Jennifer Lopez pulled out of the Globes after she and other stars were warned by email through their agents that it could prevent them from appearing on the Oscars in February as presenters.
One source said, "There have been complaints about this from the studios and the agencies. The Globes lost Jennifer Lopez as a presenter, but many other stars took the view that they don't want to be told what to do."
Sources added that Christian Bale also declined to present at the Globes, but other sources close to yesterday's show insisted that "he was never confirmed." His rep later said he could not do the Globes because he was out of the country. Reps for the Golden Globes insisted they never were left with a shortage of A-list presenters.
Those taking to the stage yesterday included George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Tina Fey, Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Alba, Nicole Kidman, Madonna, Colin Firth and Gerard Butler.
A spokeswoman for the Golden Globes said, "The Globes are always the most hotly-anticipated show of the awards season and the party of the year. As always, the room was the most glamorous in town, packed full of the industry's biggest and brightest stars."
Academy president Tom Sherak said in a statement, "The Academy has always placed a premium on exclusivity, but, ultimately, each individual makes his or her own decisions."