The Golden Globes are considered to be one of the major precursors to the Academy Awards. (courtesy of the Golden Globes)

The Golden Globes is perhaps the most significant precursor to the Oscars. The widely watched show not only signals what the critical community prefers, but it also gives artists a key opportunity to make an impression on Academy voters while nomination ballots are still out. And it all happens, every year, in Beverly Hills.

After the Fox Studios lot served as the site of the first ceremony, the Beverly Hills Hotel hosted in 1945 – a glamorous venue at a time when Beverly Hills was starting to become known for its Hollywood A-listers and filmmakers. The awards bounced around venues for the next decade or so. In 1961 – in need of a larger ballroom – the event moved about a mile away to the Beverly Hilton, which has been the primary venue ever since. In coming years, the home of the Golden Globes will transform as the Beverly Hilton will undergo a comprehensive redesign as part of the 17.5-acre One Beverly Hills project.

The show is produced by Dick Clark Productions, a Beverly Hills-based production company which also produces the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Billboard Music Awards and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

“We are very excited to be bringing the Golden Globes back to the city of Beverly Hills next year,” Preston Northrop, vice president of production for Dick Clark Productions, said at a City Council Meeting on Oct. 28.

“Beverly Hills is committed to remaining a globally relevant city while always placing our residents first. We are pleased to welcome back the Golden Globe Awards to the Beverly Hilton,” Mayor Sharona Nazarian said. “We are equally mindful of the temporary inconvenience large-scale events can bring and have worked closely with the hotel, production teams and our Beverly Hills Police Department to minimize impacts on daily life. Our goal is to ensure that visitors, attendees and residents alike feel safe, respected and protected. Beverly Hills continues to be a city where world-class events and a strong sense of community coexist, supported by an exceptional police department and cutting-edge public safety technology.”

On Jan. 4, the Critics Choice Awards was the first of the major ceremonies, and it chose “One Battle After Another” – the highly-acclaimed Paul Thomas Anderson epic starring Leonardo DiCaprio – for its top movie award, over “Sinners,” considered its closest competition. Both should walk away with prizes, however, at the Golden Globes, as “One Battle After Another” is competing in the Musical or Comedy category for the ceremony, while “Sinners” is placed in Drama.

A closely watched race for Best Actress in a Drama could end with either Jessie Buckley, who gave a much-lauded performance in “Hamnet,” or Rose Byrne, who has gotten a wave of buzz for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” Timothée Chalamet, fresh off his awards-season run for “A Complete Unknown” last year, will once again be in contention for Best Actor in a Drama for “Marty Supreme.” His competition includes DiCaprio and Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”), both of whom have been lifted up in conjunction with their movies’ success. Each of the potential winners should also find themselves with Oscar nominations next month.

The Academy Awards nominating period will take place between Jan. 12-16, and the finalists will be announced on Jan. 22. Voting for the Oscars occurs between Feb. 26-March 5. The ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre on March 15 at 4 p.m. and air live on ABC and Hulu.

On the television side, “The Pitt” and “The Studio,” both from Apple TV+, should continue their dominance in the Drama and Comedy categories, respectively. Look for Jean Smart to rack up another win as best TV Comedy Actress, and for the team from “Adolescence” to sweep the Limited Series/TV Movie awards. For its inaugural Podcast honor, Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” seems posed for the win.

The British Film Academy Awards are set for Feb. 22. The Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, will be held on March 1. The Producers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America will all announce their top prizes in the weeks preceding the Oscars.

The Beverly Hills City Council approved several lane and street closures for the Golden Globes, including on Wilshire Boulevard and North Santa Monica Boulevard. Residents are advised to use alternate east-west routes such as South Santa Monica, Olympic, Pico and Sunset boulevards.

For questions and concerns before the day of the event, call the askBH Customer Service line at (310)285-1000 from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; and the after-hours Golden Globes Hotline on Sunday, Jan. 11, from 2-8 p.m. at (310)550-4680. For information and a complete list of closures, visit beverlyhills. org/goldenglobes.