Will it be a night of historic firsts at Golden Globes?

Darren Criss in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”

Darren Criss in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”

LOS ANGELES—Will it be a night of historic firsts at the 76th Golden Globe Awards?

If Darren Criss wins best actor-limited series or TV movie for his portrayal of Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” he will be the first Filipino-American to win a Golden Globe Award.

Darren is the first Fil-Am to be nominated in this category of the Golden Globes, which honors excellence in both film and television, to be handed out on Sunday (Monday morning, Manila time) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Darren is up against Antonio Banderas (“Genius: Picasso”), Daniel Brühl (“The Alienist”), Benedict Cumberbatch (“Patrick Melrose”) and Hugh Grant (“A Very English Scandal”).

Lou Diamond Phillips has the honor of being the first Fil-Am to earn a Globe nod. He garnered the best supporting actor nomination for “Stand and Deliver” in 1989.

Andy Samberg (left) and Sandra Oh

Last September, Darren already made history when he became the first Fil-Am to win a lead actor Emmy trophy.

Will Sandra Oh, the first Asian to host Hollywood’s party of the year (her cohost is Andy Samberg), win best actress in a TV series-drama for “Killing Eve”? If she triumphs, she will only be the second Asian to score in this category. Yoko Shimada is the first Asian to dominate in this field for “Shogun” in 1981.

Sandra’s rivals are Caitriona Balfe (“Outlander”), Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Julia Roberts (“Homecoming”) and Keri Russell (“The Americans”).

If Constance Wu, up for best actress-comedy or musical for “Crazy Rich Asians,” tops her category, she will be the first Asian to win in this field.

Previous actresses with Asian heritage who cinched nods in this category are Machiko Kyo (“The Teahouse of the August Moon,” 1957), Miyoshi Umeki (“Flower Drum Song,” 1962) and Hailee Steinfeld (“The Edge of Seventeen,” 2017).

Constance Wu

Constance’s fellow best actress-musical or comedy contenders—Emily Blunt (“Mary Poppins Returns”), Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”), Elsie Fisher (“Eighth Grade”) and Charlize Theron (“Tully”)—also have not won in this category.

Whoever wins the best actor-musical or comedy honors will celebrate his first time to take home the trophy in this field: Christian Bale (“Vice”), Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Mary Poppins Returns”), Viggo Mortensen (“Green Book”), Robert Redford (“The Old Man & The Gun”) and John C. Reilly (“Stan & Ollie”).

Only Nicole Kidman (“Destroyer”) has won previously (for “The Hours,” 2003) in the best actress-drama competition. Anyone of the other contenders will be a first-time winner in this category: Glenn Close (“The Wife”), Lady Gaga (“A Star Is Born”), Melissa McCarthy (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”) and Rosamund Pike (“A Private War”).

All five best actor-drama nominees have not yet won in this field: Bradley Cooper (“A Star Is Born”), Willem Dafoe (“At Eternity’s Gate”), Lucas Hedges (“Boy Erased”), Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) and John David Washington (“BlacKkKlansman”).

Rami Malek (left) in “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Rachel Weisz is the lone previous winner (“The Constant Gardener,” 2006) in the best supporting actress race: Amy Adams (“Vice”), Claire Foy (“First Man”), Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) and Emma Stone (“The Favourite”). Rachel was also nominated for “The Favourite.”

Will Sam Rockwell duplicate his feat last year when he was awarded best supporting actor for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”? Anyone of his rivals will be first-time victors: Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”), Timothée Chalamet (“Beautiful Boy”), Adam Driver (“BlacKkKlansman”) and Richard E. Grant (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”).

Alfonso Cuarón (“Roma”) is the only one among the best director finalists who has won before (“Gravity,” 2014). If anyone of these contenders hears his name as best director in the International Ballroom of the Hilton, it will be his first time: Bradley Cooper (“A Star Is Born”), Peter Farrelly (“Green Book”), Spike Lee (“BlacKkKlansman”) and Adam McKay (“Vice”).

A total of 25 winners, determined by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, in the various categories will be announced.

E-mail rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com. Follow him at https://twitter.com/nepalesruben.

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