Best Actress Motion Picture Musical

The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical honors excellence of an actress in delivering a leading role in a comedy or musical film. The award is presented annually at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony conducted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The accolade marks as a symbol of prestige honoring impactful and impeccable performance of the recipient thereby recognizing her as an actress of great caliber.

The Hollywood Foreign Correspondent Association (HFCA), predecessor of HFPA, launched the Golden Globe Awards ceremony to honor film professionals. The six original categories of the ceremony included Best Actress in a Leading Role category. American actress Jennifer Jones received the first award in this category for her outstanding performance in the titular role in the biographical drama The Song of Bernadette (1943) during the 1st Golden Globe Awards (1944). In 1951, the category was divided into two genres, Drama and Musical or Comedy, to recognize acting prowess of lead actresses in both. The two separated award categories, namely Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy were presented for the first time during the 8th Golden Globe Awards held that year. American actress, comedian and singer Judy Holliday became first recipient of the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical award for her powerfully funny performance in the comedy-drama Born Yesterday (1950). The category was officially called Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical in 2005 and since 2014, it is known as Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.

American actress Angela Bassett’s portrayal of American singer-songwriter Tina Turner in the semi-autobiographical film What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) led her to win the award as the first actress of African descent in 1994. In 2008, French actress Marion Cotillard bagged the award as the first actress to win in this category for a foreign-language/non-English language performance for her critically acclaimed portrayal of French singer Édith Piaf in the biographical musical La Vie en Rose (2007). The first actress of Asian descent to achieve such feat was American actress, rapper, and comedian Awkwafina who received the award in 2020 for the comedy-drama The Farewell (2019). American actress and singer Rachel Zegler holds the record of becoming the youngest recipient of the award as also the first actress of Colombian descent and first Latina to earn it after winning it in 2022 for her debut film role in the musical romantic drama West Side Story (2021). In 2023 Michelle Yeoh’s starring role in the independent film Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) led her to become the first Malaysian actress to earn the award. There were two recipients for the award in 1978, Diane Keaton (for Annie Hall) and Marsha Mason (for The Goodbye Girl); as well as in 1979, Maggie Smith (for California Suite) and Ellen Burstyn (for Same Time, Next Year).

Julie Andrews and Rosalind Russell won the award thrice, with each winning two awards in a row. Meryl Streep garnered most nominations in the category with 10 of which she won two. Other notable actresses who also won the award twice include Amy Adams (consecutive), Kathleen Turner (consecutive), Barbra Streisand, Nicole Kidman, Diane Keaton and Jennifer Lawrence.

List of Winners - Golden Globe Award Best Actress Motion Picture Musical or Comedy