Winslet, Ledger And Rourke Headline 2009 Golden Globe Awards

Winslet, Ledger And Rourke Headline 2009 Golden Globe Awards

11 January 2009 9:12 PM, PST

Kate Winslet, Mickey Rourke and the late Heath Ledger stole the show at the 2009 Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday.

Just a year after the ceremony was reduced to a press conference because of the Hollywood writer's strike, it returned with a bang and a starstudded red-carpet bearing the likes of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp.

Inside the ceremony, Winslet was rendered speechless by two wins; Best Actress for her role in Revolutionary Road and the Best Supporting Actress award for movie The Reader.

When she stepped onstage for the second time, the British star told the crowd, "I'm so sorry. Is this really happening?", before paying tribute to her agents, husband Sam Mendes and Revolutionary Road co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.

Ledger's posthumous win for his performance as the Joker in Batman movie The Dark Knight inspired a heartfelt acceptance speech from director Christopher Nolan and a standing ovation from the audience, led by Tom Cruise.

The honour comes just 11 days before the first anniversary of Ledger's death from an accidental drug overdose at his New York apartment.

There was more emotion at the end of the night when Rourke was named Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama, for his role in Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. It marks an extraordinary comeback for a man whose career was written off years ago. And he dedicated the prize to his many canine companions, past and present, telling the audience, "It's been a very long road back for me. Several years ago I was almost out of this business. I'd like to thank all my dogs. Sometimes when a man's alone his dogs are all he's got."

Winslet wasn't the only British winner on a night dominated by actors, actresses and movies from the U.K.

Sally Hawkins won the Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical award for her role in Happy-Go-Lucky, while Tom Wilkinson won Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television for John Adams.

The British made and Indian-based Slumdog Millionaire trumped a number of big budget blockbusters to win four prizes; Best Motion Picture, Drama, Best Director prize for Brit Danny Boyle, Best Screenplay and Best Original Score.

Comedy hit 30 Rock scored big in the TV categories, earning acting prizes for Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey and the Best TV Comedy award.

Steven Spielberg was treated to a montage of his career achievements and a speech by fellow director Martin Scorsese; and then a standing ovation from the crowd as he accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his outstanding contribution to the entertainment field.

There were also acting gongs handed to Colin Farrell, Laura Dern, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti and Gabriel Byrne.

The full list of winners - as voted by members of the Hollywood Foreign Press - is as follows:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama - Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Kate Winslet for The Reader.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama - Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture - Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

Best Motion Picture, Drama - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Original Song, Motion Picture - Bruce Springsteen for The Wrestler.

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Tom Wilkinson for John Adams

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Laura Dern for Recount

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama - Gabriel Byrne for In Treatment

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama - Anna Paquin for True Blood

Best Animated Feature Film - Wall-e.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical - Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Mini-Series or TV Movie - John Adams

Best Foreign Language Film - Waltz with Bashir

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Laura Linney for John Adams

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture - Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy - Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Paul Giamatti for John Adams

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy - 30 Rock

Best Original Score, Motion Picture - A.R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy - Tina Fey for 30 Rock

Cecil B. DeMille Award - Steven Spielberg

Best Director, Motion Picture - Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy - Colin Farrell for In Bruges

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Television Series, DramaWinner: Mad Men