All the front-runners were left empty-handed as the underdog that was Slumdog Millionaireswept the board at the 66th annual Golden Globe Awards presented in Los Angeles last night.
Four Irish actors were among the nominees, competing with each in two categories. Only two could win, and they did. Colin Farrell received the best actor in a film (comedy or musical) award for his edgy portrayal of an apprentice Irish hit man in Martin McDonagh's dark comedy-thriller, In Bruges.
And Gabriel Byrne was named best actor in a TV drama series for his portrayal of a troubled psychotherapist in In Treatment.
"They must have done the counting in Florida," Farrell quipped in a reference to the 2000 US presidential election as he took to the podium. Winning was "an absolute shock", he said. Moustachioed and smartly dressed in a tuxedo and waistcoat, Farrell paid tribute to his In Brugesco-star Brendan Gleeson, who was shortlisted in the same category.
“Brendan, I love you dearly,” he said. “This is at least half yours.” And Farrell thanked his family in Dublin. He and Gleeeson had been up against James Franco and Oscar-winning actors Javier Bardem and Dustin Hoffman in that category.
Gabriel Byrne was not present to receive his award. His fellow nominees were Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers (for The Tudors), along with Jon Hamm ( Mad Men), Michael C Hall ( Dexter) and Hugh Laurie ( House).
In the biggest upset of the night, the three films with the most nominations – Doubt, Frost/Nixonand The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which had been shortlisted in five categories each – failed to collect a single award between them.
They were shut out by English director Dannny Boyle's exhilarating Mumbai-set Slumdog Millionaire, which was made on a relatively low budget with no Hollywood stars and teetered on US distribution limbo for a while last year. It was nominated for four Golden Globes and deservedly won all of them: best film (drama), director, screenplay and music score.
Boyle’s film is now firmly established as the front-runner for best picture and many other awards at next month’s Oscar ceremony. Presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes are influential in generating extensive publicity for the nominees – and winners - at a time when the Oscar voters are marking their ballots.
The first award in the three-hour ceremony, which was broadcast live on US network television and shown on Sky Movies in Ireland, went to Kate Winslet as best supporting actress for her portrayal of a Nazi concentration camp guard in The Reader. In a night when tears flowed freely, she gave an emotional acceptance speech in which she thanked, among others, her Hollywood agent, Hylda Queally, who is from Co Clare.
Winslet was even more tearswept when she collected a second Golden Globe towards the end of the ceremony and was voted best actress in a film (drama) for her portrayal of a dissatisfied suburban housewife in Revolutionary Road.She thanked "two incredible men", her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio and her director, Sam Mendes, to whom she is married.
One of the most popular winners of the evening was Mickey Rourke, who received a standing ovation when he was named best actor in a film (drama) for The Wrestler. His long hair hanging over his tinted glasses, Rourke said: "Several years ago I was almost out of this business." He thanked his director Darren Aronofsky who, he said, stood by him even though he couldn't raise any money for the film on the strength of Rourke's name.
The Wrestlerreceived another Golden Globe earlier in the ceremony when Bruce Springsteen, who was seated next to Rourke, accepted the best film song for the film's title track.
Rourke was the only American among the six actors who received film awards at the ceremony. The first standing ovation of the evening came when Australian actor Heath Ledger, who died a year ago this month, was named best supporting actor for his performance as arch-criminal The Joker in The Dark Knight. The posthumous award was accepted by the film's director, Christopher Nolan.
English actor Sally Hawkins, who was virtually unknown this time last year, looked stunned when she was voted best actress in a film (comedy or musical) for Mike Leigh's London-set Happy-Go-Lucky.
Announced by Colin Farrell, the award for best foreign-language film went to the timely Israeli animated documentary, Waltz with Bashir. The prize for best animated feature film went to the critically admired Disney production, Wall-E. Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelonawas named best film (comedy or musical).
Two programmes dominated the TV awards. In the drama category, historical series John Adamstook the prizes for best drama, best actor (Paul Giamatti), best actress (Laura Linney) and best supporting actor (Tom Wilkinson). In the comedy section, 30 Rockwon for best series, best actor (Alec Baldwin) and best actress (Tina Fey, who could not resist the opportunity to taunt her internet detractors).
Presented by Martin Scorsese, the only honorary trophy of the evening was the Cecil B DeMille Award, given to Steven Spielberg, who recalled that one of his earliest, most influential childhood memories was seeing DeMille's circus spectacle movie The Greatest Show on Earthin Philadelphia when he was six.
In a ceremony where glamour and fashion prevailed, Spielberg was one of the very few speakers to refer to the recession. Another was Boratstar Sacha Baron Cohen whose references to Charlie Sheen and Guy Ritchie caused gasps of disapproval and the only hint of controversy during the show.