Kidman won best actress in a motion picture drama for her portrayal of TV legend Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos.

"Thank you for the acknowledgement!" Kidman, one of few winners to acknowledge their award, wrote on Instagram. "Lucille, this is for you and all the other incredible women nominated."

Snook won best supporting actress in a television series for her role in Succession and Smit-McPhee won best supporting actor in a drama film for his role in The Power of the Dog, directed by New Zealand's Jane Campion.

The Power of the Dog and a remake of West Side Story won the big awards at the Globes ceremony held privately without the usual glitzy lineup of Hollywood's television and movie stars.

Actors, directors and film studios have largely ignored the Globes this year after criticism in 2021 that its organisers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), operated with questionable ethics policies and no black members.

Longtime broadcaster NBC opted not to air this year's awards.

The HFPA, which has expanded and diversified its membership and overhauled its practices, announced its picks at a Beverly Hills ceremony held behind closed doors.

Recipients of HFPA philanthropic grants sat in the audience and presented awards. Winners were announced via social media and on the Golden Globes website.

Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story, a tale of young love set among rival street gangs, was named best musical or comedy and earned three trophies overall, including best actress for Rachel Zegler. The Power of the Dog also won three awards including best director for Campion.

Best actor in a drama went to Will Smith for playing the determined father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard.

Andrew Garfield won a best actor trophy for his role as playwright Jonathan Larson in musical Tick, Tick... Boom!

For television, cutthroat corporate family saga Succession received the best drama award and Hacks, about a fading female comedian, was crowned best comedy.

Netflix, which released Power of the Dog, led all studios with four film awards. HBO and HBO Max took the most television honours, with six.

The Globes normally draws millions of TV viewers to a celebrity-filled red carpet and champagne-fueled dinner that makes for a glamorous yet informal contrast to the Academy Awards, the industry's highest film honours.

In the past, winning a Globe also provided a boost to movies making a run for the Oscars. This year, the significance is less clear, with only a few celebrities acknowledging their Globe nominations.

Awards watchers will follow closely other upcoming accolades from groups including the Screen Actors Guild and the Producers Guild of America. The Oscars are scheduled to be handed out on March 27.

Critics had objected to the HFPA not having any black members and raised questions over whether close relationships with Hollywood studios influenced the choice of nominees and winners.

In May, Tom Cruise returned the three Golden Globe statuettes he had won.

The HFPA responded by adding 21 new members, six of whom are black, banning gifts and favours, and implementing diversity and sexual harassment training. The group now has 105 members and plans to expand this year.

"We are on a journey of change and we're not going to rest," HFPA President Helen Hoehne said in a statement on Sunday.

At the ceremony, the HFPA played a video of actress Jamie Lee Curtis praising the group for its support of charities that back creators, education, film preservation and other causes.

"I am proud to be associated them in this venture," Curtis said in the video.

Australian Associated Press