On Sunday, January 15, 2012, the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards presented trophies to the best in film and television. Ricky Gervais returned for a third time, even after he caused controversy at last year’s celebration. Celebrities waited with their breaths held to see what the comedian would say this time. Though “The Artist” won the most awards, the Golden Globe Awards was basically an equal opportunity giver on this night.
Ricky Gervais opened the Golden Globes by asking the audience if they were nervous. He immediately said the Golden Globes was second place to the Academy Awards. He pulled out a list of rules, supposedly of what was expected of him. Some of the audience seemed amused, with a few trying not to laugh. He mentioned celebrity scandals of past year. In a backhanded sort of way, he thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press for inviting him back.
“The Artist” topped the night with three Golden Globes. Jean Dujardin won best actor in a musical or comedy, and the movie won in the best original score and best motion picture – musical or comedy categories. “The Descendants” followed “The Artist” with two wins. George Clooney took home the trophy for best actor, and the movie won for motion picture – drama.
Other standouts in the motion picture categories included Christopher Plummer, who won for best supporting actor, Octavia Spenser for best supporting actress and Meryl Streep for best actress in a drama. Veteran actor Christopher Plummer humbly acknowledged his fellow nominees and his costar Ewan McGregor. He thanked his wife of 43 years, saying her bravery and beauty still haunts him.
The television categories spread trophies all over network television and cable. Laura Dern won for best actress in a television comedy. She beat past winner Tina Fey and veteran comedienne Amy Poehler. With all of the hype behind “New Girl,” I thought Zooey Deschanel would pull the upset. First-time Golden Globe winners included Idris Elba for best actor for the television mini-series “Luther” and Matt LeBlanc for best actor in a comedy series.
Kelsey Grammar, who won Golden Globes for his comedic work, received the trophy for best actor in a drama for his work on “Boss.” With two Golden Globes, “Homeland” took home the most television awards. Claire Danes won for best actress in a drama, and the show won for best drama series.
The Golden Globes presented the Cecil B. DeMille Award to Morgan Freeman. Golden Globe and Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier introduced Freeman, receiving a standing ovation when he came on stage. Pointier called Freeman a prince in his chosen profession. Helen Mirren introduced a montage of his 50 films, even joking that she only got to play in one of them.
The night was full of surprises. Gervais was generally contained during the ceremony. Occasionally, he said something that was right on the boundary that could be funny or offensive. The Golden Globes also distributed the awards across the board, not letting one television production or movie dominate the categories. It was refreshing to hear different names being read and people being honored for stepping away from characters that became emblazoned on the minds of the public. Hopefully, audiences will hear new names next year.
List of Nominees and Winners:
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Kenneth Branagh – “My Week with Marilyn”
Albert Brooks – “Drive”
Jonah Hill – “Moneyball”
Viggo Mortensen – “A Dangerous Method”
Christopher Plummer – “Beginners” (winner)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical
Laura Dern – “Enlightened” (HBO) (winner)
Zooey Deschanel – “New Girl” (FOX)
Tina Fey – “30 Rock” (NBC)
Laura Linney – “The Big C” (SHOWTIME)
Amy Poehler – “Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
“Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)” (PBS) (winner)
“The Hour” (BBC America)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“Too Big to Fail” (HBO)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Romola Garai – “The Hour” (BBC America)
Diane Lane – “Cinema Verite” (HBO)
Elizabeth McGovern – “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)” (PBS)
Emily Watson – “Appropriate Adult” (ITV)
Kate Winslet – “Mildred Pierce” (HBO) (winner)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama
Steve Buscemi – “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
Bryan Cranston – “Breaking Bad” (AMC)
Kelsey Grammer – Boss” (STARZ) (winner)
Jeremy Irons – “The Borgias” (SHOWTIME)
Damian Lewis – “Homeland” (SHOWTIME)
Television Series – Drama
“American Horror Story” (FX)
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Boss” (STARZ)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Homeland” (SHOWTIME) (winner)
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
“The Artist” – Ludovic Bource (winner)
“W.E.” – Abel Korzeniowski
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
“Hugo” – Howard Shore
“War Horse” – John Williams
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Gnomeo and Juliet” – “Hello Hello” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
“Machine Gun Preacher” – “The Keeper” by Chris Cornell
“Albert Nobbs” – “Lay Your Head Down” by Brian Byrne and Glenn Close”
“The Help” – “The Living Proof” by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas
“W.E.” – “Masterpiece” by Madonna, Julie Frost and Jimmy Harry (winner)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Hugh Bonneville – “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)” (PBS)
Idris Elba – “Luther” (BBC One) (winner)
William Hurt – “Too Big to Fail” (HBO)
Bill Nighy – “Page Eight Masterpiece” (PBS)
Dominic West – “The Hour” (BBC America)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Jodie Foster – “Carnage”
Charlize Theron – “Young Adult”
Kristen Wiig – “Bridesmaids”
Michelle Williams – “My Week with Marilyn” (winner)
Kate Winslet – “Carnage”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Peter Dinklage – “Game of Thrones” (HBO) (winner)
Paul Giamatti – “Too Big to Fail” (HBO)
Guy Pearce – “Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
Tim Robbins – “Cinema Verite” (HBO)
Eric Stonestreet – “Modern Family” (ABC)
Best Animated Feature Film
“The Adventures of Tintin” (winner)
“Arthur Christmas”
“Cars 2″
“Puss in Boots”
“Rango”
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Woody Allen – “Midnight in Paris” (winner)
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon – “The Ides of March”
Michel Hazanavicius – “The Artist”
Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne, Jim Rash – “The Descendants”
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian – “Moneyball”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jessica Lange – “American Horror Story” (FX) (winner)
Kelly MacDonald – “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
Sofia Vergara – “Modern Family” (ABC)
Evan Rachel Wood – “Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
Maggie Smith – “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)” (PBS)
Best Foreign Language Film
“The Flowers of War” (China)
“In the Land of Blood and Honey” (United States”
“The Kid with a Bike” (Belgium)
“A Separation” (Iran) (winner)
“The Skin I Live In” (Spain)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama
Claire Danes – “Homeland” (SHOWTIME) (winner)
Mireille Enos – “The Killing” (AMC)
Julianna Margulies – “The Good Wife” (CBS)
Madeleine Stowe – “Revenge” (ABC)
Callie Thorne – “Necessary Roughness” (USA)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical
David Duchovny – “Californication” (SHOWTIME)
Johnny Galecki – “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
Thomas Jane – “Hung” (HBO)
Matt LeBlanc – “Episodes” (SHOWTIME) (winner)
Alec Baldwin – “30 Rock” (NBC)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Berenice Bejo – “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain – “The Help”
Janet McTeer – “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer – “The Help” (winner)
Shailene Woodley – The Descendants”
Best Director – Motion Picture
Woody Allen – “Midnight in Paris”
George Clooney – “The Ides of March”
Michel Hazanavicius – “The Artist”
Alexander Payne – “The Descendants”
Martin Scorsese – “Hugo” (winner)
Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical
“Enlightened” (HBO)
“Episodes” (SHOWTIME)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Modern Family” (ABC) (winner)
“New Girl” (FOX)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Jean Dujardin – “The Artist” (winner)
Brendan Gleeson – The Guard”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – “50/50″
Owen Wilson – “Midnight in Paris”
Ryan Gosling – “Crazy, Stupid, Love”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Glenn Close – “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis – “The Help”
Rooney Mara – “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep – “Iron Lady” (winner)
Tilda Swinton – “We Need to Talk About Kevin”
Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
“50/50″
“The Artist” (winner)
“Bridesmaids”
“Midnight in Paris”
“My Week with Marilyn”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
George Clooney – “The Descendents” (winner)
Leonardo DiCaprio – “J. Edgar”
Michael Fassbender – “Shame”
Brad Pitt – “Moneyball”
Ryan Gosling – “The Ides of March”
Best Motion Picture – Drama
“The Descendants” (winner)
“The Help”
“Hugo”
“The Ides of March”
“Moneyball”
“War Horse”