70TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS: “ARGO”, “LES MISÉRABLES” & “HOMELAND” WIN BIG

Giving just a taste of what’s to come at the Oscars next month, the 70th annual Golden Globe Awards took place tonight at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.  As originally thought, the Race to next month’s Oscars is just as wide-open as ever based on tonight’s results. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association awarded top Honours to Argo for Motion Picture – Drama, when many thought Zero Dark Thirty or Lincoln would be victorious. To further illustrate the drastic differences between the HFPA‘s tastes and that of the Academy, Ben Affleck shocked many in failing to garner a mention for Best Director when Oscar Nominees were unveiled this past Thursday. To put this into context, Affleck‘s win tonight for Motion Picture – Director had him defeating previous Oscar Winners Kathryn Bigelow and even past Cecil B. DeMille Award Winner, Steven Spielberg. Nonetheless, with Argo nabbing two key Awards, in addition to Django Unchained winning Original Screenplay and Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Christoph Waltz) and Les Misérables also winning an impressive three Awards: Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Actor in a Musical or Comedy (Hugh Jackman) and Supporting Actress in a Musical or Comedy (Anne Hathaway), these three Best Picture Nominees definitely cannot be ruled-out.

Jodie Foster, a six-time Golden Globe Nominee herself, was honoured with the Cecil B. DeMille Award this year, raising quite a few eyebrows with her v. candid Speech which for the first time publicly had her addressing her Sexuality. “I’m just gonna put it out there loud and proud, so I’m gonna need your support on this. I am single. Yes I am”, she said with a bit of nervousness. “I already did my coming-out a thousand years ago in the Stone Age in those very quaint days when a fragile young Girl would open-up to Family and Friends”.  On her longevity as an Actress Foster says, “There are a few secrets to keeping your Psyche intact over such a long career – love people and stay beside them.”.

As predicted, Jessica Chastain and Daniel Day-Lewis won respectively for Best Actress and Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. This is the second time Chastain has been nominated, her first Nomination coming with 2011’s The Help.  Also this is the sixth time the reclusive Day-Lewis has been nominated and his second time winning the prestigious Award.  He won in  2008 for There Will Be Blood.

Meanwhile, Hugh Jackman earned his first-ever Golden Globe  for Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, with  Les Misérables; he received  his first nomination back in 2002 for Kate & Leopold.  Jackman edged-out Bradley Cooper, a first-time Nominee for his work on Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Winner Silver Linings Playbook.  Both Actors will vie with Day-Lewis at next month’s Oscars for the  coveted Best Actor Award.

The Hunger Games Star Jennifer Lawrence, won her first Golden Globe for Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her work in Silver Linings Playbook.  “What can I say? I beat Meryl!”, she joked upon accepting her Award from hilarious Anchorman 2 Duo, Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell.  “JLaw” as she likes to be called, received her first Golden Globe in 2010 for Breakthrough Role in Winter’s Bone.

Three-time Golden Globe Nominee Anne Hathaway was seen widely as a heavy Favourite to win for Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture and did not disappoint for her work in Les Misérables.  Defeating an exceptionally-talented Group including Helen Hunt, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams and Sally Field, Hathaway likely will take home Best Supporting Actress next month also.  The New York Native’s Acceptance Speech was full of compliments, giving nods to Co-Host Tina Fey, using a word she made famous, “Blarg!” and also praising Field for her Oscar-winning work in Norma Rae.

Despite some heavy competition, two-time Golden Globe Nominee and now two-time Winner Waltz rose above all to win Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his spirited turn in Django Unchained. With the exception of Co-Star Leonardo DiCaprio, he will be up against Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tommy Lee Jones and Alan Arkin again next month at the Oscars in the same Category.

In the Television categories, HBO‘s Sarah Palin-inspired Game Change and  Showtime Drama Series Homeland walked away the big Winners. The former won for Mini-Series or Motion Picture for Television, in addition to Stars Julianne Moore and Ed Harris each winning Actress and Supporting Actor respectively. The latter garnered four nominations this year, including Television Series – Drama.  New Mom  Claire Danes, who won last year for Actress in a Television Series – Drama repeated the feat again this year, while Co-Star Damian Lewis won the Award for Actor.  HBO‘s Breakout Hit Girls despite falling short at the Primetime Emmy Awards late last year, would not be refused tonight winning Television Series – Comedy and also its Writer and Star Lena Dunham winning Actress in a Television Series – Comedy.  Coincidentally or not, Season Two of the Series premiered tonight.

As always, Fashion is a huge part of the Festivities and especially stunning on the Red Carpet tonight were Hathaway donning an elegant white Chanel Dress.  Chastain rarely disappoints and tonight she chose Calvin Klein as her Clothier of choice, looking Classic Hollywood and Katharine Hepburn-esque.  Lawrence also drew a lot of attention for her red Dior Couture Dress cinched with a thematically-appropriate gold belt, as did Foster in a navy Armani Number.    Lucy Liu who currently stars in TV Series Elementary, may have drawn some mixed responses for her floral Carolina Herrera Dress, but she gets big points here for the inspired Look. Also, hilariously snappy Co-Hosts  Tina Fey and Amy Poehler graced the Carpet in Wife and Husband Outfits, Fey looking particularly amazing in L’wren Scott. Of the Gentleman, no one can deny that Leonardo DiCaprio was King of the Ball in Tom Ford!

For a complete list of Winners, click here.

(Photo credit: @GoldenGlobes)