SOFIA Vergara, who helped announce the Golden Globe nominations and got one nod for herself in the best supporting actress-TV category, heeds the photographers’ screams of, “Sofia! Sofia!” RUBEN NEPALES
LOS ANGELES – Woody Harrelson’s good humor made waking up at the ungodly hour of 3 a.m. to attend the Golden Globe nominations announcement extra worth it. The actor – who earned good reviews for his portrayal of an LA cop in Oren Moverman’s “Rampart” – was one of the four presenters at Thursday’s event at The Beverly Hilton.
When he didn’t hear his name called after Gerard Butler’s presentation of the best actor–drama nominees, Woody asked aloud, “Can you please add my name there?”
Gerard, quick-witted even at dawn, quipped, “That’s weird. It was here but they taped it off…”
When it was Woody’s turn to reveal the best picture-drama nominees, he began, “Rampart…” After a pause, he followed it up with “… Opens Jan. 27, but I don’t see it on the list. There are a lot of things left off today, I just want to say.”
Relaxed tone
Aida Takla-O’Reilly, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which votes on and presents the Golden Globe Awards, set the relaxed tone of the morning when she referred to returning controversial host Ricky Gervais as a “naughty, naughty schoolboy” in her opening remarks.
RASHIDA Jones poses for photos as her fellow presenters Gerard Butler and Woody Harrelson chat at Thursday’s Golden Globe nominations announcement in Beverly Hills. RUBEN NEPALES
Sofia Vergara, sultry in a strapless dress, did hear her name announced by Rashida Jones as a best supporting actress nominee in television, for her portrayal of a woman who mispronounces English words in the comedy, “Modern Family.” Disclosing the best director nominees, she flubbed the name of Martin Scorsese – pronouncing it as “Scoresays” instead of “Score-say-zee.” But the actress was endearing in her gaffe and added levity to the occasion.
Another best director nominee’s last name, Michael Hazanavicius (“The Artist”), was also a mouthful to pronounce but Sofia pulled it off. The other names in this category were Woody Allen (“Mid-night in Paris”), George Clooney (“The Ides of March”) and Alexander Payne (“The Descendants”).
Martin’s other passion, film preservation, was reflected in his reaction to the nominations: “Making ‘Hugo’ was an extraordinary experience for me. It gave me a chance to work in 3D… and make a child’s adventure, the type of picture that I loved when I was young. And it provided an occasion to pay tribute to one of cinema’s greatest pioneers, Georges Melies. Given the support that the HFPA has provided to The Film Foundation in our efforts to restore many films over the years, the association’s recognition for this particular picture has a very special meaning for me.”
MISS Golden Globe Rainey Qualley (daughter of Andie MacDowell), Sofia Vergara, Woody Harrelson, Rashida Jones and Gerard Butler. RUBEN NEPALES
Something magical
Martin’s “Hugo” also earned a best picture–drama nod, along with “The Help,” “The Ides of March,” “Moneyball,” “War Horse” and “The Descendants.” But the black and white/silent film, “The Artist,” nominated for best picture–comedy or musical, dominated with six nominations. Up against this French production shot in LA, about a silent film idol whose career goes downhill with the advent of the talkies, are “50/50,” “Midnight in Paris,” “My Week with Marilyn” and “Bridesmaids.”
Thomas Langmann, who produced “The Artist,” reacted to the front-runner status given to his film: “They said I was crazy to take on making a black and white, silent movie, but I had a feeling ‘The Artist’ could be something special, something magical. I’m so thankful that audiences are taking a chance and embracing it with a spirit of adventure and love of cinema.”
As expected, Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady” won her one more best actress–drama nod, pitting her against Glenn Close (“Albert Nobbs”), Viola Davis (“The Help”), Rooney Mara (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and Tilda Swinton (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”).
Glenn, a double nominee since she also copped a best original song nod (with Brian Byrne) for “Lay Your Head Down” from the film “Albert Nobbs” which she produced, said, “What an astounding embarrassment of riches these past few days have brought to me, Janet McTeer (best supporting actress), our composer Brian Byrne, and the incomparable Sinead O’Connor who sings our film’s song. The whole ‘Albert Nobbs’ team is walking on air.”
Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet, bickering women in Roman Polanski’s “Carnage,” are competing against each other for best actress–comedy or musical along with Charlize Theron (“Young Adult”), Michelle Williams (“My Week with Marilyn”) and Kristen Wiig (“Bridesmaids”).
These are the guys who squeezed Woody out of the best actor–drama race: Michael Fassbender (“Shame”), Ryan Gosling (“The Ides of March”), Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”), George Clooney (“The Descendants”) and Leonardo DiCaprio (“J. Edgar”).
Not a bad way
Ryan’s turn in “Crazy, Stupid Love” also earned him a spot for best actor–comedy or musical. He competes against Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“50/50”), Brendan Gleeson (“The Guard”) and Owen Wilson (“Midnight in Paris”).
Joseph probably had the best bearer of good news. He e-mailed from the set of “Lincoln”: “I had my phone off all day today… so when Mr. Spielberg congratulated me, I didn’t know what he was talking about. Not a bad way to hear the fantastic news. I’m delighted and grateful.”
“The Artist’s” Berenice Bejo also earned a spot for best supporting actress–film where she faces tough competition from two women in “The Help”—Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain; Janet McTeer (“Albert Nobbs”) and Shailene Woodley (“The Descendants”).
The best supporting actor–film race is also tight: Viggo Mortensen (“A Dangerous Method”), Kenneth Branagh (“My Week with Marilyn”), Albert Brooks (“Drive”), Jonah Hill (“Moneyball”) and Christopher Plummer (“Beginners”).
Jonah also showed humor in his statement: “I would like to thank the whole cast and crew of ‘Moneyball’ and specifically my much more talented but significantly less handsome costar Brad Pitt; my fearless leader, director and friend Bennett Miller; and our brilliant writers and wonderful human beings Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, whose words take any actor the whole way there. I am so humbled and thrilled.”
Under the Golden Globe rules, Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut, “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” which is in the Bosnian language, qualifies in the best foreign language film and earned a nod. “I am grateful that the HFPA is honoring our film,” she said in a statement. “This was a true collaboration and I am forever indebted to our cast and crew, who experienced their own personal tragedies in the Bosnian War and gave me an authentic perspective into the conflict. This nomination is a tribute to the collective talent and passion of this extraordinary cast.”
Jolie’s film is up against “A Separation,” “The Kid with a Bike,” “The Skin I Live In” and “The Flowers of War.”
Flattered
More reactions from the other nominees:
Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, director and producer, respectively, of “The Adventures of Tintin,” nominated for best animated film: “After our long adventure to bring ‘Tintin’ to the screen, this is a very happy moment for us and for Peter Jackson (producer) who got the news in New Zealand.”
Trent Reznor (nominated for best score in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”): “We’re incredibly flattered to receive a Golden Globe nomination for our work… We spent the last year immersed in this project, contributing to David Fincher’s vision and (we’re) in awe of the talented group of people he assembled to make this film. Atticus (Ross) and I would like to thank the members of the HFPA for this gracious acknowledgement of our work.”
Brian Byrne (composer, “Lay Your Head Down” – nominated for best original song from the film “Albert Nobbs” with lyrics by Glenn Close, performed by Sinead O’Connor): “I just picked myself up off the floor, I can’t believe it! So thrilled and delighted for Glenn and Janet (McTeer), too. Sinead brought this song to life in a way that no other artist could have! Thank you HFPA and thanks dad!”
Callie Thorne (nominated for best actress – TV drama series, “Necessary Roughness”):
“I hadn’t remembered the nominations were this morning. I was staying at my mom’s last night, only to be woken up by the beep-beep-beep of text messages saying, ‘Congratulations!’ When my manager told me about it, I ran into my mom’s room and we were both so excited, jumping up and down on the bed like two little school girls! I am grateful to see my name alongside these other nominees, all of whom I watch and love. I am truly thankful.”
Excited
Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne (writers and directors of “The Kid with a Bike,” nominated for best foreign language film):
“We are so excited for this great honor – and our first nomination ever in the United States. We hope this will lead the film to a great path in the big continent of the USA.”
In the TV categories, HBO topped the nominations as usual, with its “Mildred Pierce” tying with PBS’ “Downtown Abbey” for the most nods – four each. Evan Rachel Wood (who’s in the best picture–drama contender “The Ides of March”) earned a best supporting actress–television nomination for her part in “Mildred Pierce” and said, “I was so excited when I found out I was nominated for playing Veda—such an amazing character to take on. Then I found out that both ‘Ides of March’ and ‘Mildred Pierce’ are also being recognized by the HFPA, that’s pretty incredible. It’s been a fun morning.” Indeed it was.
A complete list of the nominees is available on www.goldenglobes.org.
The 69th Golden Globe Awards will be held on Sunday, January 15, at The Beverly Hilton.
E-mail the columnist at rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com. Follow him at https://twitter.com/nepalesruben.