USA: Golden Globe awards ceremony in Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills was the center of glamour Monday (January 15) as nominees trod the red carpet in the first big awards outing of the year 2007. It was time for the annual Golden Globe awards, a light affair, started by the Hollywood foreign press and now seen as a leading indicator of the Oscars. Jeremy Irons and Helen Mirren were seen speaking to each other -- or were they reading lines from their much honored television film, Elizabeth I? Martin Scorsese, the much nominated director, this time for "The Departed" talked to every and all as he raced from reporter to reporter. Dustin Hoffman was there, without a nod, but perhaps to support others who were. Adriana Barraza was one of many from the cast and crew of "Babel" who were out in force, like a battalion, to secure at least one win from their seven nominations. "This experience is truly wonderful and I thank God for giving me the chance to experience this," Barraza told Reuters. Mirren, demurred when asked if the Globes were just another awards show. "The more one's honored to be here the more exciting it gets. Actually it gets better and better, it gets more. It's nice that a whole scene, because it's such an amazing scene and when you're not used to it it can be quite intimidating and once you're used to it then you can just enjoy it. You know it's fantastic." Jennifer Lopez distinguished why the Globes are more fun than other, more staid, Hollywood affairs. "Because it is more of a party, you know, you sit down at a table . . . you can chat, you're having dinner, you know what I mean, it's different than the kind of formal awards ceremony." Rinko Kikuchi, nominated for best supporting actress for Babel, twirled for the cameras. Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore did interviews in tandem. Cameron Diaz, alas, was solo, having broken up with longtime boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, who was in attendance, but far from Cameron. Penelope Cruz, Pedro Almodovar's muse, and star of his latest, Volver, was gracious, to the other actresses in her category. "I feel very, very excited, very honored about this nomination. To be in the company of these amazing actresses is a huge thing for me." Meryl Streep, so unlike her ruthless character in "The Devil Wears Prada," posed happily with her daughter. Babel's director, Alejandro Inarritu, spoke about the great reception with which his film was met. "Well seven nominations just means how much the Hollywood foreign press really liked the film. I thinkit touched their hearts. I'm very glad to share all these nominations with the people who make possible this film. That's fantastic." Beyonce walked the red carpet, one of the three divas from "Dreamgirls," waved to the crowd regally. The old guard was represented by Clint Eastwood, nominated twice."I feel fine, I'm fine, I'm here, I'm here, I'm here and I'm ready for for our picture," said Clint. Reigning Hollywood royalty Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt were met with the largest roar of the crowd. Brad, who was nominated for best supporting actor for his role in "Babel," was asked by one reporter if he spoke Spanish and had ever been to Argentina."Not really, but I love the place and I love your directors. It's a pleasure to be here." On came Renee Zellweger, nominated for her turn as Beatrix Potter. "Bobby" director Emilio Estevez was blown away by the array of stars. "I don't think I've ever seen a red carpet like this before, have you? It's bananas." For the awards themselves, Meryl Streep won the award for best actress in a comedy for her portrayal of a wicked fashion editor in "The Devil Wears Prada." It was sixth Golden Globe of Streep's career. "Thank you everybody, thank you so much. I'm really thrilled. I think I've worked with everybody in the room." "Dreamgirls," which follows the rise of three women singers and closely resembles the ascendancy of all-girl groups like The Supremes, won three awards. The "Dreamgirls" bounty was more than any other film and it included the trophies for best musical or comedy, as well as best supporting actor and actress for Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson, respectively. "Thank you all this is a nice moment. Thank you all, god bless," said Murphy in accepting the award. British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays a dimwitted reporter in "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," was given the award for best actor in a film musical or comedy. "Thank you to every American who has not sued me so far. Thank you," said Baron Cohen, referring to the spate of lawsuits made by unwilling participants in his film. Britain's Helen Mirren won two trophies, best actress in a film drama for playing Queen Elizabeth II in "The Queen" and best actress in a television mini-series or TV movie in "Elizabeth I." "In 1952 a woman called Elizabeth Windsor at the age of twenty five walked into literally the role of a lifetime and I honestly feel this award belongs to her" said Mirren. In other key awards, Forest Whitaker won the award for best actor in a film drama for his portrayal of former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland." I thank god, and the ancestors who let me stand on their shoulders every day and guide me, whispering in my ear. Thank you," Whitaker told the audience. "Babel," a story of cultural differences and communication failures across borders, earned only one award but it was a big one -- best film drama. It entered the Golden Globes as the most nominated movie with seven. The movie's director, Mexico's Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, noted the long and trying journey he had made to get his movie made across across three continents -- Africa, North America and Asia -- and in five different languages. He said "Babel" transcended borders with its gut-wrenching performances. "And it seems that no matter how many languages that you make a film, or you shoot a film, but I think the power of cinema is universal," saisd Inarritu. And who to finish it up, but the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, on crutches after breaking a leg skiing, and not one to let a memorable movie quote go unused. "We thank you for watching and on behalf of the Golden Globes: 'Don't forget next year, we'll be back.'"

ITN Source | January 16, 2007

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