The countdown to the 82nd Golden Globe Awards officially began at a star-studded bash Sept. 7 at the Four Seasons hotel during the 49th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. It marked the beginning of the road to Hollywood’s “Biggest Party of the Year,” which will air Sunday Jan. 5, 2025 on CBS.

The Golden Globes party proved again why it has become a glitzy and glamorous staple. It also reflected the overall sentiment seen and heard throughout the first few days in Toronto this year: a triumphant return to prominence following the pandemic and Hollywood strikes which forced organizers to scale back on the festivities in recent years.

With star power across the board, the ballroom at the Four Seasons was packed with Hollywood magic and a joint love of cinema in the event hosted by the Globes and the Robb Report, whose president is Luke Bahrenburg.

Fresh off the world premiere of biographical sports drama “Unstoppable” the night before, Jennifer Lopez was on hand at the party with co-star Jharrel Jerome, who plays Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and became the NCAA individual wrestling national champ.

Demi Moore and Pamela Anderson, each promoting their much-talked-about performances in “The Substance” and “The Last Showgirl,” respectively, were sitting together at one point, and were briefly joined by Isabella Rossellini, who stars in “Conclave”.
Two-time Golden Globe winner Amy Adams stopped by, between walking the red carpet at the premiere for her film “Nightbitch” and rushing back to the theater for a Q&A at the end of the screening.

Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, who directed Adams in 2016’s “Arrival,” also stopped by, ahead of his participation in a special festival event saluting his two “Dune” films.

In attendance were actors including Andrew Garfield, Mark Hamill, Tony Hale, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dacre Montgomery and Jurnee Smollet and Sydney Sweeney. Also there, filmmakers William Goldberg, who makes his directorial debut with “Unstoppable”; Michael Gracey, who directed “Better Man”; and Chris Sanders, promoting “The Wild Robot.”

The party also hosted some of the year’s stars-to-watch this award season, including Mikey Madison who stars in the Cannes Film Festival winner “Anora”; and “Emilia Perez” Spanish actress Karla Sofia Gascon, joined by co star Adriana Paz and Shamier Anderson who co-stars in “The Luckiest Man in America.”A

Additionally, Dylan O’Brien, Cory Michael Smith, Lamorne Morris and the rest of the ensemble cast of “Saturday Night” were toasting the reception of their film about the early days of “Saturday Night Live.”

Helen Hoehne, president of the Golden Globes, said, “Tonight’s fabulous party at the Four Seasons Hotel continues our long support of TIFF and kicks off the road to the Golden Globes and what promises to be an amazing awards season.”

The Golden Globes has held its party on the first weekend of TIFF for nearly two decades. This year’s event was in partnership with Four Seasons Hotel Toronto and luxury-lifestyle magazine Robb Report.

The enthusiasm and excitement at the memorable night offers assurance that the party is just getting started.