Matt LeBlanc + Sofia Vergara; Madonna vs. Ricky Gervais: Golden Globes

Matt LeBlanc: Golden Globe winner for Episodes.

Golden Globe winner Matt LeBlanc

Matt LeBlanc poses backstage in the press room with his Golden Globe Award at the 69th Annual Golden Globes ceremony, held at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills on Sunday, Jan. 15. LeBlanc topped the Best Actor in a Television Series Comedy or Musical category for his performance in the Showtime series Episodes.

LeBlanc’s competition consisted of the following:

• Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock.
• David Duchovny in Californication.
• Johnny Galecki in The Big Bang Theory.
• Thomas Jane in Hung.

Matt LeBlanc movies

Matt LeBlanc (born July 25, 1967, in Newton, Massachusetts) became a television star after appearing opposite Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry in the hit sitcom Friends.

To date, he has been featured in only a handful of feature films – none of which did much for his career, and the last of which came out in 2003. Among them are Bill Couturié’s Ed (1996); Stephen Hopkins’ Lost in Space (1998), in Mark Goddard’s old TV role; McG’s Charlie’s Angels (2000) and its sequel, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003), opposite Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu.

Matt LeBlanc photo: Golden Globes 2012 © HFPA.

Sofia Vergara: TV sitcom ‘Modern Family’ actress.

Golden Globes’ Best Supporting Actress Sofia Vergara movies and TV shows

Colombian-born actress Sofia Vergara, nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Miniseries, or Movie for her performance in the ABC comedy series Modern Family, is seen above on the 69th Annual Golden Globes Awards’ Red Carpet outside the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, on Sunday, Jan. 15.

Vergara’s fellow nominees were:

• Eventual winner Jessica Lange for American Horror Story.
• Kelly Macdonald for Boardwalk Empire.
• Maggie Smith for Downton Abbey.
• Evan Rachel Wood for Todd Haynes’ remake of the 1945 Joan Crawford classic Mildred Pierce. (Wood has the old Ann Blyth role.)

Speaking exuberant Spanish – it made little difference whether or not one could understand her – while doing the greatest Lupe Velez imitation on record (or so says our editor), the Barranquilla native (born on July 10, 1972) stole the Golden Globes show when Modern Family was voted the year’s Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical.

Sofia Vergara movies & TV shows

Besides becoming a U.S. household name thanks to Modern Family, Sofia Vergara has also been seen in movies since 2002 (Barry Sonnenfeld’s Big Trouble). Recent big-screen efforts include Raja Gosnell’s international box office hit The Smurfs (2011), featuring Hank Azaria and Neil Patrick Harris; Rob Marshall’s all-star mishmash New Year’s Eve (2011), with Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Josh Duhamel, et al.; and Bobby and Peter Farrelly’s upcoming comedy The Three Stooges (2012), with Chris Diamantopoulos, Will Sasso, and Sean Hayes.

In addition to Modern Family, since 1995 Sofia Vergara has been seen in more than a dozen television shows, including Colombian, Mexican, and American productions. Titles include the comedy series The Knights of Prosperity (2007), as a criminally minded waitress and member of Donal Logue’s gang out to rob Mick Jagger’s Central Park West apartment; the Ecuadorian-Colombian version of Desperate Housewives, Amas de casa desesperadas (2007), set in the Colombian town of Manzanares; and the New York-set sitcom Hot Properties (2005), as a recently divorced woman fated to find disappointment in love after falling for good-looking gay men (including her ex-husband).

Sofia Vergara photo: Golden Globes 2012 Red Carpet © HFPA.

Madonna: Golden Globe winner for the E.W. song “Masterpiece.”

Madonna wins Golden Globe for Best Original Song ‘Masterpiece’

Singer, songwriter, actress, director, producer, screenwriter, provocatrice, and all-around showwoman Madonna displays her Golden Globe backstage in the press room at the 69th Golden Globes ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 15 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. She won her Golden Globe in the Best Original Song – Motion Picture category for “Masterpiece” from W.E., which she also directed.

“Masterpiece” has music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost and Jimmy Harry.

Who’s That Girl Gervais?

Elton John’s less than ecstatic reaction – upon hearing Madonna’s name as the Best Original Song winner – was priceless. Less entertaining was Ricky Gervais’ joke (see above) referring to the openly gay (and, admittedly, outrageously flamboyant) singer as a pop music “queen.” The double entendre of sorts was that the pop music queen who was going to present the next award was not Elton John, but Madonna.

Responding to Gervais’ lame joke implying that her sex life didn’t quite reflect her hit song “Like a Virgin,” while on stage Madonna took her own (well rehearsed?) revenge on the Golden Globes ceremony host by referring to him as a “girl”; one who theoretically could take care of her virginity. “If I am still just like a virgin, Ricky,” she began, “why don’t you come over here and do something about it?” She then added, “I haven’t kissed a girl in quite a few years. [pause] On TV.”

Madonna movies

Although best known for her songs, concerts, and sound bytes, Madonna has been featured in about 20 films, most of which have flopped with critics and audiences alike.

Among these are Jim Goddard’s Shanghai Surprise, with Sean Penn; Warren Beatty’s Dick Tracy (1990), with Beatty and Al Pacino; Woody Allen’s Shadows and Fog (1991), with Allen and Mia Farrow; Alan Parker’s Evita (1996), with Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce; and John Schlesinger’s The Next Best Thing (2000), with Benjamin Bratt and Rupert Everett.

More recently, Madonna’s voice was featured in the 2006 animated feature Arthur and the Invisibles.

Madonna photo: Golden Globes 2012 © HFPA

Octavia Spencer: Golden Globe winner for The Help.

Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer took home the Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Golden Globe for her work in Tate Taylor’s socially conscious The Help, a sleeper box office hit in the U.S. Spencer’s competition consisted of the following:

• Jessica Chastain for The Help.
• Bérénice Bejo for Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist, the evening’s eventual Best Picture – Comedy or Musical Golden Globe winner.
• Shailene Woodley for Alexander Payne’s The Descendants, the eventual Best Picture – Drama winner.
• Janet McTeer for Rodrigo García’s Albert Nobbs.

Octavia Spencer is currently the favorite to take home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, though nothing is certain at this stage.

Octavia Spencer image: Golden Globes 2012 © HFPA

Claire Danes: ‘Homeland’ actress took home a Best Actress Golden Globe.

‘Homeland’ actress Claire Danes on the Golden Globes Red Carpet

Claire Danes, Golden Globe winner in the Best Actress in a Television Series Drama category for her performance in the Showtime hit Homeland, is pictured above on the Globes’ Red Carpet. Danes’ competition consisted of the following:

• Julianna Margulies for The Good Wife.
• Mireille Enos for The Killing.
• Madeleine Stowe for Revenge.
• Callie Thorne for Necessary Roughness.

Two-time Best Actor Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman (Kramer vs. Kramer, 1979; Rain Man, 1988) presented the award.

Claire Danes movies

Now best known for Homeland, Claire Danes (born on April 12, 1979, in New York City) has been featured in nearly 30 films since 1990. Notable titles include, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet (1996), opposite Leonardo DiCaprio; Stephen Daldry’s The Hours (2002), as Meryl Streep’s daughter; and Richard Eyre’s Stage Beauty (2004), opposite Billy Crudup.

Three-time Golden Globe winner

Besides this year’s win, Claire Danes has taken home two other Golden Globes:

• Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television for Temple Grandin (2010), which also earned her an Emmy and a SAG Award.
• Best Actress in a Television Series Drama for My So-Called Life (1994), which also earned her an Emmy nomination.

At one time romantically involved with her Stage Beauty co-star Billy Crudup, Claire Danes married Hugh Dancy (The Jane Austen Book Club, Confessions of a Shopaholic) in 2009.

Claire Danes photo: Golden Globes Red Carpet 2012 © HFPA.

Damian Lewis and Claire Danes: Golden Globe nominee and winner for Homeland.

Damian Lewis & Claire Danes

Golden Globe winner Claire Danes and nominee Damian Lewis pose backstage – curiously, each holding a statuette – in the press room at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.

As explained further up, Danes was the Best Actress in a Television Series Drama for her work in Homeland. The Showtime series also took home the Golden Globe for Best Television Series Drama.

Damian Lewis, for his part, was a nominee for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama. His competition consisted of:

• Steve Buscemi for Boardwalk Empire.
• Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad.
• Jeremy Irons for The Borgias.
• Eventual winner Kelsey Grammer for Boss.

Damian Lewis movies

Damian Lewis (born Feb. 11, 1971, in London) has been featured in about a dozen films in the past 15 years. Among them Lawrence Kasdan’s Dreamcatcher (2003); Gareth Lewis’ The Baker (2007); and David Gordon Green’s Your Highness (2011), starring James Franco and Natalie Portman.

Homeland cast

In addition to Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, the Homeland cast also features Mandy Patinkin, Morena Baccarin, David Harwood, Diego Klattenhoff, and Jackson Pace.

Damian Lewis and Claire Danes photo: Golden Globes 2012 © HFPA.

Golden Globes presenters

Among those presenting Golden Globes at the 2012 ceremony were:

Jake Gyllenhaal. Jessica Alba. Jessica Biel. Angelina Jolie. Brad Pitt. Jane Fonda. Harrison Ford. Colin Firth. Natalie Portman.

Tina Fey. Helen Mirren. George Clooney. Ashton Kutcher. Jane Lynch. Madonna. Sidney Poitier. Seth Rogen.

Benjamin Millepied, Natalie Portman.

Natalie Portman, last year’s Golden Globe winner for Best Actress – Drama and Best Actress Oscar winner for Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, arrives with husband Benjamin Millepied (who is also featured in Black Swan) at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. Portman presented the Best Actor – Drama Golden Globe to winner George Clooney for his role as a husband and father in Alexander Payne’s The Descendants.

Among the other presenters at the 2012 Golden Globes ceremony were Jessica Alba, Kate Beckinsale, Emily Blunt, Pierce Brosnan, Gerard Butler, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Colin Firth, Jane Fonda, Harrison Ford, Dustin Hoffman, Felicity Huffman, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Jane Lynch, Elle Macpherson, William H. Macy, and Ewan McGregor.

Also: Debra Messing, Helen Mirren, Julianne Moore, Paula Patton, Piper Perabo, Brad Pitt, Seth Rogen, E.W. nominee and eventual winner Madonna, Rango‘s Johnny Depp, Puss in Boots’ Antonio Banderas, Jessica Biel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows’ Robert Downey Jr., Jimmy Fallon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Salma Hayek, and Magic Mike‘s Channing Tatum.

And finally: Nicole Kidman, Mila Kunis, Sidney Poitier, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Rob Lowe, Bridesmaids’ Melissa McCarthy, Katharine McPhee, Clive Owen, New Year’s Day‘s Michelle Pfeiffer, Freida Pinto, Mark Wahlberg (whose Contraband opened to bigger than expected figures), and Reese Witherspoon (whose This Means War opens shortly).

Benjamin Millepied, Natalie Portman Photo: Golden Globes 2012 Red Carpet © HFPA

Jessica Alba.

Jessica Alba attends the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. One of the presenters at the 2012 Golden Globes, Alba was also the official blogger of the awards ceremony, as announced on Facebook.

Alba’s fellow presenters included Kate Beckinsale, Emily Blunt, Pierce Brosnan, Gerard Butler, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Colin Firth, Jane Fonda, Harrison Ford, Dustin Hoffman, Felicity Huffman, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Jane Lynch, Elle Macpherson, William H. Macy, and Ewan McGregor.

Alba wasn’t nominated for anything this year, but she did receive a Golden Globe nomination in 2005 in the Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series – Drama for her role in Dark Angel. Among Alba’s latest movies are Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D, Machete, Valentine’s Day, The Killer Inside Me, The Love Guru, and Little Fockers. Additionally, her voice will be heard in the upcoming Escape from Planet Earth.

Jessica Alba Photo: Golden Globes 2012 Red Carpet © HFPA

Matt LeBlanc, Andrea Anders, Stephen Mangan.

Matt LeBlanc, nominated for Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical for his role in Episodes, arrives at the 2012 Golden Globes with Andrea Anders and Stephen Mangan at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. LeBlanc was the eventual winner in that category. In his acceptance speech, he thanked the series’ writers for creating a Matt LeBlanc that is much more interesting than the real one.

LeBlanc’s competition in the best sitcom category consisted of Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock, David Duchovny in Californication, Johnny Galecki in The Big Bang Theory, and Thomas Jane in Hung. Inevitably, presenters Jane Lynch and Tina Fey came up with a penis joke during the proceedings.

Matt LeBlanc, Andrea Anders, Stephen Mangan Photo: Golden Globes 2012 Red Carpet © HFPA

Golden Globes website.