Photo Source: Fox Searchlight
“The Descendants” earned the award for Best Motion Picture, Drama, and star George Clooney took home a Golden Globe for his lead role as a suddenly single father in Hawaii, who must cope with his family after his wife’s tragic accident.
“We had an extraordinary ensemble cast of young and older actors, veterans and newcomers, but our quarterback was George Clooney,” “The Descendants” producer Jim Burke said when accepting the award at the end of the night. “And aside from giving a career best performance, in my mind, he was a generous actor who helped everybody do their very best.”
“The Artist” had the most nominations of any film this year, and took home three awards including Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical, for newcomer Jean Dujardin.
Ricky Gervais returned to host the awards show for the second year in a row, after he made headlines for offending attendees and viewers last year. The comedian generally threw softer punches at more forgiving targets this time. Gervais was still not a hit with the crowd, which was likely expecting the worst, but he did joke that if he offended anyone tonight, HFPA would definitely hire him to host a third time.
Morgan Freeman was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award, presented by acting legend Sidney Poitier. “You infuse the characters you play with life, a three-dimensional character,” the past DeMille Award winner told Freeman. “You become the character. The character becomes you.”
“They say if you do what you love, you’ll never have to work,” Freeman added. “If that’s true, then for the past 45 years or so, I haven’t worked a day in my life. Because my passion in life has always been acting.”
Former Back Stage Take 5 columnist Octavia Spencer quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during her emotional acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical. She won for her role as the sassy maid Minnie in “The Help.” Spencer said the film’s emotional relevance comes from showing that "all labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance."
Michelle Williams won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical, for her portrayal of the title character in “My Week with Marilyn.” She said on stage that she considers herself a mother first and an actress second, and apologized to her daughter for reading her bedtime stories in a Marilyn Monroe voice for the past six months. Meryl Streep won Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama, for “The Iron Lady,” and Christopher Plummer took home the statue for Best Supporting Actor for “Beginners.”
Kate Winslet and Claire Danes, two actresses who have had success at the Globes in the past, both won awards again this year for their dramatic roles on television. Winslet won for the HBO miniseries “Mildred Pierce,” and Danes for the Showtime series “Homeland.” “Homeland” also earned the award for Best Television Series, Drama.
During his acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”) admitted that his mother had predicted Guy Pearce would win in the category for his performance in “Mildred Pierce.” Later, Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy harmonized a duet to introduce the award for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini-series or Movie, which went to Jessica Lange for “American Horror Story.”
Matt LeBlanc won Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Comedy Series for his playing a character named Matt LeBlanc in “Episodes.” The actor thanked his writers and producers by saying, “They write a Matt LeBlanc that’s very much more fun and interesting than the real thing. I wish I was him.”
Throughout a night when actors, director, writers, and producers are given time to thank their agents, managers, families, and God – or Harvey Weinstein – there is one important part of the filmmaking process that often goes overlooked. But Martin Scorsese remembered. When accepting the award for Best Director for “Hugo,” Scorsese thanked his casting director Ellen Lewis for her contribution to the 3D film.
The complete list of winners and nominees is below. The winners are designated with *.
FILM
Best Motion Picture—Drama
*“The Descendants”
“The Help”
“Hugo”
“The Ides of March”
“Moneyball”
“War Horse”
Best Motion Picture—Comedy or Musical
“50/50”
*“The Artist”
“Bridesmaids”
“Midnight in Paris”
“My Week With Marilyn”
Best Director
Woody Allen (“Midnight in Paris”)
George Clooney (“The Ides of March”)
Michel Hazanavicius (“The Artist”)
Alexander Payne (“The Descendants”)
*Martin Scorsese (“Hugo”)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama
*George Clooney (“The Descendants”)
Leonardo Dicaprio (“J. Edgar”)
Michael Fassbender (“Shame”)
Ryan Gosling (“The Ides of March”)
Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”)
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 (“The Iron Lady”)
Tilda Swinton (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Comedy or Musical
*Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”)
Brendan Gleeson (“The Guard”)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“50/50”)
Ryan Gosling (“Crazy, Stupid, Love”)
Owen Wilson (“Midnight in Paris”)
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”)
Kate Winslet (“Carnage”)
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”)
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”)
Shailene Woodley (“The Descendants”)
Best Animated Film
*“The Adventures of Tintin”
“Arthur Christmas”
“Cars 2”
“Puss in Boots”
“Rango”
Best Foreign Language Film
“The Flowers Of War” (China)
“In The Land of Blood and Honey” (USA)
“The Kid With a Bike” (Belgium)
*”A Separation” (Iran)
“The Skin I Live In” (Spain)
Best Screenplay
“The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“The Ides of March”
*“Midnight in Paris”
“Moneyball”
Best Original Score
*Ludovic Bource, “The Artist”
Abel Korzeniowski, “W.E.”
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”
Howard Shore, “Hugo”
John Williams, “War Horse”
Best Original Song
“Hello Hello,” “Gnomeo & Juliet” Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
“The Keeper,” “Machine Gun Preacher” Music & Lyrics by Chris Cornell
“Lay Your Head Down,” “Albert Nobbs” Music by Brian Byrne, Lyrics by Glenn Close
“The Living Proof,” “The Help” Music by Thomas Newman, Mary J. Blige and Harvey Mason, Jr.; Lyrics by Mary J. Blige, Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas
*“Masterpiece,” “W.E.” Music & Lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost and Jimmy Harry
TELEVISION
Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series – Comedy or Musical
*Laura Dern (“Enlightened”)
Zooey Deschanel (“New Girl”)
Tina Fey (“30 Rock”)
Laura Linney (“The Big C”)
Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation”)
Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series – Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”)
David Duchovny (“Californication”)
Johnny Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory”)
Thomas Jane (“Hung”)
*Matt LeBlanc (“Episodes”)
Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series – Drama
*Claire Danes (“Homeland”)
Mireille Enos (“The Killing”)
Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife”)
Madeleine Stowe (“Revenge”)
Callie Thorne (“Necessary Roughness”)
Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series – Drama
*Kelsey Grammer (“Boss“)
Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”)
Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”)
Jeremy Irons (“The Borgias”)
Damian Lewis (“Homeland”)
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Mini-series or Movie
*Peter Dinklange (“Game of Thrones”)
Paul Giamatti (“Too Big to Fail”)
Guy Pearce (“Mildred Pierce”)
Tim Robbins (“Cinema Verite”)
Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”)
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini-series or Movie
*Jessica Lange (“American Horror Story”)
Kelly Macdonald (“Boardwalk Empire”)
Maggie Smith (“Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)”)
Sofia Vergara (“Modern Family”)
Evan Rachel Wood (“Mildred Pierce”)
Best Performance By An Actor In A Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
*Idris Elba (“Luther”)
Hugh Bonneville “(Downton Abbey”)
William Hurt (“To Big to Fail”)
Bill Nighy (“Page Eight”)
Dominic West (“The Hour”)
Best Performance By An Actress In A Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
*Kate Winslet (“Mildred Pierce”)
Romola Garai (“The Hour”)
Diane Lane (“Cinema Verite”)
Elizabeth McGovern (“Downton Abbey”)
Emily Watson “(Appropriate Adult”)
Best Comedy Series
“Enlightened”
“Episodes”
“Glee”
*“Modern Family”
“New Girl”
Best Drama Series
“American Horror Story”
“Boardwalk Empire”
“Boss”
“Game of Thrones”
*“Homeland”
Best Mini-Series or TV Movie
“Cinema Verite”
*“Downton Abbey”
“The Hour”
“Mildred Pierce”
“Too Big to Fail”
