Rami Malek wins best actor Oscar for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

LOS ANGELES — Rami Malek had difficult moments making “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but he has an Oscar to show for it.

Malek, receiving the best actor trophy Sunday for his portrayal of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, called it a “monumental moment.” He thanked members of the band in attendance.


“I may not have been the obvious choice, but I guess it worked out,” Malek said. “Thank you, Queen, thank you, guys, for allowing me to be the tiniest part of your phenomenal, extraordinary legacy. I am forever in your debt.

Malek speculated about what he would have made of the honor as a child.

“I think his curly haired mind would have been blown,” he said. “That kid was struggling with his identity, trying to figure himself out.”

He lauded “Bohemian Rhapsody” for telling the story of a gay man and an immigrant who lived his life as “unapologetically himself.” Mercury, who was born in Zanzibar to parents from India, moved to England with his family as a teenager.

Malek noted that he himself is the son of immigrants, from Egypt, and a first-generation American. He gave a shout-out to his mother — “I love you, lady” — and regretted that his father was not alive.

“My dad didn’t get to see me do any of this, but I think he’s looking down on me right now,” he said.

Malek, who was best known for his award-winning role as a disturbed hacker in TV’s “Mr. Robot,” was the front-runner coming into the Oscars, having collected an armful of awards including Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild trophies.

He has spoken, briefly but publicly, about the difficulty of working with director Bryan Singer before Singer was fired from “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It was “not pleasant, not pleasant at all,” he said earlier this month at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Singer’s firing came amidst sexual abuse allegations against the director, which he has categorically denied and weren’t cited as the reason for his being dropped from the film.


The other nominees in the category were Christian Bale for “Vice”; Bradley Cooper in “A Star Is Born”; Willem Dafoe with “At Eternity’s Gate” and Viggo Mortensen in “Green Book.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Stan Lee, Marvel Comics legend, dead at 95

LOS ANGELES — Stan Lee, the creative dynamo who revolutionized the comic book and helped make billions for Hollywood by introducing human frailties in superheroes such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk, died Monday. He was 95.

Lee was declared dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to Kirk Schenck, an attorney for Lee’s daughter, J.C. Lee.


As the top writer at Marvel Comics and later as its publisher, Lee was widely considered the architect of the contemporary comic book.

He revived the industry in the 1960s by offering the costumes and action craved by younger readers while insisting on sophisticated plots, college-level dialogue, satire, science fiction, even philosophy.

Millions responded to the unlikely mix of realistic fantasy, and many of his characters, including Spider-Man, the Hulk and X-Men went on to become stars of blockbuster films.

Recent projects he helped make possible range from the films “Black Panther” and “Doctor Strange” to such TV series as “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”



“I think everybody loves things that are bigger than life. … I think of them as fairy tales for grown-ups,” he told The Associated Press in a 2006 interview. “We all grew up with giants and ogres and witches. Well, you get a little bit older and you’re too old to read fairy tales. But I don’t think you ever outgrow your love for those kind of things, things that are bigger than life and magical and very imaginative.”

Lee considered the comic-book medium an art form and he was prolific: By some accounts, he came up with a new comic book every day for 10 years.

“I wrote so many I don’t even know. I wrote either hundreds or thousands of them,” he told the AP in 2006.



He hit his stride in the 1960s when he brought the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man and numerous others to life.

“It was like there was something in the air. I couldn’t do anything wrong,” he recalled.


His heroes, meanwhile, were a far cry from virtuous do-gooders such as rival DC Comics’ Superman.

The Fantastic Four fought with each other. Spider-Man was goaded into superhero work by his alter ego, Peter Parker, who suffered from unrequited crushes, money problems and dandruff.

The Silver Surfer, an alien doomed to wander Earth’s atmosphere, waxed about the woeful nature of man. The Hulk was marked by self-loathing. Daredevil was blind and Iron Man had a weak heart.

“The beauty of Stan Lee’s characters is that they were characters first and superheroes next,” Jeff Kline, executive producer of the “Men in Black” animated television series, told The Blade of Toledo, Ohio, in 1998.

Some of Lee’s creations became symbols of social change — the inner turmoil of Spider-Man represented ’60s America, for example, while The Black Panther and The Savage She-Hulk mirrored the travails of minorities and women.


Lee scripted most of Marvel’s superhero comics himself during the ’60s, including the Avengers and the X-Men, two of the most enduring.

In 1972, he became Marvel’s publisher and editorial director; four years later, 72 million copies of Spider-Man were sold.

“He’s become our Mickey Mouse,” he once said of the masked, web-crawling crusader.

Lee also published several books, including “The Superhero Women” in 1977 and “How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way” the following year, when he was named publisher of the year by the Periodical and Book Association of America.

CBS turned the Hulk into a successful TV series, with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno portraying the doomed scientist from 1978-82. A Spider-Man series ran briefly in 1978. Both characters were featured in animated TV series as well.

The first big-budget movie based on Lee’s characters, “X-Men,” was a smash in 2000, earning more than $130 million at North American theaters. “Spider-Man” did even better, taking in more than $400 million in 2002. /atm

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Rich or not, homeowners await word of California wildfire’s toll

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rich or not, famous or not, there was little reprieve Saturday from the California wildfires sweeping through towns as different as the star-filled oceanside enclave of Malibu and the modest communities nearby and in the state’s north.

Lady Gaga, Martin Sheen and Kim Kardashian West were among the celebrities who joined thousands of others in evacuating from the affluent coastal city that is as well-known as its residents. Stars went online to share their worries, with some able to follow up with good news Saturday.


Alyssa Milano, who on Friday tweeted that her house was “in jeopardy” but she had gotten needed help to evacuate her horses and that her children were safe, was among the lucky ones.

“My house is still standing. I’m on my way to bring firefighters water and food,” she tweeted. She previously said her heart was with others facing “this awful disaster.”

Others were left to wait.

“I am thinking so deeply for everyone who is suffering today from these abominable fires & grieving the loss of their homes or loved ones,” Lady Gaga tweeted. “I’m sitting here with many of you wondering if my home will burst into flames. All we can do is pray together & for each other. God Bless You.”

There were shout-outs as well to the firefighters struggling to contain the fires in what were described as especially difficult conditions.

“These guys are heroes,” filmmaker Guillermo del Toro posted on Twitter. His so-called “Bleak House,” which contains his collection of items too scary to be kept in the family home, was endangered.

Shannen Doherty, who’d been out of town when the fire broke out, said online that friends staying at her Malibu house evacuated safely with her dogs. She expressed gratitude to firefighters “putting their lives on the line for all of us” and sympathy for others affected by the fire.

Sheen (“The West Wing,” ”Apocalypse Now”), interviewed by a TV station on the beach Friday night after fleeing his home, said the fire was the worst he has ever seen. He said he expects his house was destroyed.

The interview occurred after his son, actor Charlie Sheen, tweeted that he’d been unable to contact his father, and the Los Angeles Fox affiliate KTTV tracked him down. Martin Sheen gave a shoutout to his family to let them know he and his wife, Janet, were safe and planned to sleep in their car by the beach.

The status of Martin Sheen’s home was unknown Saturday.

“Beverly Hills, 90210” star Doherty said her “heart is ripped apart” by the loss of a Malibu home where she and husband Kurt Iswarienko were married in 2011, posting on Instagram a wedding-day photo of the smiling couple on a tree-lined path at the property apparently owned by a friend.

She had previously found refuge in the house when her father died in 2010, Doherty wrote.

“It’s the place I felt my dad with me. It’s gone. Fire has taken it away. I’m devastated by all that’s happening,” she said.

The blaze started Thursday night and by Friday had pushed toward Malibu and the Pacific Ocean, prompting evacuations in Malibu, Calabasas, Agoura Hills and other nearby areas. Authorities said Saturday that two people were found dead in the fire zone and at least 150 homes burned.

Officials stressed late Saturday that high winds are expected to resume on Sunday and mandatory evacuations must remain in place.

In Northern California, the small inland town of Paradise was virtually wiped out by a fast-moving blaze that destroyed more than 6,700 buildings and claimed nine lives as of Saturday.

Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight on “The Office,” indicated online that he and his family were away when flames “roared down the creek bed behind our house and missed it by a dozen yards!”

“Thousands of others have lost homes and pets and precious belongings. Especially the residents of Paradise who have lost lives,” he tweeted.

Although the fatalities overshadowed any loss of property, Malibu’s fame inevitably called attention to the state of its multimillion-dollar homes, including one made famous in ABC’s reality dating series “The Bachelor.”

The show’s producers said in a statement Saturday that, with the area closed to traffic, they didn’t know the condition of what is primarily a private residence. They said their main concern “is with the family who has been displaced, their neighbors, and all the communities impacted by this tragic fire.”

Also left waiting was Caitlyn Jenner, whose hilltop home appeared intact when it was shot by a photographer for The Associated Press on Saturday morning. Jenner’s representative noted that the Olympic gold medalist wouldn’t know the extent of any damage to the home until she was allowed to return to it.

Even outside the evacuation zone, the impact of the fire was being felt by others in the entertainment industry.

“The world is literally on fire right now. And unfortunately it’s becoming more and more common here in California,” actress Natalie Portman said Friday night in Hollywood at an American Film Institute Fest premiere of her film “Vox Lux.”

She said she was hoping for the best for friends and everyone else affected by the blaze. She said she’d spoken to her own two children about the fires because “they need to feel safe” and also understand that there are broad regional effects, like poor air quality.

Paramount Pictures canceled Sunday’s premiere of the film “Instant Family” in Los Angeles due to the wildfire. The studio said it would donate food ordered for the after party to the American Red Cross, and would screen the film at an evacuation center.

Kardashian West posted a video on Instagram of an area on fire with a message “Pray for Calabasas.” She said she landed back home, spent one hour packing and evacuated shortly afterward.

In addition to homes destroyed, Paramount Ranch’s “Western Town,” a landmark film location dating back to 1927 that included a jail, hotel and saloon, burned to the ground. The TV series “Westworld” is among the many productions that have filmed at the ranch in the mountains west of Los Angeles. NVG

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

After US hype, Asia greets ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ with a shrug

“Crazy Rich Asians” has been hailed as a win for diversity in Hollywood and sparked controversy in Singapore for its portrayal of the city-state — but in much of Asia, the movie is being greeted with little more than a shrug.

The first Tinseltown film to feature a majority-Asian cast for a generation, the adaption of author Kevin Kwan’s bestseller about Singapore’s ultra-rich Chinese elite has soared to the top of the North American box office.

The rom-com, which tells the Cinderella-like story of an ordinary Asian-American woman and her super-rich boyfriend, will likely do well in parts of Asia when it is released this week.



But it is not generating the same level of excitement as in Hollywood, where the Asian-American community has long been marginalized, and many in the region may well be wondering what all the fuss is about.

“Asians have been seeing themselves on screen in their own domestic films since cinema began,” Maggie Lee, chief Asia film critic for Variety, told AFP.

Still, those that watch the movie are likely to enjoy the film for what it is — an entertaining rom-com — and recognize the Hollywood hype is something particularly related to the Asian-American experience, she added.

Fabulous wealth, stunning clothes

A two-hour celebration of fabulous wealth, stunning clothes and idealized love, the movie’s main character is economics professor Rachel Chu — played by American actress Constance Wu — who flies to Singapore for a break with her lecturer boyfriend Nick Young.

It is only in the affluent city-state that Rachel realizes the man she has been dating for a year, played by British-Malaysian actor Henry Golding, is the scion to one of Asia’s wealthiest families.

Dazzling jewels, private jets and an imperious mother are all thrown into the mix, as Rachel seeks to navigate the world of Singapore’s super-wealthy.

The first Hollywood production since the “Joy Luck Club” in 1993 to have a majority-Asian cast, the movie has generated frenzied publicity in the US and has generally been well reviewed.


Asians have often been relegated to sidekick roles in Hollywood in recent times while there have also been much-criticized attempts at “yellowface” casting when white actors attempt to make themselves look Asian.

This was the case when Scarlett Johansson was cast in the Hollywood remake of Japanese anime classic “Ghost in the Shell”.

Other Hollywood productions, such as “The Great Wall” set in China and “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” in India, have been criticized for drafting in a major white star to play the lead role or their cliche-filled representations of Asia.

‘Just a movie’ 

In Singapore, where much of the film’s action takes place, there has predictably been considerable buzz, with many curious to see how local culture is depicted and happy that their tiny country is starring in a Hollywood hit.

But some have been angered about how the film focuses primarily on the country’s ethnic Chinese, who make up about three-quarters of the city-state’s inhabitants.

The country of 5.6 million, where the film is released Wednesday, is also home to substantial ethnic Indian and Muslim Malay minorities, as well as large numbers of expatriates.

Singapore activist Kirsten Han has been strident in her criticism, writing that the movie “isn’t really a win for diverse representation.”

“What I would like to see as a Singaporean is something that reflects my country and society in all our diversity and complexity,” she said.

In other parts of Asia, the reception is likely to be much more muted, with a Hollywood production offering little real competition to booming domestic entertainment industries, from Bollywood and Korean movies to Chinese soap opera.

Even in Singapore, many accepted the film was meant to be light entertainment, rather than an attempt to accurately depict the city-state’s society.

“People, it’s just a movie,” said one Facebook post under an article on the website of broadcaster Channel NewsAsia discussing the portrayal of Singapore in the film.

“Sit back and enjoy”. NVG

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Pop star Demi Lovato vows to keep fighting addiction

LOS ANGELES — In her first public comments since an overdose put her into the hospital, singer Demi Lovato said she remains committed to overcoming addiction.

“I will keep fighting,” Lovato wrote Sunday in a post on Instagram.

She also thanked her fans, family, team and staff at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles. She reportedly overdosed on drugs at her Hollywood Hills home on July 24.


She said she’s learned that the illness of addiction doesn’t fade and is something she “must continue to overcome.” She also said she needs time to heal and focus on her sobriety and recovery.

The singer-actress has spoken about her struggles with an eating disorder, self-mutilation, as well as drugs and alcohol. She has become a role model for young women and men who have faced their own issues.  /kga

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Kobe Bryant wins Oscar for animated short ‘Dear Basketball’

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant is a winner in retirement, too.

The former Los Angeles Lakers star won an Oscar in the animated short category for “Dear Basketball,” a poem he wrote after ending his 20-year career on the court in 2016.

He’ll add it to an already jammed trophy collection that includes five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals, NBA Finals most valuable player awards, a league MVP award and four All-Star game MVP awards.

As executive producer, Bryant accepted his golden Oscar statue from “Star Wars” star Mark Hamill on Sunday night. He shared the award with Disney animator Glen Keane.

Among those offering their congratulations via Twitter were Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Bill Russell and Shaquille O’Neal, Bryant’s former Lakers teammate who admitted, “I’m jealous lol.”

Since hanging up his basketball shoes, Bryant has delved into business (a new Nike shoe) and various forms of storytelling.

The 39-year-old sports superstar believed the nomination validated that he could succeed off the court.

“As basketball players, we’re told to shut up and dribble,” Bryant said on stage. “I’m glad we did a little bit more than that.”

He thanked his wife, Vanessa, and his three daughters, naming each of them. He spoke a few words of Italian — a language he learned as a child growing up in Italy — and closed by telling them, “You are my inspiration.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Hollywood stars declare war on sexual misconduct at Globes

Hollywood spoke with one voice at the Golden Globes on Sunday to declare war on the film industry’s culture of sexual harassment and abuse.

The industry’s elite turned the red carpet black for the Globes, the glitzy launch of Tinseltown’s awards season, in a fashionable repudiation of disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and others ensnared in allegations of misconduct.

Billed as the most raucous event in the showbiz calendar, the champagne-drenched Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s annual prize-giving is a draw for filmmakers and actors looking to create some buzz ahead of the Oscars in March.

But this year’s ceremony, seen as the first big opportunity for the industry to unite and deliver a message about how Hollywood can move forward, struck a more serious tone.

“Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have,” actress and media powerhouse Oprah Winfrey told the audience at the Beverly Hilton as she accepted a lifetime achievement award.

“For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dare speak the truth to the power of those men. But their time is up,” she added, earning a standing ovation.

Actors and actresses turned out in black in solidarity with victims of Weinstein and numerous other figures exposed by the harassment and abuse scandal, including Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner and Dustin Hoffman.

And the overall message was a call for continued change.

“People are aware now of a power imbalance. It’s led to abuse in our industry. (…) It’s everywhere,” Meryl Streep, who is vying for a Globe for her work in media drama “The Post,” told E! network on the red carpet.

Fellow Oscar winner Viola Davis added: “It’s all of these women just embracing their authentic voices and standing in solidarity with each other.”

Seth Meyers, making his debut as Globes host, opened the show with joke after joke about Hollywood’s post-Weinstein reckoning.

“It’s 2018, marijuana is finally allowed and sexual harassment finally isn’t. It’s going to be a good year,” the late night NBC funnyman said.

“For the male nominees in the room tonight, this is the first time in three months it won’t be terrifying to hear your name read out loud.”

‘Shape of Water’ vs ‘The Post’

The ceremony at the Beverly Hilton is not as reliable at predicting Oscars glory as the galas held by Hollywood’s acting, producing and directing unions.

But it remains one of the most high-profile and glamorous events of the awards calendar and tends to generate more headlines for tipsy tributes and wacky one-liners.

Leading the pack this year is Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy romance “The Shape of Water” with seven nominations, while “The Post” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” went into the night tied for second, with six each.

Overall, 25 awards are given out — 14 for movies and 11 for TV — and, as usual, the 90-member HFPA has sprung more than a few surprises in the nominations, placing horror satire “Get Out” in the best comedy-musical category.

But there were no nominations at all for female filmmakers despite huge successes in 2017 for Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”), Patty Jenkins (“Wonder Woman”), Dee Rees (“Mudbound”), Kathryn Bigelow (“Detroit”) and Sofia Coppola (“The Beguiled”).

The first film award of the evening went to Sam Rockwell, who took home the best supporting actor in a film prize for crime drama “Three Billboards.”

He paid tribute to his “actor-friendly” director Martin McDonagh and co-star Frances McDormand, whom he described as “a force of nature.”

McDonagh also won for best screenplay. But Del Toro took the best director prize.

Big night for ‘Big Little Lies’ 

While many fields were wide open, James Franco (“The Disaster Artist”) was always a shoo-in to win best actor in a musical/comedy movie.

Franco — who also directed the film about Tommy Wiseau’s flop-turned-cult-hit “The Room” — gave a shoutout to his brother and co-star Dave, telling the gathered celebrities: “I love him more than anything. Thanks to my mother for giving him to me.”

On the small screen, HBO’s “Big Little Lies” scooped up a rare trio of acting awards for Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard and Laura Dern.

“I hope we can elicit change through the stories we tell and the way we tell them,” said Kidman, who was named best actress in a limited series for her role as an abused wife in the show.

Dern urged Hollywood to support survivors of abuse and to promote restorative justice.

“May we teach our children that speaking out without the fear of retribution is our culture’s new north star,” she said.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” followed up its Emmys night glory, when it won four statuettes, by beating perennial awards juggernaut “Game of Thrones” to the Globe for best TV series. 

Its star Elisabeth Moss also took home the prize for best actress in a drama, and thanked Margaret Atwood, who wrote the best-selling dystopian novel on which the Hulu series was based.

“Margaret Atwood, this is for you and the women who came before you and after you who were brave enough to speak out against intolerance and injustice and to fight for equality and freedom in this world,” Moss said.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Fil-Am-hosted YouTube series tackles pop culture, fashion, sexuality

LOS ANGELES – “Your Time With Thomas,” hosted by social media influencer Thomas Orlina, is an eight-part docu-series on topics ranging from pop culture to fashion, relationships to sexuality, overcoming fears and finding next level fun.

Based in Hollywood, the series takes viewers on a tour of Los Angeles, hitting some of the hottest hangouts and showcasing the reality of what it’s truly like to live, work and play in the entertainment capital of the world.

Orlina is best known for being an on-air host and red carpet correspondent for as well as working for a major Hollywood studio. Over the years, he has attracted a sizable 50K+ following on social media who look to him for daily celebrity commentary and pop culture news.

“I wanted to show you [the viewers] who I am, and I want you to be able to connect with me on a higher level,” says Orlina in Episode 1.

This first episode of “Your Time With Thomas” introduces Thomas in his everyday life and allows subscribers to discover a deeper side to what he does, and what this docu-series is all about.

A highlight of Episode 1 is when Thomas gets a call from De Juan VaLentine, creator and senior executive producer of online talk show C.SQUARED. Thomas is presented with the exciting news that he has been selected as a producer of pop culture segments on Season 2 of C.SQUARED.

Viewers will also get a sneak peek into Episode 2, where Orlina discusses a topic that is very close to him: coming out. The rest of the series will tackle a wide range of subject matters and focus on giving his followers a firsthand experience of living in Los Angeles. 

source: usa.inquirer.net

Taylor Swift now dating British star Joe Alwyn—report

Amid reports of several breakups of Hollywood couples, Taylor Swift has found new love in a dashing British actor.

According to The Sun, the pop star and  26-year-old Joe Alwyn have been lovey-dovey for the past several months. To bypass unruly paparazzi spies, Swift, who has rented a place near her beau’s home in London, wears hats and wigs while walking with him.

“Taylor and Joe are the real deal, this is a very serious relationship,” one insider told the news site. “But after what happened with Tom Hiddleston (Swift’s ex-boyfriend), they were determined to keep it quiet.”

Aside from maintaining her romance with Alwyn under wraps, Swift flies on private jets whenever she travels, a lesson she learned with Tom Hiddleston last year. “Taylor has flown in via private jets and her security has made it a military-like mission to prevent her from being seen,” the source divulged.

Although not as famous as his new flame, Alwyn appeared in “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” and is in the forthcoming movie “The Favorite” alongside Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz.

Despite mounting international stardom for her chart-topping songs, Swift, 27, has dated several men and broke up with them. Aside from Hiddleston, Swift shared a “love story” with Calvin Harris, Harry Styles, Joe Jonas and Conor Kennedy.

For the meantime, Swifties (Swift’s fans) could only hope that her new affair will not lead to another breakup song soon.  Gianna Francesca Catolico /ra

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

FULL LIST: Oscars 2017 winners

List of winners for the 89th annual Academy Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Best Picture: “Moonlight.”

Actor: Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea.”

Actress: Emma Stone, “La La Land.”

Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight.”

Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, “Fences.”

Directing: Damien Chazelle, “La La Land.”

Foreign Language Film: “The Salesman,” Iran.

Adapted Screenplay: “Moonlight,” screenplay by Barry Jenkins, story by Tarell Alvin McCraney.

Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester by the Sea.”

Production Design: “La La Land,” Production Design: David Wasco; Set Decoration: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco.

Cinematography: Linus Sandgren, “La La Land.”

Sound Mixing: “Hacksaw Ridge,” Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace.

Sound Editing: “Arrival,” Sylvain Bellemare.

Original Score: “La La Land,” Justin Hurwitz.

Original Song: “City of Stars” from “La La Land,” music by Justin Hurwitz, lyric by Ben Pasek and Justin Paul.

Costume Design: Colleen Atwood, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

Documentary (short subject): “The White Helmets,” Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara.

Documentary Feature: “O.J.: Made in America,” Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow.

Film Editing: “Hacksaw Ridge,” John Gilbert.

Makeup and Hairstyling: “Suicide Squad,” Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson.

Animated Feature Film: “Zootopia,” Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Clark Spencer.

Animated Short Film: “Piper,” Alan Barillaro and Marc Sondheimer.

Live Action Short Film: “Sing,” Kristof Deak and Anna Udvardy.

Visual Effects: “The Jungle Book,” Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon. JE

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ star: Hollywood bullied Trump

LOS ANGELES—It isn’t an opinion heard frequently in the famously liberal Hollywood, but sci-fi queen Zoe Saldana has spoken out against the acting community for bullying abrasive Donald Trump.

The “Star Trek,” “Avatar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” star — who is not a supporter of the Republican president-elect — believes insults flung at him during the race for the White House turned off much of middle America.

“We got cocky and became arrogant and we also became bullies,” the 38-year-old actress said of Trump, who has been frequently berated himself for bullying tactics, including seemingly mocking a reporter with disabilities.

“We were trying to single out a man for all these things he was doing wrong… and that created empathy in a big group of people in America that felt bad for him and that are believing in his promises.”

Saldana’s analysis echoes comments made by Hawaiian-born Australian actress Nicole Kidman, who told the BBC’s “Victoria Derbyshire” show this week it was time Americans got behind Trump, who takes office on January 20.

“I just say he’s now elected and we as a country need to support whoever’s the president because that’s what the country’s based on. However that happened, he’s there, and let’s go,” Kidman said.

Saldana, who plays a Cuban gangster’s moll in Ben Affleck’s prohibition era gangster movie “Live by Night,” has spoken out frequently against prejudice in Hollywood.

One of the movie’s most pleasing aspects, she says, was its unflinching depiction of racism in the Deep South that was so ingrained that police officers and judges were proud to call themselves members of the Ku Klux Klan, the white supremacist hate group.

The Trump campaign that defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was criticized for stoking racial tensions with its rhetoric against Mexicans and Muslims, but Saldana is hopeful the country will never return to the dark days of segregation.

“I’m learning from (Trump’s victory) with a lot of humility,” the mother of two-year-old twin boys told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“If we have people continue to be strong and educate ourselves and stand by equal rights and treat everyone with respect, we won’t go back to those times.”

‘Awkward’ love scenes

Saldana, born in the United States to Puerto Rican and Dominican parents, grew up in New York before moving to the Dominican Republic at the age of 10 when her father was killed in a car crash.

She appeared in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” in 2003 and Steven Spielberg’s “The Terminal” in 2004 before her big break in the 2009 movie reboot of the “Star Trek” film series by J.J. Abrams.

She has since been exploring the far reaches of the universe as blue-skinned Na’vi heroine Neytiri in James Cameron’s “Avatar” (also 2009) and green alien assassin Gamora in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014).

She is fulsome in her praise of Affleck, who wrote, co-produced and starred as her husband in “Live by Night,” the big-screen adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s 2012 novel of the same name — but says the love scenes were uncomfortable.

“It always feels weird for me, it totally does. I’m not one of these thespians that does method and forget who I am,” she told AFP.

“Especially in a moment where you’re stressed, you feel very awkward and you’re cold because, being a woman, you’re probably completely butt-ass naked. It’s just awkward.”

“Live By Night,” which had a limited release on December 25, hits theaters across the United States over the weekend, but Saldana’s workload is showing no sign of easing up.

“I leave in two weeks to go be a part of ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ I’m not looking forward to the five hours of green make-up but I appreciate that I’m part of the Marvel universe and I’m very grateful,” she said.

“Then we promote ‘Guardians of the Galaxy II’ and then I go do ‘Avatar II, II IV and V. After that I’m going to take a long vacation.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

LIST: Golden Globes 2017 winners

LOS ANGELES—Here are the winners in key categories for the 74th Golden Globe Awards, which were handed out on Sunday (Monday, Manila time):

FILM

Best film, drama: “Moonlight”

Best film, musical or comedy: “La La Land”

Best actor, drama: Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”

Best actress, drama: Isabelle Huppert, “Elle”

Best actor, musical or comedy: Ryan Gosling, “La La Land”

Best actress, musical or comedy: Emma Stone, “La La Land”

Best supporting actor: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, “Nocturnal Animals”

Best supporting actress: Viola Davis, “Fences”

Best director: Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”

Best screenplay: Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”

Best original score: Justin Hurwitz, “La La Land”

Best original song: “City of Stars” from “La La Land”

Best foreign language film: “Elle” (France)

Best animated feature: “Zootopia”

TELEVISION

 

Best drama series: “The Crown” (Netflix)

Best drama actor: Billy Bob Thornton, “Goliath”

Best drama actress: Claire Foy, “The Crown”

Best musical or comedy series: “Atlanta” (FX)

Best musical or comedy actor: Donald Glover, “Atlanta”

Best musical or comedy actress: Tracee Ellis Ross, “Black-ish”

Best limited series or TV movie:  “The People vs O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX)

Best limited series or TV movie actor: Tom Hiddleston, “The Night Manager”

Best limited series or TV movie actress: Sarah Paulson, “The People vs O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”

Best limited series or TV movie supporting actor: Hugh Laurie, “The Night Manager”

Best limited series or TV movie supporting actress: Olivia Colman, “The Night Manager”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Clinton’s showbiz pals spend big as Hollywood shuns Trump

LOS ANGELES—Glance at the list of Hillary Clinton’s biggest donors and you could be forgiven for thinking she was funding a Hollywood movie rather than a presidential campaign.

It is hardly surprising that the left-leaning entertainment industry is supporting a Democrat for the White House, but the gulf between candidates in donations from Tinseltown this election cycle is staggering.

Actors, studio executives and other employees of the film, TV and music industries have donated $20.7 million to Clinton’s run for the presidency, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign funding.

Her Republican rival Donald Trump has meanwhile raised less than $350,000 from Hollywood.

“The Clintons have always been Hollywood darlings, going back to Bill’s term in office,” said Usman Shaikh, a Los Angeles-based entertainment attorney and a contemporary of Trump’s daughter Ivanka at the University of Pennsylvania.

“If you recall when it was Clinton and Obama for the primaries in 2008, Hollywood was supporting Clinton.”

Within hours of the former first lady confirming last year she was running to become America’s first female commander-in-chief, dozens of celebrities clamored to give their stamp of approval.

By the fall of 2015, according to the Los Angeles Times, she had taken about $5 million of the $5.5 million that Hollywood figures had donated to the 2016 campaign.

Film titans Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg gave $1 million each, while “Star Wars” director J.J. Abrams stumped up $500,000.

Clinton supporter George Clooney hosted back-to-back dinners in San Francisco and Los Angeles in April which reportedly raised over $15 million, with donors paying as much as $350,000 a head.

Clinton attended 17 starry fundraisers in California over the summer, part of an eye-watering schedule that included nine events spread across the state over just three days in late August.

Onslaught of negativity

That string of fundraisers included an August 22 cocktail reception for 500 people — including actor Samuel L. Jackson — hosted by NBA legend Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie.

That was followed later the same day by a 90-minute event put on by billionaire media mogul Haim Saban and his wife Cheryl at their Beverly Hills home. One hundred guests paid at least $50,000 each.

The following day involved fundraisers in Piedmont and Laguna Beach, each requiring donations of $33,400 from attendees, and a 75-minute swing by the Hollywood Hills home of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel.

Guests there — including Jennifer Aniston, Tobey Maguire, Shonda Rhimes, Jamie Foxx and Katie Holmes — raised more than $3 million.

Trump, meanwhile, has faced an unprecedented onslaught of negativity from the entertainment industry — and not just the liberals.

Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement on Twitter at the start of October saying he would not be voting Republican for the first time since gaining US citizenship in 1983.

Meanwhile Harry Sloan, former head of MGM and a lifelong Republican, has announced he is backing Clinton and has even donated to her campaign.

According to Shaikh, there are an abundance of conservatives in Hollywood — but hardly any who will support the Republican candidate because of his divisive rhetoric on Mexicans, Muslims and women.

In fact, the driving force behind Trump’s fundraising activities is veteran Hollywood producer Steve Mnuchin, the man behind the “X-Men” franchise and “Avatar,” who has been finance chair of the campaign since May.

Political consultant Patrick Dorinson led a contingent of entertainment figures including Oscar-winner Jon Voight on a bus tour across the US in mid-September, giving speeches and news conferences on behalf of Trump.

‘Just too extreme’

But the litany of celebrities who have openly disparaged the real estate mogul and former reality TV star by far outweighs his supporters in Hollywood.

Some of America’s biggest stars, including actors Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson, appeared in a video in September to take potshots at Trump while rallying voters to the polls on Election Day.


“Do we really want to give nuclear weapons to a man whose signature move is firing things?” asks Leslie Odom Jr., a Tony winner for his turn as Aaron Burr in the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton.”

“I just think culturally he’s a very different fit from Hollywood. On so many of his issues, he’s just too extreme, particularly on women’s issues,” said Steve Maviglio, a California-based political consultant.

“He’s been actually good on gay marriage and you’d think that would be a natural to attract people in Hollywood. But you’re not even seeing the Hollywood Republicans helping him out.

“Look at the Republican convention. He had hardly any entertainment, any Hollywood, there at all.  Where is Clint Eastwood, even?”

But while support of Hollywood is an important source of campaign fundraising, surveys have shown that the backing of celebrities holds little sway over the way Americans vote.

“We saw Susan Sarandon do a lot of work for Bernie Sanders this year,” said Maviglio, who served as Bill Clinton’s director of public affairs in the 1990s.

“She got a lot of attention because she was one of the first people out there. But did it have an impact at the end of the day? No.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

List of Primetime Emmy Awards winners

List of winners at the annual Primetime Emmy Awards, announced Sunday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Drama Series: “Game of Thrones.”

Directing, Drama Series: Miguel Sapochnik, “Game of Thrones”

Actor, Drama Series: Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot.”

Actress, Drama Series:  Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black.”

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline.”

Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Writing for a Drama Series: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss “Game of Thrones.”

Comedy Series: “Veep.”

Directing, Comedy Series: Jill Soloway, “Transparent.”

Actor, Comedy Series: Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent.”

Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep.”

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Louie Anderson, “Baskets.”

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live.”

Writing for a Comedy Series: Alan Yang and Aziz Ansari, “Master of None.”

Limited Series: “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama: Susanne Bier, “The Night Manager.”

Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Courtney B. Vance, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Sarah Paulson, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Sterling K. Brown, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Regina King, “American Crime.”

Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special: D.V. BeVincentis, “The People v. O.J. Simpson American Crime Story.”

Variety Talk Series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”

Variety Sketch Series: “Key & Peele.”

Directing for a Variety Special: Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinskifor “Grease Live.”

Writing for a Variety Special: Patton Oswalt, “Talking for Clapping.”

Television Movie: “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride.”

Reality-Competition Program: “The Voice.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Jennifer Lawrence tops list of best paid actresses

LOS ANGELES, United States — Oscar-winning Jennifer Lawrence was named the world’s highest-paid actress for the second year running on Tuesday, with estimated pre-tax earnings of $46 million.

The 26-year-old American raked in the lion’s share from a profit share in the final “Hunger Games” movie, which grossed $650 million, Forbes magazine said.

An upfront fee for the forthcoming space thriller “Passengers” also helped the 26-year-old push her pay day above second-ranked Melissa McCarthy, who pocketed $33 million.

The world’s 10 highest-paid actresses made a combined $205 million in the 12 months from June 1, 2015 before fees and taxes, said Forbes.

But the actors’ list due to be published on Thursday is expected to show once again men banking far more than their female counterparts.

The issue of pay disparity grabbed headlines in 2014 after a leak of stolen emails from Sony Pictures Entertainment showed that Lawrence was paid less than her male co-stars in the hit movie “American Hustle.”

Patricia Arquette also railed against the industry’s gender-based wage gap during her acceptance speech after winning a statuette at last year’s Academy Awards.

Lawrence, who took the best actress Oscar for 2012 comedy-drama “Silver Linings Playbook,” is down from $52 million in last year’s list, although she is still considered Hollywood’s hottest property by some distance.

McCarthy, 45, earned $10 million more than the 2015 estimate thanks to a reported eight-figure payday for “Ghostbusters.”

Perennial A-list darling Scarlett Johansson came in third with $25 million, while Jennifer Aniston, who makes most of her cash through endorsements, bagged $21 million.

Fan Bingbing of China, a relative unknown in Hollywood, rounded out the top five, making the list for the second consecutive year with $17 million.

India’s Deepika Padukone — who made $10 million — was the only other actress from outside Hollywood to feature in the rankings.

The 30-year-old, who came 10th, earns far less than her Tinseltown counterparts for her Bollywood roles, but compensates with more than a dozen lucrative endorsements, Forbes said.

Four women, up from three in 2015, banked more than $20 million compared with 18 of the world’s leading men, Forbes said.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Zayn Malik, Gigi Hadid call it quits after 7 months

After reports that pop icon Taylor Swift and her boyfriend Calvin Harris split up after 15 months of dating, another break-up rattled Hollywood.

Former “One Direction” singer Zayn Malik and Victoria’s Secret supermodel Gigi Hadid parted ways after a seven-month relationship.

Sources divulged to entertainment news site E! News that the Hollywood “It” couple had had a “love-hate relationship” just before they broke up.

“During her birthday they were fighting,” an insider gossiped. Hadid, 21, and Malik, 23, had “broken up and got back together a few times.”

Another source leaked that although Hadid was “gloomy,” with their relationship getting on the rocks, there was still hope that the couple would reconcile.

“Zayn and Gigi did break up, but they can likely get back together tomorrow. It’s all very unclear what’s going on between them now. They have been having some issues lately that involved communication and getting along,” the source elucidated.

According to US Magazine, Hadid previously dated two admired singers, Joe Jonas and Cody Simpson. Malik was formerly engaged to Perrie Edwards.

Below is Hadid’s last Instagram post with Malik. Gianna Francesca Catolico

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Oscar winners party it up at Vanity Fair, Governors Ball

LOS ANGELES — There’s no such thing as being all dressed up with nowhere to go on Oscar night.

The Hollywood elite have various glamorous parties to choose from, whether they attended the Academy Awards or not.

Here’s a roundup of the post-Oscars party action:

Governors ball
After hours on the red carpet and a three-and-a-half hour telecast, Academy Awards guests are ready for some food when the show ends. That’s why the first stop for many is the Governors Ball, the Oscars’ official after-party, held just upstairs from where the show takes place.

Benicio del Toro snacked on pizza as he snaked through the party. “The Revenant” cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, enjoyed some strawberries, his new Oscar by his side. Steven Spielberg opted for liquid refreshment (a Heineken), which he sipped on while speaking with supporting actor winner Mark Rylance, who gleefully posed with his trophy.

Meanwhile, Tobey Maguire chatted with Bryan Cranston, and Common smiled for a photo with fans.

Wolfgang Puck catered the party, serving mini-burgers, smoked-salmon Oscars, caviar-topped baked potatoes and chicken pot-pies. There was also a sushi spread, a table filled with crab legs and lobster claws, and a vast array of desserts.

The Governors Ball is also where the night’s winners can have their new Oscars engraved with their names. Leonardo DiCaprio commanded a huge audience when he arrived to have his statuette personalized, all trying to capture a cell-phone photo of the best actor winner. No sooner had he left than best actress Brie Larson arrived, her new Oscar and longtime boyfriend Alex Greenwald in tow. He snapped pictures of her as her statuette was engraved, and the two toasted with Champagne and a kiss when it was finished.

In fact, every guest at the ball took home an Oscar: tiny chocolate Oscars were given as party favors.

Elton John AIDS Foundation

Charlie Sheen made a grand entrance to the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars viewing party Sunday.

The actor, who revealed his HIV-positive status last year, took photos with fans at the event, which organizers say raised $6.2 million to help fund AIDS research.

More than 1,000 guests attended the lavish annual gala, where colorful gowns and sharp suits ruled.

Caitlyn Jenner, who wore a fitted red Zac Posen frock, was seen hugging and whispering with supermodel Heidi Klum, who wore an elegant off-the-shoulder lilac dress. The two snapped photos and laughed while admiring each other’s outfits arm-in-arm at Jenner’s table.

Additional celebrity attendees included Mariah Carey, Jeffrey Tambor, Russell Simmons, Gene Simmons, and Steven Tyler, who donated five days at his Mau home to the foundation’s silent auction.

Notable Oscar viewing moments included Sam Smith’s acceptance speech for his original song win for “Writings on the Wall.” Guests gave the openly gay singer a standing ovation in response to his support of the LGBT community.

They also jumped out of their seats to cheer on Leonardo DiCaprio as he accepted his first Academy Award.

After the show, Elton John, in a deep blue suit, congratulated the Oscar winners, thanked his guests and offered his thoughts on the show.

“Well, that was an interesting Oscars for a change,” he said, before closing the party with a performance. John crooned his hits, including “Benny and the Jets” and “Rocket Man,” and sang some tracks from his latest album, “A Wonderful Crazy Night.” Guests went home with a signed copy.

At the “Vanity Fair” party

Elton John and Lady Gaga chatting side-by-side on a sofa made for a hot photo op at the magazine’s annual Oscar party, this year held in Beverly Hills.

Other guests caused a logjam as they stopped to take photos of Gaga, who had performed at the Oscars, and John, who had hosted his own party earlier in the evening. A few feet away, and unnoticed for the moment, was Alejandro G. Inarritu, who had just won the best director award for “The Revenant.”

Leonardo DiCaprio, best actor winner for the film, dropped by with his trophy. The eclectic crowd also included Jon Hamm, Serena Williams, Jennifer Garner, Keegan-Michael Key and Don Rickles.

“Out of my way,” Rickles barked as he was pushed through the crowded room in a wheelchair, pretending to wield the cane in his lap as a weapon. But he was smiling, and so were those getting a taste of the 89-year-old’s trademark insult comedy.

Nominee Charlotte Rampling stood briefly alone before she was swarmed by admirers.

Guests dined on chef Thomas Keller’s black truffle lasagna and salmon at the evening hosted by the magazine’s editor, Graydon Carter. There were souvenirs to be had, with people lining up to get their photos taken for mock Vanity Fair covers.

Even stars have to wait for cars when it’s time to go home. Caitlyn Jenner, who earlier in the evening had been deep in conversation with Lady Gaga, cooled her high heels at the limo line until her transportation arrived. Meanwhile, Patricia Arquette got comfortable sitting inside a tent that was part of an elaborate hub to usher partygoers into and out of the event. TVJ

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

OSCARS: Complete list of 88th annual Academy Award winners

HOLLYWOOD, United States — Following is the list of winners at Sunday’s 88th annual Academy Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Best Picture: “Spotlight.”

Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Revenant.”

Actress: Brie Larson, “Room.”

Supporting Actor: Mark Rylance, “Bridge of Spies.”

Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, “The Danish Girl.”

Directing: Alejandro G. Inarritu, “The Revenant.”

Foreign Language Film: “Son of Saul.”

Adapted Screenplay: “The Big Short.”

Original Screenplay: “Spotlight.”

Animated Feature Film: “Inside Out.”

Production Design: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Cinematography: “The Revenant.”

Sound Mixing: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Sound Editing: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Original Score: “The Hateful Eight.”

Original Song: “Writing’s on the Wall” from “Spectre.”

Costume Design: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Documentary Feature: “Amy.”

Documentary (short subject): “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness.”

Film Editing: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Makeup and Hairstyling: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Animated Short Film: “Bear Story.”

Live Action Short Film: “Stutterer.”

Visual Effects: “Ex Machina.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Oscar host, producer, others honor black women in Hollywood

BEVERLY HILLS, California — Oscar host Chris Rock, producer Reginald Hudlin and film academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs took an afternoon off from Academy Awards preparations to celebrate black women in Hollywood.

Rock, Hudlin and Boone Isaacs were among the guests at Essence Magazine’s ninth annual awards luncheon Thursday at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Hudlin took the stage to present an award to legendary entertainer Debbie Allen.

The annual Essence event celebrates the achievements of black women in entertainment. Actress Tracee Ellis Ross and entertainment attorney Nina Shaw were also recognized.

Shonda Rhimes announced that Allen has agreed to serve as producing director of “Grey’s Anatomy” and called the writer-director-choreographer-performer “a force of nature.”

“Debbie blows through an environment and changes the landscape forever,” Rhimes said.

Ross, accompanied by her father and older sister, Rhonda, accepted the Fierce and Fearless award. She said she had been sick for the past week and worried she wouldn’t be able to attend the luncheon.

“I got dressed in the car,” she said. “I’m unclear if what I’m wearing is see-through. If it is, I’m sorry.”

Oprah Winfrey opened the program, which will air Saturday on OWN.

In a year when Hollywood’s lack of inclusion has overwhelmed the Oscar race, Winfrey said, “it’s a beautiful thing that we have the good sense to do this for ourselves.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Old TV favorites swept aside at Golden Globes as hackers, musicians rule

Hackers and musicians ruled at the Golden Globes on Sunday as old television favorites were cast aside for a slew of new shows and rising actors.

Amazon Studio's streaming show "Mozart in the Jungle," about the backstage lives of New York classical musicians, went home with the best TV comedy series and a best actor award for its star Gael Garcia Bernal.

On the drama side, the USA cable network series "Mr. Robot," about a bunch of hackers and anarchists, emerged the surprise winner, defeating Emmy-winning HBO medieval fantasy "Game of Thrones."

 "Mr. Robot" also brought a supporting actor prize for Christian Slater as Globe organizers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, continued their tradition of recognizing new programming.

"I gotta thank the Hollywood Foreign Press. They just gave the best drama series award to a show called 'Mr. Robot' and that took a lot of courage," said the show's creator Sam Esmail.

As award-winning shows and their stars including political satire "Veep," ground-breaking transgender series "Transparent" and quirky black comedy "Fargo" sat on the sidelines, only Jon Hamm, star of advertising drama "Mad Men," was a repeat winner.

"Thank you to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for supporting our show all the way to the end," said Hamm, accepting his best drama actor award for his role as the moody womanizer Don Draper. "Thank you to Mr Weiner (the show's creator) who wrote this horrible person and picked me to play him."

Fox television's popular hip-hop industry saga "Empire" produced a best actress win for a jubilant Taraji P. Henson, who plays family matriarch Cookie Lyon.

"Who knew that playing an ex convict would take me all around the globe?!," Henson said of her character, who spent 17 years in jail for selling crack cocaine.

Newcomer Rachel Bloom, 28, beat veterans Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jamie Lee Curtis in her role as the "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" in the CW's new musical comedy series, which she also helped to create. An excited Bloom recalled that the show was turned by six other networks before landing at the CW.

Premium cable powerhouses Showtime and HBO, usually dominant in the TV awards, picked up just two statuettes. Maura Tierney was named supporting actress for playing a jilted wife in "The Affair" while Oscar Isaac won for playing an ambitious local councilman in mini-series "Show Me a Hero."

Pop star Lady Gaga, dressed old-style Hollywood in a form fitting black velvet gown, was a modest winner for her role as a vampire countess in the limited series "American Horror Story: Hotel."

"This is one of the greatest moments in my life," said an emotional Gaga. "I wanted to be an actress before I wanted to be a singer but music worked out first."

Broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC won nothing on Sunday. —Reuters