Zoe Saldana lands first win at Golden Globes for Emilia Perez

Zoe Saldana has won her first Golden Globe Award for her role in Emilia Perez, beating her co-star Selena Gomez and first-time nominee Ariana Grande to the gong.

The US actress secured the best performance by a female actor in a supporting role in any motion picture for the Jacques Audiard-directed film about a Mexican drug lord who changes gender.

“My heart is full of gratitude,” said Saldana, who plays a lawyer offered a way out of her corrupt firm by cartel leader Manitas (Karla Sofia Gascon) in the film.

“This is the first time for me and I am just so blessed.”

Saldana said she is “in awe” of her fellow nominees whom she described as “magic”, which included British star Felicity Jones for her role in The Brutalist, Isabella Rossellini for Conclave, Margaret Qualley for The Substance and Wicked star Grande.

The film also won best motion picture non-English language which saw director Audiard take to the stage with a French translator saying “if there were more sisters in the world maybe the world would be a better place”.

“In these troubled times I hope Emilia Perez will be a beacon of light,” he said.

“I hope to offer a comforting hug to those who are worried … I urge them to keep they heads held high and hope for a better few days ahead.”

Meanwhile, Succession star Kieran Culkin secured his second Golden Globe for his role in A Real Pain, beating the likes of Denzel Washington for Gladiator II and Guy Pearce for The Brutalist.

In a humorous speech, he joked the Golden Globes was the “best date night that my wife and I ever have” and that the award belonged to his “fantastic” director Jesse Eisenberg who wrote “an incredible script”.

The two star as mismatched cousins who tour Poland in honour of their grandmother.

Meanwhile, Jodie Foster scored her fourth Golden Globe win for her role in True Detective: Night Country, beating Kate Winslet for The Regime and Cate Blanchett for Disclaimer in the best female actor in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television category.

“The greatest thing about being this age and being in this time is having a community – especially you Sofia (Vergara),” she said of her fellow nominee.

The annual ceremony, considered a bellwether for the awards season, saw comedian and actress Nikki Glaser become the first woman to solo host the show as she opened with a monologue taking aim at Hollywood stars including Timothee Chalamet, who was sitting next to his girlfriend Kylie Jenner.

The ceremony also saw British star Sir Elton John in the audience.

Last year, the Golden Globes proved a successful night for Oppenheimer, which scored five major awards during the ceremony.

British film-maker Sir Christopher Nolan was named best director for the first time after six nominations, while Irish actor Cillian Murphy took home best actor in a drama for his work as the father of the atomic bomb.