The Irony Of Cate Blanchett's Win At The 65th Annual Golden Globes Award

There was more than a touch of irony in Cate Blanchett's win at today's strike plagued 65th Annual Golden Globes for her best supporting role in the film, I'm Not There.

Blanchett was not there to pick up her statuette. Nor were any of the other big winners thanks to the two-month screenwriters' strike that has crippled film and TV production in the US.

Johnny Depp, Daniel Day-Lewis, Javier Bardem, Glenn Close, David Duchovny and Ricky Gervais were also no-shows inside the Beverly Hilton Hotel's ballroom, despite all winning Golden Globes.

In fact the most famous people in the room were the US entertainment show hosts invited to announce the winners during the 30-minute press conference that replaced the traditional three-hour star studded awards dinner.

With no stars, no red carpet and no long-winded acceptance speeches, the presentation had all the appeal of watching paint dry.

"I wish circumstance would allow me to be there," said Blanchett in a statement after learning she'd won.

So does anyone who tuned in to watch the winners announced at break-neck speed and with nothing more entertaining than a few attempted jokes from the hosts alluding to the strike.
A threatened actor's boycott in support of screenwriters forced the cancellation of the Globes' traditional red carpet extravaganza and lavish champagne dinner.

The collapse of the Globes ceremony is an ominous sign for the Academy Awards, which are scheduled to air on February 24. The Writers Guild of America has already refused to grant waivers for its members to work on the Oscars, but organisers have insisted the show will go on.

Blanchett must be hoping so.

Her best supporting actress Golden Globe - for her remarkable portrayal of music legend Bob Dylan in the drama, I'm Not There - cements her position as the outright favourite to win the Oscar.
As dull as today's press conference was, this year's Golden Globes should still have an impact on the Oscars, with studios behind films such as I'm Not There plastering full page ads and TV commercials with references to their Golden Globe wins.

Blanchett did suffer a setback in her bid to make Oscar history with two wins.

The Sydney-based actor was also nominated today for the best actress Golden Globe for her lead role in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, but the award went to veteran British actress Julie Christie for Away from Her.

Christie is the frontrunner for the Oscar.

The shock Golden Globe winner was Atonement, a romantic drama starring Keira Knightley, which scored the best film drama award, beating favourites No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood.

Day-Lewis and Depp firmed as the frontrunners for the best acting Oscar after their wins.

Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) was named best actor in a drama and Depp (Sweeney Todd) won best actor in a comedy/musical.

The Oscars do not give separate awards for drama and comedy/musicals, so Day-Lewis and Depp will likely go head-to-head for the best actor Academy Award, with Clooney an outside chance for his thriller, Michael Clayton.

Sweeney Todd also won best comedy/musical film.

French actress Marion Cotillard, for her role as songstress Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose, won the best actress in a comedy/musical Golden Globe and appears the biggest threat to Christie for the best actress Oscar.

Spanish actor Bardem, after his Globe win, is the runaway favourite to claim the best supporting actor Oscar for his frightening role as a killer in No Country for Old Men.

The foreign language film award went to French production, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and animated film, Ratatouille was victorious.

In the TV awards, Duchovny won best actor in a comedy/musical TV series for Californication and Close was named actress in a TV drama winner for her TV series, Damages.

Most of the TV awards went to relatively unknown shows on minor US TV cable channels, including Mad Men, which won best TV drama and best dramatic TV actor for John Hamm, who beat House's Hugh Laurie and Dexter's Michael C. Hall.

There were two other Australians nominated - Rachel Griffiths for Brothers & Sisters and Rose Byrne for Damages - in the best supporting actress TV category, but both were bypassed.

Another British actress was triumphant in the category, Samantha Morton, for Longford.

British comedian Gervais remains a favourite of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the journalists' organisation that decides the Golden Globes.

Gervais' TV series Extras was named best TV comedy or musical series.

Amid fears next month's Oscars will also fall victim to the strike, Clooney, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are believed to be ready to step in and act as mediators.

The screenwriters are locked in a battle with movie studios and TV networks over new contracts, with new media royalties the main sticking point.