfield, “Artificial” (Neon)
Guitarricadelafuente, “La Bola Negra” (Netflix)
Paul Giamatti, “The Debut” (A24)
John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures)
Supporting Actress
Gemma Chan, “Josephine” (Sumerian Pictures)
Penélope Cruz, “The Invite” (A24)
Anne Hathaway, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Scarlett Johansson, “Paper Tiger” (Neon)
Samantha Morton, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Kate O’Flynn, “Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street)
Director
Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, “La Bola Negra” (Netflix)
Jesse Eisenberg, “The Debut” (A24)
Martin McDonagh, “Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures)
Christopher Nolan, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Denis Villeneuve, “Dune: Part Three” (Warner Bros.)
Olivia Wilde, “The Invite” (A24)
Screenplay
“The Debut” (A24) — Jesse Eisenberg
“Dune: Part Three” (Warner Bros.) — Brian K. Vaughan, Denis Villeneuve
“The Invite” (A24) — Rashida Jones and Will McCormack
“Fjord” (Neon) — Cristian Mungiu
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) — Christopher Nolan
“Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures) — Martin McDonagh
Original Score
“Behemoth!” (Searchlight Pictures) — James Newton Howard, Alan Silvestri, Brandon Roberts, Michael Abels, Emily Bear, Lukas Frank, Michael Giacchino, Henry Jackman, Nami Melumad
“The Debut” (A24) — Emile Mosseri
“Dune: Part Three” (Warner Bros.) — Hans Zimmer
“La Bola Negra” (Netflix) — Raül Refree
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) — Ludwig Göransson
“Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Daniel Pemberton
Original Song
“The Debut” (A24) — “This City May Have Chewed Me Up (But It Hasn’t Spit Me Out)” (Jesse Eisenberg)
“The Devil Wears Prada 2″ (20th Century Studios) — “Shape of a Woman” (Lady Gaga)
“La Bola Negra” (Netflix) — “La Nieve” (Guitarricadelafuente and Raül Refree)
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) — “When I’m Home” (James Blake and Travis Scott)
“Primetime” (A24) — “On Video” (Phoebe Bridgers)
“Toy Story 5” (Pixar) — “I Knew It, I Knew You” (Taylor Swift)
Animated Feature
“Hoppers” (Pixar)
“Iron Boy” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“Ray Gunn” (Netflix)
“Tangles” (Independent Film Company)
“Toy Story 5″ (Pixar)
“Wildwood” (Laika)
International Feature
“Fjord” from Romania (Neon)
“Godzilla Minus Zero” from Japan (GKids)
“La Bola Negra” from Spain (Netflix)
“Minotaur” from France (Mubi)
“Possible Love” from South Korea (Netflix)
“Woman Unknown” from Denmark (U.S. Distributor TBD)
Box Office and Cinematic Achievement
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” (20th Century Studios)
“Michael” (Lionsgate)
“Mr. Irrelevant” (Paramount Pictures)
“Obsession” (Focus Features)
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
“Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios)
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (Sony Pictures)
“Toy Story 5” (Pixar)
Variety parent company Penske Media Corporation owns Golden Globes producer Dick Clark Prods. in a joint venture with Eldridge.
