Award season kicks off in high style with Hollywood Awards

And cue the trumpets: the award season got off to a stellar start on Monday evening with the 2009 Hollywood Awards. Among the honorees at the Gala Ceremony were Gabourey Sidibe, who claimed the New Hollywood Award for her performance in Lee Daniels' "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."

Robert De Niro and Hilary Swank were also feted as Best Actor and Actress for " Everybody's Fine" and "Amelia," respectively, while Julianne Moore and Christoph Waltz took home the trophies for Best Supporting Actress and Actor for "A Single Man" and "Inglourious Basterds." Relative newcomers Carey Mulligan and Jeremy Renner, who have each reaped their share of buzz for their turns in "An Education" and "The Hurt Locker," received the Breakthrough Actress and Actor awards, while Shohreh Aghdashloo, Zachary Quinto, Melanie Lynskey and Paul Schneider were presented with the Hollywood Spotlight Awards. 

Though just 13 years old, the Hollywood Awards and the Hollywood Film Festival have grown in stature as a leading indicator of how the award season will play out in the coming four months. 

A select list of winners follows after the break.

Actor: Robert De Niro, "Everybody's Fine."

Actress: Hilary Swank, "Amelia."

Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, "Inglorious Basterds."

Supporting Actress: Julianne Moore, "A Single Man."

Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker."

Screenplay: Nora Ephron, "Julie & Julia."

Breakthrough Actress: Carey Mulligan, "An Education."

Breakthrough Actor: Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker."

Breakthrough Director: Lee Daniels, "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Saffire."

New Hollywood Award: Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Saffire."

Hollywood Spotlight Awards: Shohreh Aghdashloo, Zachary Quinto, Melanie Lynskey and Paul Schneider.

Comedy Award: Bradley Cooper, "The Hangover."

Animation Award: Pete Docter, "Up."

-- Paul Gaita

Pictured: Sandra Bullock, left, and Bradley Cooper. Photo: Getty Images

Comments

[Leone]

shame you didn't see fit to list the crafts awards that were given out for visual effects, editing, etc.