As the Hollywood Foreign Press Association works to rebuild its reputation in the aftermath of a 2021 exposé that jeopardised the future of its Golden Globe Awards, another organisation of entertainment journalists — this one without a multimillion-dollar TV deal, but with no shortage of star power at its events — is facing its own challenges.
Ten members, or about 7% of the group’s total membership just two weeks ago, have recently left the Hollywood Critics Association as a result of internal strife (nine resigned and one was expelled), including the president.
The Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society, which became the Hollywood Critics Association in October 2019, was founded in 2016. Since 2018 and 2021, the organisation has given out awards each year honouring achievements in the film and television industries (the latter, as of this year, at two separate ceremonies, one for streaming shows and the other for broadcast network and cable shows).
Despite not being broadcast on television, HCA ceremonies have attracted a number of A-list celebrities, including Rami Malek, Mandy Moore, Andrew Garfield, and Sydney Sweeney. They have also attracted hosts like Annaleigh Ashford and Tig Notaro (the latter of whom had to withdraw due to a positive COVID test), and people like Apple CEO Tim Cook have tweeted about them. The International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton hotel, where the Golden Globes have long been held, was jam-packed for the most recent HCA TV Awards ceremonies on Aug. 13 and 14.
However, the HCA’s rapidly rising profile has brought with it an increase in scepticism about the moral and ethical behaviour of its leadership from both within and outside the group’s membership, as well as bare-knuckled jabs. The HCA is made up almost entirely of young writers from small independent outlets. As of late, the saga has begun to resemble a mashup of a Christopher Guest comedy and All About Eve, complete with Hollywood aspirants, showmanship, and, in some people’s eyes, potential fraud.