Grand night for first-timers
Keaton among those taking home first Globe
Good — and golden — things come to those who wait. And persevere. That proved true for “Boyhood,” a movie drama a dozen years in the making, and Pittsburgh native and “Birdman” star Michael Keaton, who took the prize for best actor in a musical or comedy at the 72nd Golden Globes Sunday night in Beverly Hills, Calif. On the flip side of the awards equation, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” was crowned top comedy or musical, and other key movie acting honors went to Eddie Redmayne, Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Patricia Arquette and J.K. Simmons. Mr. Keaton has been soaring since the dark comedy opened the Venice Film Festival in August. It allowed Hollywood to rediscover the 63-yearold who grew up in Robinson as the youngest of seven and once was part of the WQED floor crew where he operated the trolley and “Picture Picture” for Fred Rogers. Playing Batman unwittingly proved the perfect preparation for Mr. Keaton’s role as a onetime superhero turned stage actor in “Birdman.” He’s losing his mind and, at one famous point, his rob robe in the film from director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Mr. Keaton quoted the rules he lived by in Forest Grove as Michael John Douglas: “Work hard. Don’t quit. Be appreciative. Be thankful. Be grateful. Be respectful. Also, to never whine. Ever. Never complain and always, for cryin’ out loud, keep a sense of humor.” He couldn’t remember a time when his father, the late George A. Douglas, wasn’t juggling two jobs or his mother, the late Leona Douglas, wasn’t volunteering at Ohio Valley Hospital, where the future actor was born in the hallway. “I’ve got six
wonderful brothers and sisters,” he said, but it was in describing his best friend — and son — Sean, that his voice broke. “I love you with all my heart, buddy.” “The Theory of Everything” brought the most physically taxing of the five nominated dramatic performances, and best dramatic actor Redmayne said, “Getting to spend time with Stephen Hawking, who, despite all of the obstacles put in his way, has lived passionately and fully and with great humor, was one of the great honors of my life.” Ms. Moore, who previously won a Globe for channeling Sarah Palin in HBO’s “Game Change” and was clad in a Givenchy Couture gown edged with feathers, was honored for her work in “Still Alice.” She plays a renowned linguistics professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. It was a night of first-timers, groundbreaking wins and better than average speeches. Richard Linklater took the prize for directing while “Birdman” won for best screenplay, written by a team of four including Mr. Inarritu. Best actress in a movie comedy or musical Amy Adams, who won that prize in 2014 for “American Hustle, was honored for portraying real-life artist Margaret Keane in “Big Eyes.” Her husband, Walter Keane, claimed credit for her sad-eyed waifs. Ms. Adams said she was so illprepared that she had not even reapplied any lip gloss. “I feel so fortunate to be here and fortunate to play Margaret Keane, a woman who had such a quiet voice and such a strong heart and such a strong artistic vision and ultimately was able to use her voice.” The first award of the night went to supporting actor Simmons for “Whiplash” and his portrayal of the most terrifying professor at an elite music conservatory where drummer Miles Teller has enrolled. It took eight times for Kevin Spacey to finally convert a Globe nomination into a win, this time for “House of Cards.” Ms. Arquette was nominated three times as the title character of the TV series “Medium,” but it took a 12-year turn in “Boyhood” to earn her first Globe. She plays the divorced mom of a daughter and son in Mr. Linklater’s project tracking a boy from age 6 to college. “Sorry, I’m the only nerd with a piece of paper,” Ms. Arquette said, thanking fellow nominee Meryl Streep for a hug (“I hope your DNA transferred”) along with her on-screen family and director. “Thank you for allowing me to be part of something so human, so simple and groundbreaking and significant in the history of cinema. A surprise presenter — Prince — handed out the Globe for best original song to Common and John Legend, who wrote “Glory” for “Selma.” Common, who also plays James Bevel in the film, said, “The first day I stepped on the set of ‘Selma,’ I began to feel like this was bigger than a movie.” Surprises came in the choice of a sequel, “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” as animated feature, along with Ruth Wilson as best dramatic actress, television, for “The Affair” and Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Honorable Woman,” as best actress in a miniseries or TV movie, and Showtime’s “The Affair” as best TV drama series. Carnegie Mellon University grad Matt Bomer won a best supporting actor statue as a man dying of AIDS in HBO’s “The Normal Heart.” He lost in that category to Martin Freeman at the Emmys but this time was able to thank everyone from Larry Kramer, “for your anger and your passion and writing this story that changed so many lives,” to Mark Ruffalo, “the best actor anybody could hope for to have as a scene partner,” and Mr. Bomer’s husband, Simon Halls, who watched him wither to 130 pounds. “Fargo” took two top honors, for best miniseries or TV movie and actor Billy Bob Thornton, who gave one of the shorter, more circumspect speeches that wound up with a simple thank you. Creator and writer Noah Hawley, however, reminded the audience that, “You can change the world not through grand acts of heroism but just by being decent to people.” The Hollywood Foreign Press has a history of rewarding freshman television offerings, and this year was no exception. The big buzz paid off for the Amazon offering “Transparent,” starring Jeffrey Tambor as Maura, formerly Mort, and honored as best TV comedy. She is going through a major life change as she transitions to living as a woman, and creator Jill Soloway dedicated the award to transgender community. Mr. Tambor later followed with the honor for best actor in a TV comedy or musical. “This is much bigger than me,” he said, one of the themes of the evening. “I would like to dedicate my performance and this award to the transgender community. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your courage, thank you for your inspiration, thank you for your patience and thank you for letting us be a part of the change.” Another newcomer who took the Globes by storm was The CW’s “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez, honored as best actress in a TV comedy or musical, who was breathless by the time she marched from her seat in the back of the ballroom to the stage. “This award is so much more than myself, it represents a culture that wants to see themselves as heroes,” she said, tears glistening on her lashes. She repeated her father’s morning mantra, “Today’s going to be a great day, and I can and I will,” and added it was, she could and she did. George Clooney, who married attorney Amal Alamuddin in Venice in the sort of Old Hollywood ceremony that seems to exist only in the movies, received the Cecil B. DeMille Award. “It’s a humbling thing when you find someone to love,” he said turning personal before closing with a tribute to the millions of people who marched in Paris and elsewhere around the world. “They marched in support of the idea that we will not walk in fear. We won’t do it. So, Je suis Charlie.”