Golden Globes: Laura Dern wins for best actress in TV comedy series

Laura Dern won the Golden Globe for lead actress in a TV comedy series Sunday with her turn in HBO’s “Enlightened.”

Dern plays Amy Jellicoe, a formerly high-powered executive struggling to get her life back together after a series of reversals.  She beat out Zooey Deschanel in Fox’s “New Girl,” Tina Fey in NBC’s “30 Rock,” Laura Linney in Showtime’s “The Big C” and Amy Poehler in NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.”

Dern previously won Golden Globes for the 2008 HBO movie “Recount” and the 1992 HBO movie “Afterburn.”

The 69^th Golden Globes ceremony was broadcast nationwide by NBC from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

RELATEDS:

HFPA takes a risk with Gervais

Complete Golden Globes coverage

PHOTOS: Golden Globes red carpet arrivals

--Scott Collins (twitter.com/scottcollinsLAT)

Photo: Laura Dern   Credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

 

Ricky Gervais talks Golden Globes and his new HBO show

If you don't get Ricky Gervais, who in two days will be the most feared man in a Beverly Hills ballroom as the host of the Golden Globe awards, there's probably a good reason.

You're not very smart. 

Speaking at the winter TV media tour Friday morning, the British comedian who was widely attacked after his last stint as Globes host said people who were offended by his last performance are misinterpreting his comic jabs and barbs.

People often "confuse the target of the joke with the subject," Gervais said. "I think smart people know what we're trying to do."

"We're not just trying to be outrageous for outrageous sake," he added. "The job of a comedian is to make you laugh and to make you think as well."

Gervais appeared on an HBO panel with executive producer Stephen Merchant and actor Warwick Davis, who together are behind an upcoming series "Life's Too Short," which takes aim at the overblown culture of celebrity and culture. The comedy is centered around Davis, who plays a fictionalized version of himself, as he tries to navigate himself back into spotlight.

"There's no difference now between fame and infamy," Gervais said, adding that it's impossible to exaggerate the absurdity of show business. "There's no shame, there's no shame in anything."

Gervais said he has complete control over what he will say Sunday night -- and as long as he's satisfied with his performance, he'll have no qualms about whatever the critics think.

"What's the worst that can happen," Gervais said. "If I'm happy with my performance, then you're bullet-proof."

"I don't care what people think," he added.

ALSO:

'Homeland' exec says writers can wriggle 'out of a box'

Late Night: Stephen Colbert drops 'super PAC' to run for president

-- Martin Miller

Photo: Ricky Gervais, left, and Warwick Davis. The two are behind a new HBO show called "Life's Too Short." Credit: HBO

Golden Globes: Bryan Cranston says nomination is like 'bumping into an old friend'

They say true friends can go weeks without seeing each other and, then, when they finally meet again, it's like no time has passed. Oh, to be Bryan Cranston and be able to claim such a friendship with award nominations.

When discussing his nomination for actor in a drama, Cranston was more than happy about catching up with his buddy, the Golden Globes.

"It’s like bumping into an old friend who you’ve passed on the street," he said. "It's like, 'Hey! Oh, my God, let’s dance.' I guess it's better and less sad than if you were standing on the street waiting and waiting for your old friend who you've lost touch with."

PHOTOS: Golden Globe top nominees

The nomination is Cranston's second for his role as Walter White, a chemistry teacher turned meth -maker, on "Breaking Bad" — he received a nomination in 2010 in the same category.

He did, though, express disappointment that the critically acclaimed AMC series wasn't recognized in the drama category.

"You become so partisan about the shows you do, you know," he said. "I wish it would have been recognized. But there's all kinds of things that you hope for. But you embrace the good, and we've had a lot of good."

RELATED:

Golden Globes: Cable shows dominate TV nominations

Golden Globes: Who got snubbed?

Golden Globes: 'Homeland' creators discuss the show's nominations

Golden Globes: Zooey Deschanel on 'New Girl' nom--'It's like cake and ice cream'

--Yvonne Villarreal

twitter.com/villarrealy

Golden Globes: Who got snubbed?

Geesh! Guess being the the world's best boss just doesn't mean anything anymore. The nominations for the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced Thursday morning, and we couldn't help but notice Steve Carell was missing from the list of lead actors in a comedy category. It was Carell's last shot to be recognized for his role as Michael Scott, the goofball boss on NBC's "The Office"; he left the series last season.

And getting nudged out of the drama category was Showtime's "Dexter" and critically acclaimed series "Breaking Bad." Instead, Ryan Murphy's serial horror-drama "American Horror Story" nabbed a slot in the drama category.

"I was very surprised," said "American Horror Story" co-creator Brad Falchuk. "When was the last time you saw a horror show on TV? When you do something like this, you're taking a big risk. We didn't know if people would embrace it."

PHOTOS: Golden Globe top nominees

The freshman series joins fellow cable newbies "Homeland"  and "Boss" in the drama category that will have them compete against HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" and "Game of Thrones." That said, in a more general view, broadcast networks got snubbed in the drama category all together.

But they had a better turnout in the comedy or musical series category, with nods going to Fox's "Glee," which has experienced a ratings drop-off this season, and ABC's "Modern Family." Newcomer "New Girl," also on Fox, also helped represent — though, it seemed it would be at the expense of "Parks and Recreation" and "30 Rock."

Over on CBS' "The Big Bang Theory," Johnny Galecki became a first-time nominee over costar Jim Parsons, who is an Emmy darling these days.

In the actress in a drama category, things got campy with the inclusion of Madeleine Stowe, who stars in ABC's soap "Revenge." Another unusual nominee was Callie Thorne, who appears in USA network's "Necessary Roughness." They'll compete against Claire Danes ('Homeland"), Julianna Margulies ("The Good Wife") and Mireille Enos ("The Killing").

And we can't help but wonder why the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., given their clear admiration for "Homeland," didn't think to give a nomination to Mandy Patinkin. Maybe next year?

RELATED:

Golden Globes: 'Homeland' creators discuss the show's nominations

Golden Globes: The complete list of nominees

Golden Globes: Cable shows dominate TV nominations

 — Yvonne Villarreal

twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Steve Carell as Michael Scott in "The Office." Credit: NBC.

Golden Globes: Zooey Deschanel on 'New Girl' nom--'It's like cake and ice cream'

Get out the "adorkable" meter. Zooey Deschanel phoned The Times while she was driving (we hope she was using her headset!) to the set of her hit Fox series "New Girl" to discuss the show's Golden Globe nominations. And her comments and reaction to the nominations are as cutesy as you'd expect from the gal who can make a slow-motion chicken dance look pleasant.

"The fact that people like it and it’s getting these nominations, it’s like … like, cake and ice cream,” Deschanel said, referring to the show's nod in the comedy category. 

In "New Girl," Deschanel's character, Jess, moves in with three guys who take her in after a humiliating split from her boyfriend.

PHOTOS: Golden Globe top nominees

“I’ve been working a really long time as an actress -- I know how special and rare it is to get recognized like this.”

The 31-year-old actress (who also moonlights as a singer and, depending on the commercial break, a Cotton spoksperson) said her nomination for actress in a comedy was a "total surprise."

"I had my phone on silent," she said. "I woke up to a bunch of missed calls -- it was really kind of scary." 

FULL COVERAGE: Golden Globes

It's the kind of news Jess might get flustered over, Deschanel said. "She would totally trip and fall and walk into a wall. I know that because she's like me and that's sort of what I did. We worked a really long day yesterday so I was so tired this morning. I accidentally punched my wrist into a wall. I tend to walk into things when I’m tired I forget where my body ends and the world begins."

The show's creator, Liz Meriwether, is also like Jess, considering the character is semi-based on her own life. And she found it hard to wrap her head around the idea that her life is cool enough to earn a Golden Globe nomination.

"In a weird way, it's like a life nomination," said Meriwether, who got word of the show's nominations in the haze of actually writing the next script for the series.

"Deadline is in a couple of hours," she said. "But I'm sure I could get an extension."

RELATED:

Golden Globes: Cable shows dominate TV nominations

'New Girl's' guys are Zooey Deschanel's support system

Golden Globes: 'Homeland' creators discuss the show's nominations

-- Yvonne Villarreal

twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo:  Zooey Deschanel, star of the television series “New Girl,” poses at the 7th Annual Fox Fall Eco-Casino Party in Culver City earlier this year. Credit: Associated Press

Golden Globes: 'Homeland' creators discuss the show's nominations

On the brink of its first-season finale, which will air Sunday, Showtime's "Homeland" scored three Golden Globe nominations.

The show might not have made the cut in the SAG Awards, getting snubbed when nominees were announced Wednesday, but good news came soon enough for the show's co-creators, Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa.  

"This morning was a lot better than yesterday," Gansa said. "For a first-year show, this is huge. The idea that it might give more exposure and get people to watch while the season is still happening -- or catch up on it -- is great."

The show scored a nomination in the drama category, along with nominations for its leads, Claire Danes and Damian Lewis. It's one of many cable shows dominating the nominations -- and Gordon and Gansa are happy with that.

"You know, there was a time when it was going to be bought by Fox or NBC," Gordon said. "'Does it have to be a CIA agent?'-- that was the running joke. We're glad it ended up on Showtime. The show couldn't reach its potential any other way."

It certainly has in the eyes of critics, who have praised the series, about a CIA officer (Danes) and her obsession with proving a former Marine POW (Lewis) has been turned into a terrorist, as one of the season's best new drama. With the season finale just around the corner, Gordon and Gansa were coy about where the story line will go from here.

"We're just starting to talk about that now," Gansa said. "We broached the subject of the second season at dinner the other night. But we can't tell you! You have to watch Sunday first. It's too tender."

RELATED:

Golden Globes: The complete list of nominees

Golden Globes: Cable shows dominate TV nominations

Complete coverage of the Golden Globes

 -- Yvonne Villarreal
twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison in a scene from "Homeland." Credit: Showtime

Golden Globes: Cable shows dominate TV nominations

 Showtime's  "Homeland," which didn't received any nominations for the SAG Awards, got some redemption Thursday when the nominees for the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The terrorism thriller was among the major dramatic nominees, along with "Boardwalk Empire," "Game of Thrones," "Boss" and "American Horror Story," and its stars, Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, both nabbed noms in the lead acting categories in drama.

"Modern Family," and "Glee" once again scored major nominations in the comedy categories; they were joined by Showtime's "Episodes" and freshmen series "New Girl" (Fox) and "Enlightened" (HBO). The awards show, which will be hosted by Ricky Gervais, will be televised Jan. 15 live on NBC.

DRAMA SERIES
"American Horror Story"
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Boss"
"Game of Thrones"
"Homeland"

DRAMA — ACTOR
Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Kelsey Grammer, "Boss"
Jeremy Irons, "The Borgias"
Damian Lewis, "Homeland"

DRAMA — ACTRESS
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Mireille Enos, "The Killing"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Madeleine Stowe, "Revenge"
Callie Thorne, "Necessary Roughness"

COMEDY SERIES
"New Girl"
"Enlightened"
"Episodes"
"Glee"
"Modern Family"

COMEDY — ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
David Duchovny, "Californication"
Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory"
Thomas Jane, "Hung
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"

COMEDY — ACTRESS
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
Laura Dern, "Enlightened"
Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"
Laura Linney, "The Big C"

SERIES, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES — SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"
Kelly Macdonald, "Boardwalk Empire"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family
Evan Rachel Wood, "Mildred Pierce"

TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES

"The Hour"
"Downton Abbey"
"Cinema Verite"
"Mildred Pierce"
"Too Big to Fail"

SERIES, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES — SUPPORTING ACTOR

Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Paul Giamatti, "Too Big Too Fail"
Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce"
Tim Robbins, "Cinema Verite"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"

TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES — ACTOR

William Hurt, "Too Big Too Fail"
Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
Idris Elba, "Luther"
Bill Nighy, "Page Eight"
Dominic West, "Appropriate Adult"

 TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES — ACTRESS

Romola Garai, "The Hour"
Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite"
Elizabeth McGovern, "Downton Abbey"
Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult"
Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"

RELATED:

Golden Globes: The complete list of nominees

SAG Awards: TV nominations are announced

SAG Awards: TV surprises and snubs

--Yvonne Villarreal
twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Claire Danes, left, as Carrie Mathison and Mandy Patinkin as Saul in a scene from "Homeland." Credit: Showtime.

Golden Globes to air on NBC in 2012

 
The 69th annual Golden Globe Awards will air live, once again, on NBC on Sunday, Jan. 15.

Next year’s show, which will be held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, will be broadcast 5-8 p.m. on both coasts.

Dick Clark Productions will once again produce the show — a temporary truce in what has been a bitter feud in court. The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., the creator and owner of the event, sued Dick Clark Production in November for trademark infringement and breach of contract, claiming the production company (along with its parent company, Red Zone Capital) tried to seize the rights to the award show by secretly negotiating a low-ball renewal deal with NBC.  [To read more about the dispute, visit our sister blog Company Town.]

Comedian Ricky Gervais hosted last year’s ceremony, which drew 12.7 million viewers, and made headlines for lampooning everyone from Angelina Jolie to Charlie Sheen.  He has more than hinted that he would like to return, but it remains unclear who will serve as master of ceremonies for the show.

Nominations for the Golden Globe Awards will be announced at 5 a.m. Pacific time on Dec. 15.

— Yvonne Villarreal
twitter.com/villarrealy

ALSO:

Late Night: Stephen Colbert praises Rick Perry's execution record

Fall TV: How is Tim Allen's 'Last Man Standing' like a hamburger?

Fall TV: Seacrest out? Steve Jones serves as host of Fox's 'X Factor'

Photo: Kate Hudson at the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times.

Will Ricky Gervais take a third swing at the Golden Globes?

Will it be third time's the harm for Ricky Gervais?

The cheeky British comedian, who provoked both cheers and boos when he made scathing jokes about several celebrities during his hosting gig at the Golden Globes last year, says he has been asked back by NBC to host next year's ceremony.

Gervais, at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, said that NBC, which broadcasts the awards, had asked him to return, according to the Guardian. It would be his third time hosting. But he hinted that he is not likely to step back into the lion's den.

"I love NBC," Gervais told interviewer Richard Bacon. "I love the fact that they stuck with me through it." But when pressed on whether he was considering the offer, he added, "I am, but I shouldn't do it. It's a second encore. Don't do a second encore. I don't think I should do it. What am I going back as?"

NBC declined to comment.

The comedian said he had "never expected the reaction" to some of his remarks, which took shots at several A-listers.

In one joke, he said, "It's going to be a night of partying and heavy drinkng. Or as Charlie Sheen calls it, breakfast."

He also made fun of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie and their critically lambasted "The Tourist," which was nominated for top awards. And he thanked God for making him an atheist.

Referring to the criticism, Gervais said, "Just because you are offended doesn't mean you're right. People fall into this myth that I'm a shock comedian. I've never been that. People said I crossed the line, but I didn't draw the ... line."

Gervais maintained his performance was for the 200 million people around the world watching the show, not for the star-studded crowd in front of him.

Said Gervais: "It wasn't a roomful of wounded soldiers. It was the most privileged people in the world who spend all day pretending to be someone else. I teased them. I ribbed them."

He also said that he had been approached about hosting the Oscars. But, he said, there's no way.

"It's a thankless task for a comedian," he said. "They don't want to hear jokes. They want to hear if they won the most important award of their career."

RELATED:

Golden Globes hasn't asked Ricky Gervais back for a third year

About (Late) Last Night: Ricky Gervais (still) refuses to apologize for Golden Globes

NBC's Golden Globe ratings are static, and brickbats fly for host Ricky Gervais

— Greg Braxton

Photo: Ricky Gervais. Credit: NBC.