Hans Zimmer Says It’s a ‘Shame’ the Golden Globes Won’t Air Original Score Category: ‘Don’t Ignore’ Composers Because ‘You Don’t Have a Movie Without Them’

Ahead of this Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony, renowned composer Hans Zimmer has voiced strong disapproval over the decision to present the Best Original Score category off-air. In an interview with Variety's Angelique Jackson, Zimmer contended that sidelining the award disregards the critical, labor-intensive craft of film composers, whose work forms the emotional and narrative core of movies. "It's a fantastic year for composers—don't ignore them. You don't have a movie without them," he asserted, characterizing the move as a dismissive gesture toward the artistic community.

The criticism carries significant weight given Zimmer's unparalleled standing in the industry. A dominant figure in film music for over three decades, his career includes seminal scores for films ranging from "Rain Man" to the recent epic "Dune." Hans Zimmer has received 17 Golden Globe nominations, winning three times for his work on "The Lion King" and "Gladiator." He is nominated again this year for his dynamic score for the Formula One drama "F1," directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt as a veteran driver. This nomination adds context to his protest, as the film itself is also in contention for the ceremony's cinematic and box office achievement award.

This year's category features a roster of acclaimed composers, including Alexandre Desplat for "Frankenstein" and Ludwig Göransson for "Sinners," making the off-air presentation particularly conspicuous to industry observers. Many see this as part of a persistent trend where broadcasters compress ceremonies by cutting technical and musical awards, a practice that risks diminishing the perceived value of these artistic disciplines. As music historian Dr. Elena Vance notes, "When score categories are marginalized, it often correlates with studios deprioritizing composers in negotiations, affecting everything from project budgets to final creative control. The music is not background filler; it's a primary narrative voice."

Despite his serious critique, Zimmer found a personal upside to the situation, quipping that being off-air spared him the anxiety of a live acceptance speech and the potential to "make an insane speech and embarrass humanity as we know it." The Golden Globes are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Variety's parent company, Penske Media Corporation (PMC), in partnership with Eldridge. This corporate relationship underscores the complex interplay between media coverage and the awards industry itself.