At NBR Awards stars weigh in on Trump, Standing Rock
The long march to NEW YORK Oscar night continued Wednesday with the National Board of Review’s annual awards gala. Emotional dramas Manchester by
the Sea and Moonlight walked away with top honors, while President-elect Donald Trump’s impending inauguration loomed over the crowd at Cipriani 42nd Street. SETH MEYERS TAKES JAB AT TRUMP’S ELECTION Presenting best documentary to Ezra Edelman for ESPN’s O.J.:
Made in America, the Late Night host said how nice it was that winners were announced prior to the ceremony. “If I learned anything from 2016, it’s that it’s very traumatic to learn who won a thing the night of,” Meyers joked, earning laughs. KENNETH LONERGAN CALLS FOR MORE HUMANITY IN THE TRUMP ERA The Manchester writer/director took the podium twice, to accept best original screenplay and best film. After lavishing praise on his star, best-actor winner Casey Affleck, he closed out the night with a message of optimism amidst fears about Trump’s presidency. “We are living in very troubled times and how troubled they are, we don’t know yet,” Lonergan said. But he is encouraged by films such as Moonlight, with its honest depictions of marginalized people, and O.J., which gives equal screen time to many points of view. “It’s an inspiring image of how to approach our work and the next four years — hopefully, only four years.” JEFF BRIDGES DEDICATES AWARD TO STANDING ROCK Accepting the best-supporting actor award for modern Western
Hell or High Water, the Oscar winner showed his support for Dakota Access Pipeline activists, particularly those on the ground near North Dakota’s Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. “One of the themes of our movie dealt with the consequences of looking out only for your own self interests,” Bridges said. “Those folks at Standing Rock, they’re looking out not only for their interests, but all of our interests. ... I accept this award on their behalf.” BARRY JENKINS CHAMPIONS DIVERSITY WITH BEST-DIRECTOR WIN Although NBR has honored directors for more than 70 years, Jenkins’ win marks the first time an African American has won the category. The Moonlight filmmaker used his acceptance speech to remind audience members that, historically, minorities have been overlooked by awards groups. “The country’s changing, the world is changing and we’re trying to ‘make America great again,’ ” Jenkins said. “As we make America great again, let’s remember some very inconsiderable things in our legacy, because there was a time when someone like me was just not considered.” MARK WAHLBERG, PETER BERG PLOT NEXT COLLABORATION Amid the political speeches, there were plenty of moments of levity. Wahlberg ’s goal for the night was to “try to get home as early as I can, before my kids go to bed,” he told USA TODAY before the three-plus-hour ceremony. The A-lister shared the spotlight award with his Patriots Day director Peter Berg, who joked that their fourth movie together would be a love story. With “ageappropriate casting,” Wahlberg assured. “I’m going to cast my mom. Pete is going to play my dad.” LUCAS HEDGES MEETS HIS IDOLS The Manchester newcomer (and breakthrough-male performance winner) shared a hug with fellow honoree Amy Adams on the red carpet and said he hoped to meet
Silence star Adam Driver by the end of the night. So far this awards season, he has been most starstruck by one of his “acting heroes,” Hacksaw Ridge’s Andrew Garfield. “I had a genuine heartto-heart with him and that was straight out of my dreams,” Hedges told USA TODAY.