'Babel,' 'Dreamgirls' top Globes
(CNN) -- "Babel" and "Dreamgirls" cemented their positions as Oscar front-runners by winning best drama and best comedy or musical, respectively, at the Golden Globes Monday night.
Two of the "Dreamgirls" stars, Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson, also saw some dreams come true with awards for supporting actor and actress.
"This goes far beyond everything I could have ever imagined," an emotional Hudson said in accepting her award, the first of the evening. "You do not know how much this does for my confidence. ... It makes me feel like I'm part of a community."
Hudson dedicated her award to Florence Ballard, one of the singers from the Supremes -- the musical group on which "Dreamgirls" is loosely based.
Murphy was as calm as Hudson was effusive.
"Wow. I'll be damned," said Murphy, who plays a slick soul singer in the film. He thanked a number of executives and artists, concluding with "This is a nice moment."
Forest Whitaker won best actor in a drama for his performance as Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland."
Sacha Baron Cohen won best actor for a comedy or musical for "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan."
Baron Cohen started out talking about seeing an "ugly part of America," then sealed the joke by referring to the private parts of "my co-star, Ken Davitian."
After several more elegantly off-color jokes at Davitian's -- and his own -- expense, Baron Cohen concluded, "Thank you to everybody in America who has not sued me so far."
Helen Mirren was a double winner for playing two British queens named Elizabeth: best actress in a drama as Elizabeth II in "The Queen" and best actress in a miniseries or movie for "Elizabeth I."
"The Queen" also won best screenplay. Its screenwriter, Peter Morgan, began a politically themed speech -- appropriate to the writer of the pointed "Queen," "The Last King of Scotland" and the play "Frost/Nixon" -- but had to wrap up quickly.
"What do we have to do to get our leaders to listen to us?" he asked, launching into what appeared was going to be an extended talk. But after a few sentences he received a motion to cut things short, which he did with a quick thanks.
Martin Scorsese, who helmed "The Departed," won the Globe for best director.
"I'm going to try to talk faster than I normally do," Scorsese said. The director, true to his film-lover roots, paid as much tribute to other films -- including the Hong Kong basis of "The Departed," "Infernal Affairs" -- as he did his colleagues.
The Globes also give out awards for television programs. In a pair of shockers, "Ugly Betty" won best TV comedy or musical, and its star, America Ferrera, won best actress in a comedy or musical.
"I'm so sorry, I'm such a mess. I'm still getting over the shock of our first award," said Ferrera tearfully.
The actress, who plays the curvy, quirky Betty character in the series, noted the support she's received from fans who recognize that "beauty ... lies deeper than what we see."
"Grey's Anatomy" won best TV drama.
Meryl Streep won best actress in a musical or comedy for her performance in "The Devil Wears Prada."
"I think I've worked with everybody in the room," Streep joked. She then paid tribute to her fellow actress nominees. "It's been such a fun year to watch movies because of you gals," she said.
She also put in a plug for smaller, independent films, such as "Sherrybaby" and "Pan's Labyrinth," which don't get the exposure of "Prada." Streep asked audiences to demand them from theater managers.
"Letters from Iwo Jima" won best foreign-language film. The Clint Eastwood film, which is in Japanese and shows the Battle of Iwo Jima from the Japanese perspective, has topped a number of critics' best-of lists.
'House's' Laurie: 'I am speechless'
HBO's "Elizabeth I" proved dominant among TV movies, winning best miniseries or movie, best actress in a miniseries or movie (Helen Mirren) and best supporting actor (Jeremy Irons).
"House's" Hugh Laurie won for best actor in a drama and "The Closer's" Kyra Sedgwick won best actress in a drama.
"I am speechless. I am literally without a speech," said Laurie, joking about the freebies offered stars -- which never includes "a speech by Dolce & Gabbana." Laurie then offered tributes to "the heads of the five families" -- meaning network executives -- as well as his old comic partner, Stephen Fry, and a number of "House" colleagues.
Alec Baldwin won best actor in a TV musical or comedy for "30 Rock."
"Cars" won the Globes' first award for best animated film.
The Globes, awarded by the 85 or so members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are seen as a bellwether for the Academy Awards.
Seven of the last 10 Academy Award-winning best pictures have also won Globe best film honors, and two other Globe winners -- last year's "Brokeback Mountain" and 1998's "Saving Private Ryan" -- are widely seen to have been upset at the Oscars.
Nominations for the Academy Awards will be announced January 23, eight days after the Globes, and the Oscars are slated for February 25.
The Golden Globes are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
List of Golden Globe Award winners
Here is the complete list of winners at Monday's 64th annual Golden Globes presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in Beverly Hills, Calif.:
MOTION PICTURES
_Picture, Drama: _"Babel"
_Actress, Drama: Helen Mirren, "The Queen"
_Actor, Drama: Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland"
_Picture, Musical or Comedy: "Dreamgirls"
_Actress, Musical or Comedy: Meryl Streep, "The Devil Wears Prada"
_Actor, Musical or Comedy: Sacha Baron Cohen, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
_Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls"
_Supporting Actor: Eddie Murphy, "Dreamgirls"
_Director: Martin Scorsese, "The Departed"
_Movie Screenplay: Peter Morgan, "The Queen"
_Foreign Language: "Letters From Iwo Jima," USA/Japan
_Original Score: Alexandre Desplat, "The Painted Veil"
_Original Song: "The Song of the Heart" from "Happy Feet"
_Animated Film: "Cars"
TELEVISION
_Series, Drama: "Grey's Anatomy," ABC
_Actress, Drama: Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
_Actor, Drama: Hugh Laurie, "House"
_Series, Musical or Comedy: "Ugly Betty," ABC
_Actress, Musical or Comedy: America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
_Actor, Musical or Comedy: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
_Miniseries or movie: "Elizabeth I," HBO
_Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Helen Mirren, "Elizabeth I"
_Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Bill Nighy, "Gideon's Daughter"
_Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Emily Blunt, "Gideon's Daughter"
_Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jeremy Irons, "Elizabeth I"
_Cecil B. DeMille Award: Warren Beatty
New Muppet presentation pilot filmed
The 10-minute mock documentary follows the daily happenings of Kermit and the Muppets, both on and off stage. This pilot could lead to a new series featuring the Classic Muppet characters.
For years we've heard all kinds of reports of "the new Muppet Show" - from an edgy prime-time variety show on FOX to a spoof of reality TV competitions on ABC. Well earlier this month a short presentation pilot for a proposed Muppet mini-series recently wrapped production. The project is being kept "under wraps" right now. It is still in development and subject to change. However the Walt Disney Company is currently considering a series that will relaunch the Muppets back onto television and in the public's eye.
This presentation pilot, completed in January 2007, proposes a mini-series shot in mock documentary style that continues to follow the adventures of the Muppets as they create a new show.
The short pilot uses the television syntax of a documentary (think "The Office" meets "The Muppet Show"). The series revolves around Kermit the Frog as he attempts to reassemble the Muppet troupe and launch a new Muppet show. The mockumentary mini-series would feature fictional English filmmaker Ian Bascombe who, with his film crew, follow the daily happenings Kermit and the Muppets, both on and off stage. Bascombe finds that many of the classic Muppets have gone off to other venues since we last saw them and follows Kermit as the frog attempts to track them down and get the whole troupe back together.
For example, Fozzie has gone off to a solo career in stand-up comedy, Sam Eagle is now a security personnel, and Miss Piggy has been a busy actress in Hollywood. Similar to The Muppet Movie, Kermit travels around getting the gang to come together for a common goal – putting on a show. But aside from just getting everyone onboard, Kermit and the gang have to plan and develop the show itself.
This test pilot, which is now beginning to circulate the inner management of the Walt Disney Company, was written and produced by Bill Prady and was directed by Bill Barretta. Muppeteers Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz and Bill Barretta were also involved in the project. Aside from the Muppets, this spec pilot also included cameo appearances from John Landis and Melina Kanakaredes.
Although a presentation pitch was filmed for the series, it is no guarantee that the project will be developed further or see the light of day. Muppet fans may already know that over the past decade more than three similar pilot pitches for a new Muppet show have been made, and almost half a dozen concepts for series have reached different stages of development as well. However insiders are currently hopeful for this pilot; they say it looks great and is truly entertaining and original. Sources say that it is likely the Disney executives, after seeing the presentation pitch, will in fact green-light the mini-series to move into production (and possibly air) later in 2007.
Rumor also has it that if successful, the mini-series could be used as a way to launch the Muppets with a new full-time series (which, like the previous Muppet series, would follow the misadventures of the weekly show they've now developed). However that wouldn't be until 2008 or 2009 (if at all).
Needless to say, this is very exciting new for Muppet fans. It shows hope for the franchise, and give some comfort to eager fans to know Disney is actively looking for ways to use and rejuvenate the characters. We will keep you posted as soon as we get more details on the development of this mockumentary mini-series, or any other information on the possible return of the Muppets to television.
Furtado to host Juno Awards
Pop singer Nelly Furtado, who stormed back onto the music charts last year with her chart-topping track Promiscuous, has been named host of the upcoming Juno Awards.
The announcement was made Monday night.
Furtado follows in the footsteps of past singer-hosts Shania Twain and Alanis Morrissette. Other recent hosts have included actors Brent Butt and Pamela Anderson.
The 28-year-old Furtado, originally from Victoria, B.C., is a past Grammy and Juno Award-winner.
Furtado released her third album, Loose, in 2006 and it became the year's top-selling Canadian album. It has spawned three No. 1 songs, including the ubiquitous and radio-friendly Promiscuous, which features hit rap producer Timbaland.
Performers for the Junos, Canada's most prominent musical honours, have yet to be announced. The ceremony is set to take place in Saskatoon on April 1.
"Babel," "Borat," "Queen" top Golden Globe nods
LOS ANGELES - A truly international lineup of films and performers highlight Monday's Golden Globes, where such contenders as "Babel," "The Queen," "The Last King of Scotland" and "Borat" square off amid the home stretch to the Academy Awards.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Babel," a saga of families on three continents linked by tragic events in the African desert, led with seven nominations, including best drama and supporting-acting honors for Brad Pitt, Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi.
Martin Scorsese's mob tale "The Departed" was next with six nominations, including best drama and best actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, who had a second lead-actor nomination for the African adventure "Blood Diamond."
There was no clear front-runner for the best-drama prize, whose other nominees were the Robert Kennedy tale "Bobby," the suburban comic drama "Little Children" and the British-royalty story "The Queen."
The musical "Dreamgirls" looked like a favorite to win the best musical or comedy Globe, though Sacha Baron Cohen's raucous satire "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" also was a strong contender.
The other musical or comedy nominees were the fashion-business comedy "The Devil Wears Prada," the road-trip romp "Little Miss Sunshine" and the tobacco-industry satire "Thank You for Smoking."
Helen Mirren was the obvious favorite for best dramatic actress as Britain's monarch Elizabeth II in "The Queen." Forest Whitaker was a safe bet for dramatic actor as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland," though Peter O'Toole had strong prospects as a lecherous old actor in "Venus."
Warren Beatty was to receive the Globes' Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement.
Hollywood's second-biggest film honors, the Globes are something of a dress rehearsal for the Oscars, whose nominations come out Jan. 23. The Oscar ceremony is Feb. 25.
While the Oscars are a formal, dignified affair in a theater, the Globes are looser, with stars, filmmakers and studio bosses sharing drinks and dinner at tables in a hotel ballroom.
"You have within a very small circle all the most important people in Hollywood," said Philip Berk, who heads the Hollywood Foreign Press Association that awards the Globes. "There's liquor on the table and wine. We serve a fabulous meal. But once the show begins, the actual process of the awards is very serious."
The roughly 85 members of the foreign press group comprise a small number compared to the 5,800 film professionals eligible to vote for the Oscars.
Yet the group has a strong history of forecasting eventual Academy Awards winners and providing momentum for Globe recipients as Oscar voters begin to cast ballots.
Such Globe best-picture winners as "Shakespeare in Love," "American Beauty," "Gladiator" and "Chicago" went on to win the same prize at the Oscars. Globe voters were off target the last two years, anointing 2004's "The Aviator" as best drama, a prize that went to "Million Dollar Baby" at the Oscars, and 2005's "Brokeback Mountain," which lost to "Crash" come Oscar night.
But all four of 2005's acting recipients at the Oscars — Philip Seymour Hoffman, Reese Witherspoon, George Clooney and Rachel Weisz — also won Golden Globes.
Nominations balloting for the Oscars closed Saturday, so the outcome of the Globes cannot affect who gets nominated. But the Globes can influence who wins on Oscar night, serving as a reminder to academy voters of top performances and achievements.