What Is 55th Golden Globe Awards nominees

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Last updated: April 17, 2026

Quick Answer: The 55th Golden Globe Awards, held on January 18, 1998, honored the best in film and television for 1997. Notable nominees included Titanic, As Good As It Gets, and L.A. Confidential in film, and The Larry Sanders Show and The X-Files in television.

Key Facts

The 55th Golden Globe Awards ceremony took place on January 18, 1998
Titanic received 7 nominations, the most of any film that year
As Good As It Gets won Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actor for Jack Nicholson
Fargo won Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, with Frances McDormand winning Best Actress
The Larry Sanders Show won Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Overview

The 55th Golden Globe Awards celebrated excellence in film and television for the year 1997, with the ceremony held on January 18, 1998, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Organized by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the event honored achievements across drama, musical or comedy categories in both film and TV.

The awards reflected a dynamic year in entertainment, with James Cameron’s Titanic dominating the nominations and winning multiple awards, while smaller critically acclaimed films like L.A. Confidential and Good Will Hunting also earned recognition. Television highlights included HBO’s The Larry Sanders Show and Fox’s The X-Files, both receiving multiple nods.

Titanic led all films with 7 nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director for James Cameron.
As Good As It Gets earned 5 nominations and won Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actor for Jack Nicholson.
L.A. Confidential received 4 nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Supporting Actress for Kim Basinger.
The Larry Sanders Show won Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, marking its third win in the category.
The X-Files was nominated for Best Television Series – Drama, with David Duchovny earning a Best Actor nod.

Major Nominees and Categories

The 55th Golden Globe Awards featured a competitive lineup across film and television, with a clear divide between blockbuster epics and intimate character-driven stories. The nominations highlighted performances by Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Frances McDormand, as well as directors like Cameron and Curtis Hanson.

Best Motion Picture – Drama: Nominees included Titanic, As Good As It Gets, L.A. Confidential, Good Will Hunting, and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: Featured Fargo, Men in Black, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The Full Monty.
Best Actor – Drama: Jack Nicholson (As Good As It Gets), Tom Cruise (Interview with the Vampire), and Kevin Spacey (L.A. Confidential) were among the nominees.
Best Actress – Musical or Comedy: Frances McDormand (Fargo) won, beating nominees including Julia Roberts (My Best Friend’s Wedding) and Bette Midler (The Rose).
Best Supporting Actor: Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting) won, with nominees including Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights) and Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets).
Best Television Series – Drama: Nominees were The X-Files, ER, Nash Bridges, Chicago Hope, and Profiler.

Comparison at a Glance

A comparison of top film nominees reveals distinct patterns in genre, critical reception, and award outcomes:

Film	Genre	Nominations	Wins	Box Office (Worldwide)
Titanic	Drama	7	4	$1.84 billion
As Good As It Gets	Drama	5	2	$314 million
L.A. Confidential	Drama	4	1	$93 million
Fargo	Comedy	3	1	$61 million
Good Will Hunting	Drama	3	1	$225 million

The table shows that while Titanic dominated both nominations and box office, smaller films like Fargo and Good Will Hunting achieved critical acclaim with fewer nominations. This contrast highlights the Golden Globes’ balance between commercial success and artistic merit, rewarding both epic scale and intimate storytelling.

Why It Matters

The 55th Golden Globe Awards served as a key predictor for the upcoming Academy Awards, influencing industry momentum and public perception. Its recognition of diverse genres and performances underscored the HFPA’s role in shaping early Oscar narratives.

Titanic’s sweep at the Globes foreshadowed its historic success at the Oscars, where it won 11 Academy Awards.
As Good As It Gets gained awards season momentum, leading to 7 Oscar nominations and two wins.
Good Will Hunting earned Globes recognition that helped secure 9 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
Fargo’s win validated independent cinema, proving that small-budget films could compete with major studio releases.
The awards highlighted television’s growing prestige, with shows like The Larry Sanders Show receiving acclaim akin to film.
HFPA’s choices reflected 1997’s cultural landscape, celebrating both blockbuster entertainment and nuanced storytelling.

In summary, the 55th Golden Globe Awards captured a pivotal moment in late-1990s pop culture, bridging mainstream success with artistic achievement and setting the stage for a memorable awards season.