Grey’s, Betty Top TV Globes

Babel, Dreamgirls Lead Pics

ABC and HBO made strong showings in the television categories at last night’s 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards, handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, whose active members number fewer than 90. Two hits from ABC’s Thursday-night lineup—Ugly Betty and Grey’s Anatomy—were named best comedy series and best drama series, respectively. Among feature films, the globe-spanning drama Babel was named best dramatic film and the cinematic adaptation of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls took the prize for best film, comedy or musical.

Overall, HBO and ABC tied for most wins in the TV categories, with three each. In addition to taking the top series awards, ABC was honored when Ugly Betty star America Ferrera was named best actress in a comedy series. HBO’s three awards all went to the miniseries Elizabeth I. In the title role, Helen Mirren (who had three nominations on the night) prevailed as best actress in a miniseries or movie, and Jeremy Irons was named best supporting actor in a miniseries or movie. Finally, the production was named best miniseries or movie.

Another British production, Gideon’s Daughter, which aired on BBC America, took two acting awards: Bill Nighy was named best actor in a miniseries or movie, ands Emily Blunt (who was also nominated for her performance in the feature film The Devil Wears Prada) took best supporting actress in a miniseries or movie.

In the other TV acting categories, Hugh Laurie was named best actor in a drama series for his performance as the curmudgeonly medical genius in Fox’s House. It was the second consecutive year Laurie won the award. Best actress in a drama series went to Kyra Sedgwick, who stars as an LAPD homicide detective in TNT’s The Closer. Alec Baldwin was named best actor in a comedy series for his work as a pompous network executive in the first-year NBC comedy 30 Rock.

Fittingly for an organization comprised of foreign journalists, several winners in the motion picture categories had international connections. This was exemplified by Babel, which was shot in the U.S., Mexico, Africa and Japan, featured several languages and was performed by a cast from several countries.

Best actress in a drama went to Helen Mirren, who picked up her second statuette of the night for portraying a British monarch—this time for her taciturn performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. Best actress in a comedy or musical went to Meryl Streep who own received critical plaudits as a frosty fashion magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada.

Best actor in a drama went to Forest Whitaker for inhabiting the larger-than-life former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. Best actor in a comedy or musical was given to British performer Sacha Baron Cohen, who occupied the center of the controversial comedy Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

Dreamgirls took both supporting performer prizes. Best supporting actress was won by newcomer Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls, best supporting actor by veteran Eddie Murphy. Another veteran, Martin Scorsese, took home best director for his work on the intense crime drama The Departed.

Best animated film went to Cars, while best foreign language film went to Letters from Iwo Jima, which, although it was made by a partnership between two American studios—Warner Bros. and DreamWorks—and directed by an iconic American filmmaker—Clint Eastwood—was eligible for the category because its dialogue is almost entirely in Japanese.

The HFPA’s lifetime achievement honor, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, went to Warren Beatty, who whose flattering, often amusing introduction was delivered by actor Tom Hanks.

Here is a complete list of winners:

TELEVISION

DRAMA
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) - Touchstone Television

ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

ACTOR (DRAMA)
Hugh Laurie - House

COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Ugly Betty (ABC) - Touchstone Television

ACTRESS (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
America Ferrera - Ugly Betty

ACTOR (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock

MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Elizabeth I (HBO) - Company Pictures and Channel 4 i.a.w. HBO Films

ACTRESS (MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE)
Helen Mirren - Elizabeth I

ACTOR (MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE)
Bill Nighy - Gideon’s Daughter

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emily Blunt - Gideon’s Daughter

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jeremy Irons - Elizabeth I

MOTION PICTURE

DRAMA
Babel - Anonymous Content Production/Una Producción De Zeta Film/Central Film Production; Paramount Pictures/Paramount Vantage

ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Helen Mirren - The Queen

ACTOR (DRAMA)
Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland

MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Dreamgirls - DreamWorks Pictures/Paramount Pictures; DreamWorks Pictures/Paramount Pictures

ACTRESS (MUSICAL OR COMEDY)
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada

ACTOR (MUSICAL OR COMEDY)
Sacha Baron Cohen - Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

ANIMATED FILM
Cars - Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation Studio; Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Letters from Iwo Jima (USA/Japan) - Warner Bros. Pictures/DreamWorks Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls

DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese - The Departed

SCREENPLAY
Peter Morgan - The Queen

ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexandre Desplat - The Painted Veil

ORIGINAL SONG
“The Song of the Heart” - Happy Feet - Music & Lyrics by: Prince Rogers Nelson

CECIL B. DEMILLE AWARD
Warren Beatty