Director Ang Lee was fielding congratulatory calls on "Brokeback Mountain's" seven Golden Globe nominations from his lonely hotel room in Minneapolis. "The hardest thing for me is to stay calm," said the director, who is known for just that. "This is great news for us. It's a wonderful feeling." What makes the director happiest is knowing that after a strong opening weekend and support from not only the Globes but also the New York and L.A. film critics, "Brokeback" now will reach a wider audience. "When we started making the movie, we assumed it would have a very limited release," he said. "It will be interesting to see how it plays when it goes wider, out of the art houses. We don't know what to expect. We have had great response. Maybe there was so much love put into the movie that in the nicest way, people embrace the movie and encourage other people to see it." The Golden Globes will help to bring attention to the film around the world, Lee said. "Usually, cowboy movies are not a popular genre outside the U.S., but we are learning every day how people respond. It's a love story, so it shouldn't have any boundary." Lee will continue on the promotion trail he has been on since the Venice International Film Festival in August. "Every other day I'm in a different city," he said. "We still have some ways to go. The film has just been released, so we still have some follow-up to do. They don't teach you this in film school."
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Finally, almost nine years after Diana Ossana and husband Larry McMurtry first optioned Annie Proulx's New Yorker short story, "Brokeback Mountain," the movie is "out there," McMurtry said, and gaining all the awards recognition they could have hoped for, including seven Golden Globe noms. Making calls from their Austin home, the writing partners are feeling "gratified," McMurtry said. "It's a disarming movie, whatever you expect, whether you go into it hostile or otherwise. It's not quite what you thought it was going to be." Added Ossana: "We had excellent source material. We feel fortunate to have been able to come onto this project early on; we pushed hard for this movie at every step. The recognition is so wonderful for everyone who worked so hard on the film because it means that regular folks will see it. Everything finally came together at the right time in the right way." The couple is now polishing the script for a CBS telefilm based on their Western novel, "Comanche Moon," as well as a feature film of "Boone's Lick" for Universal Pictures and producer-star Tom Hanks. The return of movie Westerns, said McMurtry, whose first Hollywood film adaptation was 1963's "Hud," "is a cyclical thing."
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Landing in New Zealand, just in time for the New Zealand premiere of "King Kong," Peter Jackson, who was nominated for each of the "Lord of the Rings" films and won for "The Return of the King," reacted to his latest best directing nom for his latest film. "For the passion and dedication from the cast and crew of 'King Kong' I'm deeply grateful," he said. "With their help, I was able to make a childhood dream of mine a reality...and better than I ever could have with my Super 8. The enthusiasm and commitment from everyone who worked on this film is admirable and I am deeply grateful to each and every one of them. I hope that audiences around the world will welcome with open arms my homage to the classic that inspired me to become a filmmaker."
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"I told everybody that I wasn't going to wake up just to wait for it, but I ended waking up anyway, on my own," said director David Cronenberg, whose "A History of Violence" was nominated for best motion picture (drama). Even then, he missed the news at his home in Toronto. "I wasn't seeing anything on the Net, and then my sister phoned -- she had been watching TV. She was very excited."
And Cronenberg? "I was excited. I've never had a film nominated for any Golden Globe. It looks like it's a fun party. I've met members of the foreign press, and they certainly are an interesting group, but nothing that I've done seemed to have made an impression on them before."
Cronenberg still is reeling from the general reaction to his film, which is garnering the best reviews of this career. "The critical response to the film has so far, far exceeded my expectations. Why that should be, I have no idea. That's the mystery of moviemaking. I never really know how people are going to respond to a film that I do, I really don't." He then added, jokingly: "It's much too much love, and I have to go back to that hostility I'm used to. That might well be what happens with the next movie."
Cronenberg had no designs to party, instead planning on reading "Ben Calder Story" and watching a DVD screener or two. "It's going to be a normal day."
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For James Schamus, co-president of Focus Features, a cool 12 Golden Globe nominations for three films -- "The Constant Gardener," "Brokeback Mountain" and "Pride & Prejudice" -- has him feeling like "a deer in the headlights," he said. He now feels vindicated by the success of Focus' unusual staggered release strategy for its strong fall lineup. The distributor started out in August with Fernando Meirelles' adaptation of John le Carre's 2000 novel "The Constant Gardener," in order to avoid "a crowded fall season for a film we believed had a large crossover audience," Schamus said. " 'Constant Gardener' was the first glass of cold water people drank at the end of a long summer. That pleasure is not easily forgotten." Schamus thinks the nominations for Meirelles and supporting actress nominee Rachel Weisz are "a particular testament to the one thing that resonates the most from the film: its emotion. You won't see Rachel on a video box with a string of bullets across her chest, holding an Uzi." The seven nominations for "Brokeback Mountain" are frosting on top of its strong opening weekend numbers, Schamus said. "We were up 27% yesterday from Sunday. It's an amazing testament to audience avidity across the board that it's a real crossover hit. The numbers are telling us that someone walking on the sidewalk in front of a theater playing 'Brokeback Mountain' is likely to be vacuumed inside. 'Brokeback Mountain' was a movie made so modestly that as of 3 p.m. yesterday afternoon, we were in profit." "Brokeback" is performing well without the firestorm of controversy many predicted. "The amazing thing about the controversy is there is no controversy," Schamus said. "Media folks are waking up, trying to figure out how to write up a controversy story where there is none." Schamus always had "full faith" in the ultimate success of "Pride & Prejudice" because "it's such pure pleasure to watch," he added. "We couldn't be happier. Our only concern with casting Keira Knightley was, honestly, could we make a movie that met her innate abilities. I don't think there will ever be an Elizabeth Bennet to match her."
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Producer Chris Bender was sound asleep when he received a call from producing partner JC Spink telling him that their movie "A History of Violence" was nominated for best picture (drama). "I knew he would be up," Bender said. "This is the kind of thing he would obsess over; I have a kid, so I sleep in."
Bender said the nomination was "unbelievable" and "the highlight of the year" for Benderspink. He was especially happy for director David Cronenberg, who also produced the film. "To see David get this after everything he put into the movie, it's gratifying. We're just the lucky producers that got to make a movie with David Cronenberg."
After the phone call, Bender turned to his wife and told her the great news. "And then we fell back to sleep," he said, laughing.
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"Good Night, and Good Luck" producer and co-writer Grant Heslov learned of his two nominations for best motion picture, drama, and screenplay in two calls from his co-scribe and longtime friend George Clooney. "I was lying in bed with my wife, and the first thing George said was, 'You better get your tux ready,' " Heslov said. After Heslov paused the TiVo to take care of his ill daughter, Clooney called again to let him know the best picture nom was announced as well. "We were both kinda stunned," Heslov said. "Plus at that early morning hour, everything seems unreal." Neither of them had a good night's rest. "We both did Q&As the night before and didn't get in until 11:30," Heslov said. "He was sleeping, too, like any sane person." Both were taken aback that a modestly budgeted, black-and-white film about CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow's battles with Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s had such success. "When you're working on a film, you're in a vacuum. You don't know if anyone's gonna see it."
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"I wish I could get fall-down drunk with everyone involved in the movie," said writer-director Gavin Hood, whose drama "Tsotsi" nabbed a nomination for foreign-language film. Hood was asleep in Los Angeles, intending to waking up to see the Globe nominations early in the morning, when he was awoken with a phone call passing along the good news. "It's a strange and surreal feeling. I feel slightly disconnected," he said. "Virtually the whole crew is in Johannesburg." He feels most excited for his lead actor, newcomer Presley Chweneyagae, whom his casting director Moonyeenn Lee discovered doing community theater in a South African township. Although Chweneyagae, who plays the conflicted young gangster (or "tsotsi") in the film wasn't nominated, he said, "I wish I could leap over to South Africa and shake his hand," noting how key his performance is to the film's success.
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Fernando Meirelles was reading his morning newspaper in Sao Paulo, Brazil, when his 17-year-old son ran in with the news that Meirelles had received his first Golden Globe nomination for directing "The Constant Gardener." "He saw my photo on the Internet," he said. The film's success has surprised Meirelles because "the movie is difficult and complex, a sad story without a happy ending." He credits the "way the actors played their characters. It was so moving." Meirelles is honing his sprawling next script, "Intolerance," which boasts five stories set in locations around the globe. He plans to start filming in July.
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Already a two-time Globe winner for directing "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List," Steven Spielberg picked up his 11th nomination for his upcoming "Munich." "I am very proud of 'Munich' and everyone who had a hand in bringing it to life," he said. "I am extremely grateful to the HFPA for acknowledging the screenplay as well as my contributions as director."
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"A lovely morning wake-up call" is how "The Producers" producer Jonathan Sanger described the 7 a.m. phone call he received from Universal Pictures chairman Stacey Snider telling him the movie was nominated for best picture, musical or comedy category. "I've been trying to reach (the movie's other producer, Mel Brooks) -- he's on this way to London. He will be very, very pleasantly surprised, especially about the song, which is something he was really hoping for." The song, "There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway," sung by the movie's co-stars Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, was one Brooks wrote just for the film and runs during the end credits. Sanger admitted he had his doubts whether the movie would garner nominations. "You're always surprised (when you get one). Early on, when you're making the movie, you think everything is possible. But when you get closer to the actual time, there is always doubt. And I can't say I didn't wonder whether we would get noticed or not. I'm very pleased." Sanger said he would meet up with director Susan Stroman in the afternoon to work on the DVD of the movie, which would include music and dance numbers cut from the theatrical version for length reasons.
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Paul Webster, the producer of "Pride & Prejudice," set out to "make a film that was at the top of the game of an English romantic historic comedy drama," he said. "We were lucky enough to be working with our magnificent partners at Working Title. And we had a fabulous experience with director Joe Wright, who is a true visionary." During production, as the dailies came in, Webster said, "our excitement grew. We were lucky to have a cast headed up by the very mature young actress Keira Knightley, who carried the movie on her shoulders. We initially thought she was too pretty to play the role, but when we got to meet her, she had a tomboy aspect, and we decided we'd be crazy not to cast her."
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"This is a little British movie, so it's something no one expected, not in a million years," said "Mrs. Henderson Presents" producer Norma Heyman. She was at the Ivy restaurant in London having an office holiday party (along with "Henderson" scribe Martin Sherman) when she learned her film earned three nominations in the musical or comedy category: motion picture, actress for Judi Dench and actor for Bob Hoskins. A waiter sent over a bottle of wine to congratulate the table. "So much of this film's success depends on word-of-mouth, so hopefully this will help," Heyman said. While modestly happy about the World War II dramedy's noms, she was much prouder of her director, actors and the film's subject matter. "Stephen Frears has his choice of every film in England, and this vindicates his choice to direct ours," she said. "I'm so happy there's recognition of actors that doesn't diminish with their age. I also hope people recognize there's relevance to today's events in our film, and how people respond in times of danger and war." In a statement, Dench, who picked up her sixth Globe nomination, said, "I am absolutely thrilled, delighted and terribly honored."
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Real estate magnate-turned-independent producer Bob Yari woke up Tuesday to the welcome news that he had produced two Golden Globe nominees: Paul Haggis' "Crash" and "The Matador," starring Pierce Brosnan. "I had high hopes for both since seeing their early footage," he said. "It's tremendously satisfying, when you're out there trying to make independent films that are a mix of commercial and art, to have people recognize them as being meaningful and artistic. It helps expose them to the public." "Crash" already has been released on DVD, and "The Matador" opens Dec. 30 in theaters and goes wide in January.
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Shonda Rhimes, creator/executive producer of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," was still in bed Tuesday morning when she got a call from another executive producer, Betsy Beers, asking whether Rhimes had heard and could tell her anything about Golden Globe nominations. Rhimes promptly fired up her computer and went online to learn that the show had been nominated for best drama series and that cast members Patrick Dempsey and Sandra Oh had been mentioned in two of the acting categories. "Every Sunday, I can't even believe we're on television, so I'm really excited about this," she said. "It's a little bit surreal -- I'm thrilled and stunned."
Rhimes added that there might not be much time for celebration because she and her team are hard at work on the special episode airing Feb. 5 after ABC's broadcast of Super Bowl XL. "I haven't even had a chance to raise my head above water and look around," she said. As for that particular episode, Rhimes declined to offer hints about what viewers can expect, saying only that "it has everything in one episode."
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James Duff, creator/executive producer/writer of TNT's "The Closer," was overjoyed that his star, Kyra Sedgwick, had been nominated as best actress in a drama series. "I'm so excited I can't stand it," he said. "I honestly feel that she deserves this nomination; she is a brilliant actress and really a stupendous, fantastic, marvelous person to work with." Duff also gave Sedgwick credit for making the character of Brenda Johnson, deputy chief of the Los Angeles Police Department's Priority Homicide Squad, "so viable and so real that people think she actually exists. I get questions about her all time from people (for example, that start out with) 'When Brenda was a baby ...' "
So what's in store for Brenda in the upcoming second season, which begins shooting on Valentine's Day? "I can tell you that her personal life is going to become a lot more complicated and that work is going to be even more of a refuge than it was before," Duff said. "We are going to work really hard to be even better this year; we're raising the bar a little bit and trying different things."
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Palestinian-born director Hany Abu-Assad seemed stunned over the best foreign-language film nomination for his suicide bomber-themed "Paradise Now." "This is scary for me," said Abu-Assad, speaking from his home in Holland. "I come from a place that's far from glamour or celebration, and to suddenly become part of this big show ..." He trailed off in disbelief at the acceptance of the critically acclaimed film. "It deals with a subject not a lot of people want to hear about. Maybe I did the wrong movie -- not small enough, not controversial enough."
Abu-Assad was aware of Tuesday's nomination announcement and was washing his hands when a call came in. "I was so afraid of it that I was just avoiding it all," he said. He also noted preconceived notions worldwide about the U.S. and Hollywood's prejudice against the movie's subject matter. "Perhaps we have a prejudice that's not true, or maybe now is the right time for the U.S. to look at different voices." Soon, however, the director's tone turned to laughter: "Then again, maybe it's just a good movie."
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Ziyi Zhang was eating breakfast in her New York hotel room when she learned that she had been nominated for actress in a motion picture drama for her turn as the toast of Kyoto in "Memoirs of a Geisha." "I am very happy, but I wish our movie could get more nominations," said the actress, who joined John Williams (original score) as "Geisha's" lone representatives. "(Director) Rob Marshall deserves all the credit for my nomination." Although Marshall was shut out in the helming category, Zhang found reason to cheer for another director. "I was jumping up and down for Ang Lee," said the Beijing native, whose career skyrocketed after playing a fierce assassin in Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." "Ang, for me, is someone very special. So all the best to him."
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Playing the cross-dressing hero of Neil Jordan's early '70s Irish fable "Breakfast on Pluto," Cillian Murphy was one of the surprise actor nominees for a comedy or drama. It was just as surprising to him. "Growing up, I never wanted to be an actor -- I wanted to be a rock star," said Murphy, who was transformed nine years ago after seeing experimental theater. His nom is just part of a personal whirlwind. "I finished work on (Danny Boyle's tentatively titled) 'Sunshine' on Friday, and had a little boy born seven weeks ago, so it's been a crazy year," said the actor, who was playing with his son in the kitchen when his publicist called with the news. As the sole nominee for his film, Murphy expressed disappointment at Jordan's exclusion. "It would be lovely if Neil got a nomination because the only reason I got mine was his writing and directing, plus the novel by Pat McCabe it was based on," Murphy said. "But that's the nature of the game. I spoke to Neil today, and he's delighted." Murphy's biggest thrill was being recognized alongside one of his heroes, Johnny Depp, and while he watched the Globes during his "Red Eye" shoot last year, he said he "completely switched off" any awards talk for this role. "It's all peripheral," he said. "When you bring a little person into the world, all these things are put into perspective."
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For Maria Bello, the day's news was bittersweet. The "A History of Violence" star learned of her actress in a motion picture drama nomination from television, where she had been following coverage of the execution in California of Stanley "Tookie" Williams. "I've been barely able to sleep all night," she said. "I was just so distressed about it all night. I can't believe that he got executed. I thought at the last minute there would be a reprieve, and there wasn't." The actress, who was recognized for her turn as a wife haunted by her husband's violent past, said it was difficult to celebrate her second Globe nomination in three years. "Somehow, something that huge and serious makes everything else not so important," said Bello, who also earned a nom for 2003's "The Cooler." "But I am honored. I'm just sad about the state of our country."
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News of Will Ferrell's nomination for actor in a musical or comedy for "The Producers" induced a groggy debate at the performer's house Tuesday morning when he awoke to a phone call from his publicist that he failed to catch. "I was wondering, 'Gosh, who's calling?' I didn't put anything together. It wasn't until my wife was like, 'You got nominated, I know it! There's no reason why anyone would be calling this morning!' I was in a half-asleep state and I said, 'Or maybe he's telling me I didn't get nominated,' and she said, 'Why would he do that?' " Once he found out he was nominated, Ferrell fell back to sleep. "We have a 2-year-old and I knew he would be waking up soon, so I tried to get some more sleep." Still, he was elated by his first Globe nomination. "It's hard to put it into words. You feel flattered by the whole thing. This is beyond my wildest dreams." Ferrell did his own singing and dancing in the movie, which he described as "a trial-by-fire experience." "I was thrown in with the rest of the group," he said. "But that's where Susan Stroman was such a good director, with me and Matthew (Broderick) and Nathan (Lane), (she) really helped me along." Ferrell said he had no plans for any celebrations as his "exciting conclusion to the day" would involve taking his wife to the doctor because she threw her back out. "But I'll do it with a smile on my face."
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Even though Sarah Jessica Parker nabbed four Globe statuettes during her stint on HBO's "Sex and the City," she is an awards-season neophyte when it comes to being recognized for her film work. "Only about half an hour ago did I realize the category I was in and who I was among," said the "Family Stone" actress, who landed a nom for best actress in a motion picture comedy or musical. As with her "Sex" success, Parker said she flourished in "Family Stone" thanks to inspired writing and co-stars "functioning at the top of their game." "I am acutely aware of what is necessary to be a decent actor," she said. "When you are younger, you think, 'I just want to be good.' But as you get older, you think, 'I want to be part of something that is good.' " With such a seasoned cast, Parker was surprised to receive the film's sole acting nom. "There are a lot of overlooked performances today," she said. "It's strange to me that Diane (Keaton) is not there."
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Zach Braff said he was surprised about his nomination as best actor in a musical or comedy series for NBC's "Scrubs," especially considering that "we didn't think the show was even going to air" this season. For the first time in the series' four-year history, "Scrubs" was left off the network's fall schedule during the current season. "I didn't think people would remember me or the show, so this is a cool surprise. I feel really lucky." The fifth season of "Scrubs" is set to debut next month. The show's postponed debut may have contributed to making "Scrubs" even quirkier than usual in its upcoming season, Braff said. Considering the possibility that the series might end up being canceled, the cast and crew decided to push the envelope a bit, he added. "Everyone thought, 'If we're not going to be on the air, let's take it as far as it can go.' We're going to be more extreme in terms of being bizarre and over the top."
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Keira Knightley was in her London flat having a cup of tea and "trying to work out how to make lasagna," she said, when the call came from her American agent ordering her to answer the phone if it rang. "Why?" she asked. "The Golden Globe nominations," he told her. "If you get one, there will be a car waiting outside." So Knightley kept looking out the window. "He didn't drive off," she said, "so I knew I got nominated." Knightley nabbed her first Golden Globe nomination, which was "completely unexpected," she said, for taking on Jane Austen's memorable heroine Elizabeth Bennet in the first film version of "Pride & Prejudice" since 1940's MGM classic. "This is a character I was obsessed with since I was about 7," she said. "I loved the book and the character and all the other actresses who played her, so I begged my agents not to put me up for it. I didn't want to let the character down. But they did, and now they're very smug." Sure enough, the car whisked Knightley away to the Soho Hotel for a day crammed with interviews. "I had expected to be making the ingredients for pasta today," she said. "It's very odd. Very nice. And very cool."
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Wearing his bathrobe, Jeff Daniels was playing guitar in his New York apartment when he learned of his nomination for actor in a musical or comedy for "The Squid and the Whale." After a call from his manager, Wendy Morris, he received a call from his wife, Kathleen, who was out of town, "and then the phone became Grand Central Station," Daniels said. "It's been a domino effect, this wonderful roller-coaster ride," he said of the film's Sundance Film Festival appearance, its critical acclaim and Independent Spirit Award nominations. Although the film might be considered by some to be a drama, Daniels said, "There's a lot of tragedy in the comedy and comedy in the tragedy. The Greeks were right." Daniels hadn't seen the film's other nominations (including best picture, musical or comedy), but he expressed shock that writer-director Noah Baumbach's film came this far at all. "We made this film with no distributor -- it was just a guy with a camera and us. For a bunch of people in Brooklyn wondering if anyone would see the movie, it's just amazing." It's also a significant milestone marking a career resurgence for Daniels, who hasn't received a Globe nom since two in the mid-'80s for "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Something Wild." "I've been doing this for 29 years. In a business that's here today, gone tomorrow, to have some 40 films behind me means a lot."
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"Initially I wasn't interested in doing a television series in Los Angeles, but my manager kept telling me (TNT's 'The Closer') was very similar to the (British) Helen Mirren series 'Prime Suspect,' which I adore," said Kyra Sedgwick, who is based in New York and was nominated for best actress in a drama television series.
Despite her early hesitation, Sedgwick said "The Closer" has ended up being one of the greatest creative experiences of her life. "My character is many different things to many different people, and she's so unlike me that I really love her," she said. "I think of the show as a wonderful gift; I feel like I've fallen into a jar of honey."
As a byproduct of being on such a well-received new series, Sedgwick said she also has a newfound appreciation for Los Angeles. "I've met lots of people on the show who live in Los Angeles full time, and I've had a wonderful time seeing the series come together there this past year," she said.
Known for her stunning red-carpet appearances, Sedgwick demurs that she has yet to secure a dress for the Golden Globes. "I'll keep my fingers crossed about nice offers," she said. Sedgwick's next big-screen appearance is in "Loverboy," directed by husband Kevin Bacon and scheduled for a June release.
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Terrence Howard was on the set filming the indie "Awake" when he learned of his actor in a motion picture drama nomination. "I was in the middle of a scene when my phone rang, and it was Mark Wahlberg. He said, 'You've been nominated for a Golden Globe. I just read your name.' I thought he was joking with me," said Howard, who actually hung up on Wahlberg. "I called him back later to apologize."
For the year's breakout star, the obvious question might have been: For which film? After all, Howard drew critical raves for everything from "Crash" to "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " But it was his toplining turn as a pimp with a dream that caught the HFPA's attention. "I thought I might be nominated for 'Crash,' " said Howard, who instead was thrilled when he found out that co-star Matt Dillon earned that distinction. "I'm waiting to talk to him. That's who I want to call. I'm so proud of him."
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Felicity Huffman, a double best actress nominee for her dramatic performance in "Transamerica" and comic turn in "Desperate Housewives," felt a bit overwhelmed. "I'd say it's a dream come true, but I never dared to dream this big." The actress has been nominated two other times (for "Housewives" and "Sports Night"), but it's her transgender role in "Transamerica" that's making the most waves. "It's really a nomination for the movie, and for tolerance. It's message is that families come in different shapes and sizes," she said, adding, "I can't believe more than 10 people and my mother have seen this film." The actress was making porridge for her two children and talking to her sister when her call came in from her publicist, followed by her other sister, then "Housewives" co-stars Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria and her agent. And what if she wins two Globes in one night? "I'd wet my gown," she joked. "But let's not go there."
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Nominated as actor in a musical, "Walk the Line's" Joaquin Phoenix said, "I'm amazed and honored that we have been recognized by the HFPA and especially pleased that audiences are responding to John and June's amazing music and love story. We couldn't have done it without writer-director James Mangold whose commitment and vision inspired us all."
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"It's nice to know there's life after 'Sex and the City,' " said Cynthia Nixon, whose role as Eleanor Roosevelt in the HBO movie "Warm Springs" earned the actress her fifth Golden Globe nomination (this one in the miniseries or TV movie category), following four noms for her role on the HBO comedy series. "I was hopeful (about getting a nomination), but luckily I had forgotten (that they were being announced) today." Portraying the former first lady "was a daunting and meaty role, something to sink my teeth into," said Nixon, who is in the midst of rehearsals for the Daniel Sullivan-directed play "Rabbit Hole," which opens Jan. 12 at the Biltmore in New York. To research the role of Eleanor Roosevelt, "I read a lot of books, saw a lot of documentaries and went to the Museum of Television & Radio to see footage." Not to mention the fact that she had "fake hair and fake teeth -- that was an important part of the role."
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For Mira Sorvino, receiving a nomination for best actress in a miniseries or TV movie for her work in "Human Trafficking," Lifetime's telefilm about modern-day slavery, was a personal victory because the movie had a special meaning to her. Sorvino, in Toronto shooting the CBS miniseries "The Hades Factor," acts as the ambassador for Amnesty International's Stop Violence Against Women campaign, and she thought "the attention the Golden Globes will give it will help even more make people aware of the problem."
"This issue affects a million people worldwide, most of them women and girls, who are trafficked into slavery, 50% of it sexual," she said. "The fact that slavery still exists and people aren't very aware of it, it so surprising in this day and age. The film went a long way to open eyes, and I think the Golden Globes will get it into consciousness that much further."
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S. Epatha Merkerson has no intention of repeating her performance at the Emmys by dropping her acceptance speech down her plunging neckline should she win for actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for television for HBO Films' "Lackawanna Blues." "That would be a little silly, wouldn't it?" Merkerson asked, taking a break from shooting "Law & Order" in New York. "I don't think we're going to repeat that. Chalk it up to a lesson learned." Audiences next can expect to see Merkerson on the big screen in "Black Snake Moan," "Hustle & Flow" director Craig Brewer's sophomore effort for Paramount Classics. "I've been doing this a long time, but (the awards are) all very new," said Merkerson, who will attend the Globes for the first time in her two-decade career. "It's just really nice to get dressed up and get the recognition."
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What's really going on in the dark corners of the spooky island on "Lost"? Matthew Fox, up for lead drama actor honors for his work on the ABC hit, said he deliberately throws people who ask him for plot hints off track, but it's for their own good, he assured. "People are very curious about what's happening on the show, but usually we fake 'em out when they ask," Fox said. "It's funny because most people are in love with the process of figuring out the mystery episode by episode, but then there's a part of them that are screaming to get details ahead of time." After years of barely making the paparazzi radar, Fox said he's grateful to be part of such a well-produced, hugely popular show. "It's a real beast of a show to produce," he said. "So much of the credit goes to an inner circle of (writers and producers) who are living this show 24/7 and working their asses off to get it done at such a high level of quality."
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A surprise nominee as actor in a comedy for his turn as a scruffy hit-man in "The Matador," Pierce Brosnan said, "I am so proud and honored to be nominated by the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. for my role as Julian Noble in 'The Matador' and for all my friends and colleagues who helped make the movie. Bravo. Bravo."
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Shirley MacLaine was awakened with an early call to discover that she was a best supporting actress nominee for "In Her Shoes" -- and that she was snowed into her home in Santa Fe, N.M. "They're sending a Caterpillar to dig me out," MacLaine said with a laugh. "I'm going to blade it all the way to my ranch an hour away." No stranger to the Globes -- she's received 16 noms and taken home four trophies -- MacLaine said the nom was "thrilling. I'm so happy for all the senior citizens in the world." She feels that this award is especially significant because "it's probably my most subtle performance, my most naked, so I was really pleased." Her nom is the only one for the film, and she expressed disappointment that Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz weren't recognized. "It's probably because they were so colorful that I stood out," she said. MacLaine has every intention of attending the Globes. "It's a party," she said. "I get to trip up the stairs, forget my name, get lost in the bathroom." Barring, of course, any snowmobile accidents. "Then I'll be going to a different kind of ceremony," she laughed.
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Actress Rachel Weisz was asleep in her Manhattan apartment at 8:20 a.m. when her London and Los Angeles agents phoned with the news that she received a supporting actress nomination for playing a murdered activist in "The Constant Gardener." The movie, based on John le Carre's hard-hitting 2000 best-seller about corrupt drug companies in Africa, touches audiences because "all people would like to make a difference, but none of us know how," Weisz said. "Here's someone who knows how, does it alone, is fearless. It's inspiring when you see a character who knows how." Weisz recently finished doing press for the film's opening in England and France. "I like the word the French used to describe the movie," she said. "Engage. Like engaged. But it sounds better." The actress praised her Brazilian director, Fernando Meirelles, who was directing his first film in English. "He is an alchemist who knows how to create a spontaneous atmosphere where something very real can happen," she said. "The opposite of contrived and measured. He's a magician in that way." Next up for Weisz is "The Fountain," a period adventure in which she stars opposite Hugh Jackman under the direction of her fiance, Darren Aronofsky.
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Paul Giamatti was having his "typical boring morning" in Brooklyn, walking his kid to school, and when he got back home, he had many a frantic message on his answering machine saying that he had been nominated for supporting actor for "Cinderella Man." "I had no idea it was even happening today," he said. "Honestly, I'm very surprised. I'm blindsided!" The first people he called were his publicists. "They were freaking out the most. You got to keep those people happy and calm, 'cause God knows what they'll do when they get worked up." Giamatti was sad to hear that director Ron Howard didn't receive a nomination after the film ran into resistance at the boxoffice, but he said: "You can't be disappointed. If the movie is good, that's all that matters to me, and I thought this movie was good. So it didn't do as well, I don't know why, but it's a great movie, and it doesn't detract from the movie for me." Giamatti's celebratory plans involve a double date Tuesday evening, which already had been on the books. "Should I be doing more?" he asked. "I don't know. Isn't that supposed to jinx it if you get all ... you know? I stay low key, that way you don't jinx everything."
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With three previous Globe nominations to her credit, Scarlett Johansson wasn't about to let the nomination telecast interfere with a good night's sleep. "I actually turned my phone off because I've been traveling a lot, and I was so tired," the "Match Point" ingenue said. "When I turned on my phone, there were 18 new messages. I thought for sure something was wrong." Instead, the busy actress received word that the Woody Allen-helmed drama nabbed four motion picture noms, including a best supporting actress mention for her. "I'm so proud of Woody. I know he's probably really excited about it even though he won't admit it," said Johansson, who recently wrapped the Allen comedy "Scoop." "I would be happy to work with Woody for the rest of my career. Someday, I would love to do another drama with him. But if I keep harassing him on the set, I might be croaking in every picture."
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Although it has been more than 26 years since Matt Dillon embarked on a career in acting, he never appeared on the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.'s radar until now. "Even for a guy who likes to think of himself as young, it's been a long time coming," said the actor, who earned a best supporting actor nom for his turn as a racist L.A. cop in the film "Crash." For a Globes first-timer, Dillon wasn't sure what to expect. "I got a call early this morning from my publicist, who said, 'Hey, congratulations. (Reporters) want talk to you.' I said, 'Really? It's kind of early. I'll do my best without my coffee,' " Dillon said.
After granting a few interviews and taking a congratulatory call from his mother, the news began to sink in. "I was a little bit surprised," said Dillon, who was on the set of his latest movie, "You, Me and Dupree," until late Monday evening. "If I had known that I would be nominated, I would have gone to bed a little earlier."
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British-born Naveen Andrews, who was nominated for best supporting actor in a series, miniseries or TV movie for his role in ABC's drama series "Lost," is feeling quite a bit of American pride these days. "What can I say? I'm just so glad that I moved to America," said the actor, who also received an Emmy nomination for the same role this year and noted that he was "never recognized" while working as an actor in England. "I just want to say, 'Thank you, America.' I can't tell you how grateful I am to have made the move." Andrews -- who learned of his Globe nomination after getting a call from his girlfriend, actress Barbara Hershey -- praised the writing on "Lost" and added that the series tends to "push the envelope," particularly with his character, Sayid, an Iraqi who used to be in that country's Republican Guard. "It shows that we are all human beings and that we share a common humanity."
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John Williams received his 21st Golden Globe nomination for best original score for "Memoirs of a Geisha." Despite three prior wins and two best original song noms, he said he couldn't be happier because he feels that awards gain more meaning over the years. "The Golden Globes become more and more prestigious every year, and the currency and quality of the award increases every year," he said. He added that the Golden Globes' "celebration of scores only increases the (general public's) awareness of music in film." He was surprised that "Geisha" was shut out of most other categories; the movie's only other nomination was Ziyi Zhang for best actress, drama. "I thought it was a particularly magnificent film. Rob Marshall did a beautiful job of translating the Arthur Golden book into a magnificent film, and it will certainly be appreciated by audiences. But to be fair, I've done four scores this year, and I haven't seen the other films. It makes me look forward to seeing these other films which must be marvelous indeed." The "Memoirs" score is unlike anything Williams has done, and he was thoughtful in describing it. "The score is a synergy combining Japanese material, instruments, colors and textures with a Western symphonic orchestra and Western soloists. All those elements come together to create a universal emotional message to the music."
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Alanis Morissette wrote the music and lyrics for the song "Wunderkind" in "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" in just one day. "Disney reached out to me and screened the movie for me," Morissette said. "The writing process is very quick for me. If a song doesn't write itself, it's not meant to be written." Speeding up the process was Morissette's appreciation for the movie's protagonist, Lucy Pevensie. "I just was very touched by her innocence, her tenacity, her deep connection with her life and her sense of wonder." Further facilitating the music was having musicians at the ready. "All my bandmates were in town and ready to rock," she said. This year will mark the first time Morissette attends the Golden Globes ceremony. "It gives me an opportunity to clean up -- to get dressed up," she said. "It's an adventure. When the phone started ringing off the hook this morning, I thought someone was hurt."
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He's no stranger to DreamWorks Animation, having written the scores for "Antz," "Chicken Run" and both "Shrek" movies, but composer Harry Gregson-Williams is new to the Golden Globes, and he's pretty chuffed about attending for his work on "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe." "My mentor Hans Zimmer goes every year," Gregson-Williams mused. "But this year, the mouse got away with the cheese."
Gregson-Williams worked with director Andrew Adamson to define the sensibility of the score. "The movie has battle scenes so it had to be epic, but at its heart, it's a story about family, and it was important to track the emotional arc of the smallest child (Lucy Pevensie)," he said. In search of an instrument to convey a snowy and childlike innocence, the composer turned up the kantele, the national instrument of Finland. Gregson-Williams tracked down the world's best-known kantele player on the Internet and recorded sessions by sending files back and forth from his Venice studio to Northern Europe.
Unlike some of his composer predecessors, Gregson-Williams has no intention of sporting a kilt at the Golden Globes. "I'm definitely a trousers man," he said.
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Dolly Parton was as giggly as ever about her Golden Globe nomination for best original song, "Travelin' Thru," from "Transamerica." "(The producers) sent me the movie, and I was so inspired by (Felicity Huffman's) performance, I said, 'My Lord, this is so good, I have to do this," Parton said. Little did she know that writer-director Duncan Tucker would return her first take on the song and tell her to do it again. "I know, it was sorta like lookin' a gift horse in the mouth, huh?" she laughed. "But he came down here to Nashville, and he tried to be a music producer and really give me direction," Parton said. "He gave me all the beats and things that he wanted, and the second time around he loved it."
Parton said she considers herself approachable especially when it comes to writing songs for independent films. "Oh, I'm not picky, I just have to like the story," she laughed. As to whether she anticipates "Transamerica" will travel all the way to the Oscars, Parton said the press usually knows better than she does. "It's a great honor to be nominated, I just barely got it in on time," she said. "I always take pride in what I do, but this one happened so quickly I really have no idea what to expect." For now, she's wrapping up the Vintage Tour, on which she sings her favorite songs from the 1960s and '70s.
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Alexandre Desplat, the Golden Globe-nominated composer of "Syriana," last attended the event for his work on "Girl With a Pearl Earring." "Yes, nobody cares about the composer's face," the native Parisian said. "When we walk down the red carpet, all the photographers are busily reloading their cameras."
"The 'Syriana' script is a very complex script," Desplat said. "It's a puzzle, you have to read the script two or three times, especially when you're French." But the composer was able to identify the emotional potential of the score that pulses beneath direct Stephen Gaghan's visuals of human suffering. Desplat plans to attend the Globes again, but this year he's taking different approach. "When we walk past the press line this time, we'll make sure to follow a really big star," he laughed.
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"My heartfelt thanks to the HFPA for these two nominations," said Gustavo Santaolalla, a best original score nominee for "Brokeback Mountain," in a statement. "It was an honor scoring the film for Ang Lee, and I loved writing the song 'A Love That Will Never Grow Old' with Bernie Taupin for Emmylou Harris to sing. They are all masters, and I am proud to have collaborated with them on this beautiful and important movie."
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"The Constant Gardener" producer Simon Channing-Williams has won two Oscars for Mike Leigh's "Topsy-Turvy" but has never before been nominated for a Golden Globe. "I'm thrilled to bits," he said. "It's a good way to wake up at midday in the U.K." But the thrill of victory was bittersweet because while director Fernando Meirelles and actress Rchael Weisz were honored, Ralph Fiennes was overlooked. "I'm absolutely thrilled for Rachel and Fernando, who made his first English-language film, but I'm disappointed for Ralph. He and Rachel made a fantastic team. I do think he's better in his role than he was in either 'English Patient' or 'Schindler's List.'"
After five years of trying to get the movie made, Channing-Williams thinks the time was finally right for "people to have their consciences pricked. John LeCarre wrote a really angry story. The anger is justified by what is happening in Africa; Fernando's movie opens people's eyes to what is happening." "The Constant Gardener" Charity has already pulled in over 100,000 pounds in small individual donations, Channing-Williams said. "The abuse of the African nation sadly goes on."