Marlon Wayans Responds After Mispronouncing Golden Globes Nominees
Announcing the nominees for the 2026 Golden Globes is no simple task.
Following several mispronunciations during the live nomination event on Monday, December 8, Marlon Wayans took a moment to address his errors.
“I’m not sure many of them realize they’ve been nominated,” he joked to Variety shortly after the ceremony.
Wayans, 53, noted the limited rehearsal time, stating, “We only had about three minutes before going live.”
According to Entertainment Weekly, Wayans stumbled over the name of Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson, nominated for his work on Sinners.
He also fumbled several contributors associated with the KPop Demon Hunters-nominated track, “Golden.” The talented composers include Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Park Hong Jun, Kim Eun-jae (Ejae), and Mark Sonnenblick.
At one moment, Wayans humorously remarked to the audience, “Somebody’s mom at home right now is thinking, ‘What, who?’”
Reflecting on the nominations ceremony, Golden Globes executive producer Glenn Weiss observed that Wayans’ co-presenter Skye P. Marshall had much simpler names.
“I was sitting there feeling uneasy, thinking, ‘Wow, she has all the easy names, and he has all the challenging ones!’” Weiss shared with Variety. “But, you know, that’s evidence that we didn’t know what the nominations were!”
Fellow executive producer Ricky Kirshner added, “That’s why I’m relieved I’m not handling the announcements.”
Marshall, 44, was also quick to support her fellow presenter after the nominations were made public.
“Marlon is incredibly comfortable and confident, and he knows this is all in good fun,” she told Variety. “He’s a seasoned professional, while I’m stepping onto this stage for the first time.”
The Matlock star admitted she felt “extremely nervous” before the nominations were revealed, largely due to her desire to pronounce names correctly.
“I value the breakthrough, and I want to ensure I pronounce [actor] Lee Byung-Hun correctly and confidently,” she expressed. “It’s because I appreciate his work, not just because I practiced the pronunciation.”
For entertainment enthusiasts who missed the ceremony, One Battle After Another led the film categories with a total of nine nominations, followed by Sentimental Value with eight and Sinners with seven. In television, The White Lotus garnered the most nominations with six, while Adolescence received five.
This year, the Golden Globes introduced a new annual category for Best Podcast, becoming the first major awards show to recognize this entertainment medium. Nominees included “Armchair Expert” with Dax Shepard, “Call Her Daddy” with Alex Cooper, and “The Mel Robbins Podcast.”
Additionally, event organizers announced that Helen Mirren will be honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award, while Sex and the City actress Sarah Jessica Parker will receive the Carol Burnett Award.
“Sarah Jessica Parker’s career epitomizes the spirit of the Carol Burnett Award,” Golden Globes President Helen Hoehne stated. “Her pioneering influence on television and dedication to storytelling across various platforms have left a lasting impact on popular culture. We are privileged to celebrate her remarkable contributions to entertainment.”
The 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards — hosted by Nikki Glaser — will air on CBS and Paramount+ on Sunday, January 11, at 8 p.m. ET.
