On the red carpet at the 2026 Golden Globes, composer Hans Zimmer criticized the ceremony's decision to exclude the Original Score category from the live telecast, calling it 'ignorant' and highlighting composers' vital, underappreciated role in film.
Following the Golden Globes' announcement to omit the Best Original Score award from its CBS and Paramount+ broadcast—despite presenting it live at the Beverly Hilton—nominated composer Hans Zimmer voiced sharp frustration on the red carpet at the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards on January 12, 2026.
The two-time Oscar winner for Dune and The Lion King, nominated for his score to Apple Original Films' F1, told Deadline's Antonia Blyth: "It feels a little bit ignorant." He emphasized composers' essential emotional role: "We are the psychological underbelly of the whole thing." Zimmer shared the personal sacrifices involved: "This is a room filled with filmmakers who understand the mechanics and understand when I come home after working on a film, my children don’t know who I am because I haven’t been home for months."
He described the timing of composers' work: "The composer has such an important role in making films by the time we come to the music, the director has been through war. Our first job is to remind him why he did this film in the first place." Asked what he'd tell the decision-makers, Zimmer quipped: "I wouldn’t talk to them—I think our potential friendship has been cancelled."
Reflecting on award speeches, he joked about past oversights: "I once forgot to thank my mother at the Oscars." His mother reportedly replied, "A lot! We’re keeping it there." Zimmer's comments fuel ongoing debates about award shows prioritizing runtime over technical categories amid expansions like the new Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award.
