The 2013 annual Golden Globe awards proved as dramatic and enthralling as the features that were nominated. From the witty banter of co-hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to the risqué jokes and emotional speeches, the night proved no less controversial than the previous years’ awkward hosting skills of Ricky Gervais.
Amongst the British victors was Daniel Day-Lewis who won Best Actor for his portrayal of the iconic President Lincoln. His performance was undoubtedly award worthy and further credited as the panel of the HFPA wasn’t entirely American!
Adele was also a winner in the original film song category for her anthem Skyfall. It was a great accolade for the singer but unfortunately the only nomination for the British film which still scores an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Once again, Damien Lewis was awarded for his leading role as fantastically ambiguous Nicholas Brody in the popular TV show Homeland and Maggie Smith finally won the award for her supporting role in Downton Abbey, something that had escaped her last year but was no less deserving of this year.
Other winners of the night included Ben Affleck who picked up Best Motion Picture and Best Director for his film Argo, but it was Les Miserables who proved the most successful. In total the film swept up 3 awards: Hugh Jackman, whose vocal and acting performance eliminated all other contenders, won the Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy whilst Anne Hathaway deservedly won Best Supporting Actress against Hollywood heavyweights Nicole Kidman and Sally Field.
Additionally, the film won the award for the Best Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy category. It’s difficult to predict whether this is a trend that will continue to the Oscars, especially considering the Academy’s tendency to ignore box office successes.
In other categories, Jessica Chastain, rising star from 2011’s The Help, won her first major award of Best Actress in a Motion Picture for her gritty performance in war thriller Zero Dark Thirty while Claire Danes reclaimed the award for Best Actress in a TV drama for her performance as the psychologically unstable Carrie Mathison in the ever successful Homeland. Surprisingly, it also won the award for Best TV Series for the second year running.
The night’s drama, however, was not only reserved for the performances on-screen as presenters and winners alike provided entertainment for the estimated audience of 19.7 million.
For starters, Sacha Baron-Cohen’s presentation of the Best Animated Feature Film has been cited by some as an audition for next year’s ceremony. He casually quipped at the likes of Anne Hathaway for her embarrassing skirt malfunction last month and Daniel Day-Lewis for his achievement in “growing a beard” for his acclaimed portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln to the timid laughter of the crowds.
However, surprisingly it wasn’t a likely Hollywood star who stole the limelight of the evening, but the notoriously private Jodie Foster. In her acceptance speech upon receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement, she moved the audience in a rejoicing assertion of her sexuality. Whilst promising that “there won’t be a big coming out speech” she described how she did her coming out in “those very quaint days when a fragile young girl would open up to trusted friends and family and co-workers and then gradually, proudly to everyone who knew her, to everyone she actually met” before continuing to explain how she had never before conformed to the norm of celebrity and announced it publicly.
Whilst many famous faces took to twitter to applaud her, including the likes of Rosie O’Donnell and fellow award winner Lena Dunham, it was criticised by some as too little too late, suggesting The Silence of the Lambs actress could have paved the way for young gay people rather than hiding behind pioneering others.
Many view the Golden Globes as the warm up to the Oscars. The inclusion of TV and the comedy sub categories, along with the shorter tradition of the ceremonies all contribute to the perception of the Golden Globes as less prestigious. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler presented well, balancing carefully the line of appropriateness and the sharp humour they are famous for in their TV show 30 Rock.
The 85th Academy Awards will be presented by Seth Macfarlane and as a comedian more likely to push the limits of comedy, he is a risky choice. Despite this, his previous attempt at hosting at last year’s Emmy’s, in spite of an awkward microphone malfunction, was surprisingly successful. It’s difficult to predict whether his controversial humour will suit the Oscars but the audience of celebrities will most likely be sitting with trepidation…
Emily Leahy
exeposedev 