Brits disappointed as US dominates Golden Globes

Chiwetel Ejiofor (L), Steve McQueen, Sarah Paulson and Michael Fassbender with the Golden Globe. Picture: Getty

London-born McQueen’s epic historical drama 12 Years a Slave claimed the most-prized award – for best drama motion picture – at Hollywood’s traditional forerunner to the Oscars, although it lost out on its other six nominations.

While stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o all came away from the event empty-handed, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence won best actress and supporting actress honours respectively for American Hustle. David O Russell’s 1970s-set comedy-

drama, based on a real-life FBI sting, also won the best musical or comedy motion picture.

McQueen provided a much-needed boost for the British film industry with the success for his film, based on the true story of 19th century New Yorker Solomon Northup, who was kidnapped and sold into slavery as an adult. However, he lost out as best motion picture director to Alfonso Cuaron, for his space epic Gravity. Although American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave were judged in separate categories for the Los Angeles awards show, organised by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, they will go head-to-head in the Academy Awards. Its nominations are revealed on Thursday.

Speaking after the awards, McQueen said: “I’m a little bit in shock. Roll, Jordan, roll,” he said, referring to a gospel tune from the slavery epic. Ejiofor, the star of 12 Years a Slave, and fellow English actor Idris Elba went head-to-head for two gongs before both losing out on both. Elba, who rose to fame in US drama The Wire, was nominated for best actor in a motion picture for his performance as Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom and best actor in a mini-series or TV movie category for his role as the troubled detective in BBC thriller Luther.

Ejiofor was nominated in the same category for another BBC drama – Stephen Poliakoff’s Dancing On The Edge – while his role in 12 Years a Slave got him a nod for best actor in a motion picture.

Bisset, 69, was Britain’s only female to triumph, taking best supporting actress in a series, mini-series or movie for Dancing On The Edge, beating fellow Brit Janet McTeer (White Queen).

The nominees for best actress in a motion picture drama read like a roll call of UK acting talent with nods for Emma Thompson in Saving Mr Banks, Kate Winslet in Labor Day and Dame Judi Dench for Philomena.

But they were all left behind as Cate Blanchett took home the gong for her role in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine, in which she plays a wealthy Manhattan socialite down on her luck.

Another English actress, Helena Bonham-Carter, also missed out after a nomination for best actress in a mini-series for her starring role in BBC TV film Burton And Taylor.

Writers Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan watched as their hit film Philomena – in which the latter starred with Dench – lost out to Spike Jonze’s sci-fi comedy romance Her in the best screenplay category.

Leonardo DiCaprio took home the gong for best actor in a comedy or musical for black comedy The Wolf Of Wall Street, the star’s fifth collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. Adams won best actress in a comedy or music for American Hustle, beating Meryl Streep and Julie Delpy. Matthew McConaughey won best actor in a motion picture drama for Dallas Buyers Club, while co-star Jared Leto won best supporting actor.

British hopes were also dashed in the main TV categories, with ITV’s Downton Abbey losing out to Breaking Bad, the gritty series about a teacher who becomes a drugs kingpin.

Its star, Bryan Cranston, won best TV drama actor, while Robin Wright was named best TV drama actress for her role in the US remake of the British political drama House of Cards.

Golden Globe 2014 winners

• Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie: Jacqueline Bisset, right, Dancing on the Edge

• Supporting Actor in a Series — Mini-Series or TV Movie: Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

• TV Mini-series or Movie: Behind the Candelabra

• Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV: Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

• Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV: Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra

• Actor — TV Series Comedy: Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

• Actress in a TV Series — Comedy: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

• TV Series — Comedy: Brooklyn Nine-Nine

• Actress in a TV Series — Drama: Robin Wright, House of Cards

• Actor in a TV series — Drama: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

• TV Series — Drama: Breaking Bad

• Foreign Language Film: The Great Beauty

• Original Score: All Is Lost

• Original Song: ‘Ordinary Love’, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, U2

• Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her

• Animated Feature: Frozen

• Supporting Actress — Motion Picture: Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle

• Supporting Actor — Motion Picture: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

• Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical: Amy Adams, American Hustle

• Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

• Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: American Hustle

• Cecil B DeMille Golden Globe Award: Woody Allen

• Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

• Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

• Director — Motion Picture Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

• Motion Picture — Drama: 12 Years a Slave

• Interview with director Steve McQueen