The awards season officially opened last night with the 14th Annual
Critics’ Choice Awards. Clint Eastwood, Anne Hathaway, Sean Penn, and a herd of other celebrities descended on the Santa
Monica Civic Center to witness a Slumdog Millionaire sweep
(five awards including Best Picture),
dine on cold salmon and “escabeche cosmo” (Yeah, we know: WTF?), and
stare at Brangelina. There was a lot of love on hand, like Milk’s Sean Penn, who beat out The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’s Brad Pitt for Best Actor, but then tried to make Pitt feel better about the loss by saying in
his acceptance speech, “I trust that you understand that at [its] heart,
this is a beauty contest, so I had an advantage.”
Angelina Jolie, who talked to reporters on the red carpet solo, as
Pitt shadowed her from a safe distance deciding not to do any
interviews (the same silent strategy that nominee Mickey Rourke
employed for the evening), was just happy for a night out sans her big
brood. “It is the only time we get to go out as adults and have a
laugh. [Red carpets] are always surreal but fun.”
Quotes from Anne Hathaway, Christopher Nolan, and Slumdog Millionaire’s Frieda Pinto, after the jump.
Also having fun was Slumdog’s Frieda Pinto. “This is my first
American awards show and it has been a brilliant night. I can’t wait to
give Dev [Patel, winner for Best Young Actor, who was unable attend
because he had a wedding to attend in India] his trophy….Angelina and
Brad told me they thought the film was lovely. I was pretty nervous
talking to them, but they turned out to be lovely people. And to top it
all off, our movie won so many awards. Everyone keeps saying that means
good things for Oscar night and the Globes.”
Best Director Danny Boyle didn’t want to count his golden chickens
before they hatched. “Well, you’re talking to a Brit. We call it
half-assed. You don’t want to appear too overconfident. This is one
group of people and the next group could like a different film more
than ours. It would be great to win an Oscar, but even if Slumdog
didn’t get another award, we’ve had the most incredible journey since
Toronto. This is a small film with unknown actors that is partially in
Hindi. I figured it would be a tough sell, but this country has really
embraced it, and that’s all I could ask for.”
Also accepting on a colleague’s behalf was Dark Knight
director Christopher Nolan, who accepted the posthumous (a first in the
history of the show) Best Supporting Actor award for Heath Ledger. “Working with him was
one of the greatest experiences any of us ever had or probably ever
will have,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hathaway, who tied with her Devil Wears Prada
counterpart Meryl Streep in the Best Actress category, had said before
the show, “I’m not going to win. I’m in a dramatic category with Meryl
Streep. No contest. She sets the bar for actresses so it is truly an
honor just to be in the same category.” Her straight face and deadpan
delivery on the carpet made us believe she really was shocked enough to
get choked up on stage. “I don’t know how to win awards, I know how to
not be nominated for awards. I know how to do pratfalls and wear
tiaras. This is very new,” she admitted with tears bubbling up.
Backstage, she called her parents, who will be her date to the Globes
Sunday, to share the good news with them.
For some, the limelight itself will take some getting used to. Viola Davis (Doubt)
explained, “I fell in love with the work. I did not fall in love with
the red carpet or the fame. I am in it for the long haul, but that
doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the experience. And I’m getting used to all
it entails from the girly-girl parts to the constant flash bulbs and
and late nights. These are high-class problems. Don’t feel bad for us.” –Carrie Bell
More Critics’ Choice Awards:
Oscar Watch: Broadcast Film Critics: A ‘Slumdog’ sweep
Also having fun was Slumdog’s Frieda Pinto. “This is my firstAmerican awards show and it has been a brilliant night. I can’t wait togive Dev [Patel, winner for Best Young Actor, who was unable attendbecause he had a wedding to attend in India] his trophy….Angelina andBrad told me they thought the film was lovely. I was pretty nervoustalking to them, but they turned out to be lovely people. And to top itall off, our movie won so many awards. Everyone keeps saying that meansgood things for Oscar night and the Globes.”
Best Director Danny Boyle didn’t want to count his golden chickensbefore they hatched. “Well, you’re talking to a Brit. We call ithalf-assed. You don’t want to appear too overconfident. This is onegroup of people and the next group could like a different film morethan ours. It would be great to win an Oscar, but even if Slumdogdidn’t get another award, we’ve had the most incredible journey sinceToronto. This is a small film with unknown actors that is partially inHindi. I figured it would be a tough sell, but this country has reallyembraced it, and that’s all I could ask for.”
Also accepting on a colleague’s behalf was Dark Knightdirector Christopher Nolan, who accepted the posthumous (a first in thehistory of the show) Best Supporting Actor award for Heath Ledger. “Working with him wasone of the greatest experiences any of us ever had or probably everwill have," he said.
Meanwhile, Hathaway, who tied with her Devil Wears Pradacounterpart Meryl Streep in the Best Actress category, had said beforethe show, “I’m not going to win. I’m in a dramatic category with MerylStreep. No contest. She sets the bar for actresses so it is truly anhonor just to be in the same category.” Her straight face and deadpandelivery on the carpet made us believe she really was shocked enough toget choked up on stage. “I don’t know how to win awards, I know how tonot be nominated for awards. I know how to do pratfalls and weartiaras. This is very new,” she admitted with tears bubbling up.Backstage, she called her parents, who will be her date to the GlobesSunday, to share the good news with them.
For some, the limelight itself will take some getting used to. Viola Davis (Doubt)explained, “I fell in love with the work. I did not fall in love withthe red carpet or the fame. I am in it for the long haul, but thatdoesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the experience. And I’m getting used to allit entails from the girly-girl parts to the constant flash bulbs andand late nights. These are high-class problems. Don’t feel bad for us.” –Carrie Bell
More Critics’ Choice Awards:
Oscar Watch: Broadcast Film Critics: A ‘Slumdog’ sweep
Comments (1-10) of 10 Add your comment
How could you leave out the comment by Anne Hathaway during her acceptance speech about her father looking out for her and that good men do exist. By far the most moving part of the night.
This article kept referring to Meryl Streep as if she attended. She wasn’t there, get a new copy editor!
God help us, the entertainment world takes themselves SO seriously and gives themselves so many pats on the back ….it’s just pukey!
I love movies and t.v. and cable, but really, if we all slathered ourselves with as many award presentations as they do, well, what does it all mean in the bigger picture? Nada!
THEY LOVE GIVING THEMSELVES AWARDS–I’M SICK OF ALL THE AWARD SHOWS–THEY SHOULD LET THERE HEADS DEFLATE A LITTLE–
I congratulate anyone who listened to Hathaway’s entire, rambling, acceptance speech- painful to watch.
i couldn’t do it. i put it on mute, but i could read the closed caption. people oddly find her charming, whereas I think she comes off as corny and way to self-obsessed. she literally said something to the affect of “this year, i’ve learned that i truly am worthy of love”, when she got nominated for the Globe. is she serious? it’s just an award! plus i know she’s had a tough year w/ her boyfriend and all, but she doesnt have to keep playing the pity card. she’s not starving in Africa for pete’s sake. geez. however, i loved viola davis’ speech for meryl streep. concise, sweet and humble.
Loved Danny Boyle’s down to earth sincerity. He was the best!
How many athletic awards are there? There are awards for every field. These are professional entertainers. Think about how much of your life you spend watching movies and commenting on articles like these. Ingrateful hypocrites. If they do a good job, of course they deserve awards that give them recognition. Stop being envious insecure low-lives. And, awards do mean something in such a socially driven industry. It can often mean a lasting career. You complainers think it’s all about glamor, fortune, and celebrity. That’s the real problem. You guys watch too much of the trash and throw in award ceremonies as part of it. Awards are one of the few publicity events actually related to their profession. Everything else is celebrity gossip. And besides, awards aren’t just for famous actors. It’s about everyone in the industry, many of whom aren’t celebrities at all.
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