BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan. 24, 2000 — It’s the morning after the Golden Globe Awards, and with nary a tuxedo or evening gown in sight, winners and losers alike turned up today at the Beverly Hills Hotel for the Broadcast Film Critics Association Critics’ Choice Awards. This time, however, everyone’s a winner.
That’s because the honorees were announced ahead of time, save for best picture. The critics’ group instead named its Top 10 films, and the winner, “American Beauty,” was named at the luncheon and ceremony. It beat out “Being John Malkovich,” “The Cider House Rules,” “The Green Mile,” “The Insider,” “Magnolia,” “Man on the Moon,” “The Sixth Sense,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Three Kings.”
The honorees were glad to be rid of any anticipatory tension. Best supporting actor Michael Clarke Duncan, who lost the same category at the Globes the night before, was giddy about making his very first acceptance speech today. “Green Mile” co-star Tom Hanks had given him a typed speech for reference, but Duncan didn’t plan to use it.
“I’m kinda calm today, a little nervous because I saw Steven Spielberg, he always make me a little nervous,” Duncan said. “I didn’t write anything down. I’m just gonna go for it.”
Others weren’t quite on top of things today. “American Beauty” director Sam Mendes and screenwriter Alan Ball, both of whom won Globes the night before and were picking up the same awards here, admitted they were “hung over” after last night’s festivities.
“It’s true. I had a great time. I’ve been suffering from the flu so I’ve been taking drugs … I mean, medication, and stuff like that,” Mendes said. He says his experience with theater has accustomed him to awards ceremonies, but if last night’s Globe was his first ever, “I think I probably would have fainted.”
Best actress Hilary Swank, also a Globe winner for “Boys Don’t Cry,” arrived with director and self-declared “proud parent” Kimberly Peirce. Swank says she doesn’t remember her name being read last night but recalls clearly the congratulations she received on her way to the podium.
“But … when I got up to the stage and I said I’ve never received so much support in my whole life, I meant that,” the actress said. “Because the letters I’ve received from my peers and the acting community, walking up to that stage you gotta see it. The people who reached out to me and shook my hand. People asked me ‘Are you nervous?’ How can you be nervous when you have people rooting for you? It’s amazing.”
Haley Joel Osment, named best child actor for “The Sixth Sense,” found last night memorable simply because he was allowed to stay up until 11 p.m., far past his usual bedtime of 8:30 to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9:30 to 10 p.m. on weekends.
“That’s late for me … [but] I met Steven Spielberg, Kevin Spacey, Jodie Foster, Matthew Broderick, Russell Crowe and Antonio Banderas,” Osment gushed.
Also on hand was best supporting actress Angelina Jolie, who lamented that she wasn’t able to jump in the Beverly Hilton pool last night as she did last year. “There was so much security, it was insane,” the “Girl, Interrupted” star said. “We talked to some people about getting into a bus and all going to a fast-food place. But suddenly the security last night was really weird.”
She brought her brother, James Haven Voight, who escorted her to last night’s Globes and was brought onstage when his sister won. “I’ve been apologizing for it ever since,” said Jolie, who wanted him to see the view. “It’s his award just as much because right from the beginning … when I was sick he held me, and when I read scripts, he’s the one who says yes or no and helps me with my scripts and my lines.”
And how was the view? “Unbelievable,” Voight said.
Here are the winners at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Critics’ Choice Awards:
Best picture: “American Beauty”
Best director: Sam Mendes, “American Beauty”
Best actor: Russell Crowe, “The Insider”
Best actress: Hilary Swank, “Boys Don’t Cry”
Best supporting actor: Michael Clarke Duncan, “The Green Mile”
Best supporting actress: Angelina Jolie, “Girl, Interrupted”
Best original screenplay: Alan Ball, “American Beauty”
Best screenplay adaptation: Frank Darabont, “The Green Mile”
Breakthrough performer: Spike Jonze, “Being John Malkovich” and “Three Kings”
Best child performer: Haley Joel Osment
Best animated feature: “Toy Story 2”
Best family film (live action): “October Sky”
Best picture made for television: “RKO 281” and “Tuesdays With Morrie” (tie)
Best foreign language film: “All About My Mother” (Spain)
Best feature documentary: “Buena Vista Social Club”
Best song: “Music of My Heart” from “Music of the Heart”
Best score: Gabriel Yared, “The Talented Mr. Ripley”
