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"Gladiator",
"Famous" named best films at Globes
BEVERLY
HILLS, JAN 22: The show mixed fresh faces like Kate Hudson,
named best supporting actress for "Almost Famous,"
with top celebrities including Tom Hanks, best actor in a
film drama for "Cast Away," and Julia Roberts, winning
actress in a drama for "Erin Brockovich."
It was
filled with references to drug use by actors like Robert Downey,
Jr., currently entangled in a legal snare for drug possession,
who won best supporting actor in a television comedy for his
appearances on "Ally McBeal."
Presidential
politics, too, figured prominently, with NBC's "The West
Wing" taking honors for best TV drama, and its star Martin
Sheen named best actor in a TV drama.
In a repeat
of an episode at the Golden Globes in 1998, Renee Zellweger,
best actress in a comedy for "Nurse Betty," was
in the restroom when her name was called, causing British
actor Hugh Grant to wonder if she'd hidden under the table.
Elizabeth
Taylor also had her own troubles on stage, tearing open the
winner's envelope and almost naming the winner for best film
drama before she had even called out the nominees.
"I'm
new at this," the legendary actress said. "I usually
get them."
In short,
it was a wacky ceremony for the Golden Globes, one of the
film industry's most watched events and typically viewed as
a precursor to the Oscars -- the film industry's highest awards
given out each March.
Heading
into the awards, "Gladiator," a film about a Roman
general who falls out of power and returns to Rome as a slave
and gladiator to avenge wrongs to him and his family, and
"Traffic," a sobering tale of drug use in the United
States, had figured to be the leading contenders for Globes
with 5 nominations each.
While
each came out with two awards, it was "Almost Famous"
that surprised many industry watchers with its two Globes
-- along with the two Globes for Ang Lee's martial arts-filled
romantic drama "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
"Almost
Famous" is based on director Cameron Crowe's coming of
age experience as a 16-year-old rock critic touring with Led
Zeppelin. Accepting the award onstage, he thanked his mom
for letting him tour with the rock band at such an early age.
"I
convinced her they were a nice bunch of fellas," he said.
Roberts
was one of the more vocal winners, saying she was not going
to leave the stage until she'd Said all she wanted, regardless
of whether her time ran out. She then went on to thank a long
list of people who had helped her, including "Brockovich"
director Steven Soderbergh.
"I
would read the phone book to him, if he asked me to,"
she said about Soderbergh, then she ended her speech by saying,
"I am shamelessly filled with joy."
Among
some of the first-time winners were Zellweger for portraying
a star-obsessed stalker in "Nurse Betty," Benicio
Del Toro, best supporting actor for his portrayal of a Mexican
cop trying to stay uncorrupted in "Traffic" and
Goldie Hawn's daughter, Kate Hudson, playing an avid rock
fan in "Famous."
"I
was in the bathroom," Zellweger said backstage afteraccepting
her award. "I thought I had something in my teeth and
I wanted to fix it. Her snafu reminded observers of 1998,
when the same thing happened to TV star Christine Lahti, who
won an award that year for her work on "Chicago Hope."
ANG LEE
BEATS OUT SODERBERGH
In a surprise,
Taiwanese-born director Ang Lee was namedbest director for
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," a widely acclaimed
fantasy. He beat out Soderbergh, the evening's favorite, nominated
for both "Traffic" and "Erin Brockovich."
Among
the veterans taking home Golden Globes was GeorgeClooney,
namedbest actor in a film comedy for his portrayal of an escaped
convict on the run in "O Brother, Where Art Thou."
Clooney "confessed" that "I am actually the
illegitimate son of John Ashcroft," whose nomination
for U.S. Attorney General has caused controversy for his conservative
beliefs and speeches.
Shortly
after Clooney, Robert Downey, Jr., who has battleddrug and
alcohol addiction, took the stage and said: "it's nice
not to be under the table tonight."
But after
winning his own award, a contrite Downey thankedthe audience,
said the award made him feel very humble, and would help with
his self-esteem. He said people have been coming up to him
on the street and offering their support, and he added: "I've
been doing my part lately," he added.
"Traffic"
screenwriter Stephen Gaghan, who won the Globefor best screenplay,
also noted the effect drug use had played early in his life,
and said the experience helped inspire him to write the film
Sheen,
who portrays fictional U.S. President Josiah Bartletin "West
Wing," offered advice to the newly inaugurated Bush.
"Follow your heart," he said, then he wished him
the best.
The actor
also gave a nod to activist Jesse Jackson, whorecently confessed
to fathering an illegitimate child: "Jesse, you are still
a hero, and we need you now more than ever."
Among
other television winners were HBO's "Sex and theCity"
for best TV comedy, and Sarah Jessica Parker for best actress
in a musical or comedy for the same show. Sela Ward took the
best actress in a drama for her role in family drama "Once
and Again," and Kelsey Grammer took home the statue for
best actor in a comedy for "Frasier."
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