Guy Pearce missed out on a Golden Globe, but he was one of the lucky few inside the Beverly Hilton Hotel who escaped the acid tongue of the award show's host, Ricky Gervais.
The British comedian, who caused a firestorm while hosting last year's Golden Globes ceremony with barbs aimed at the A-List audience, lived up to his vow to do a repeat performance on Sunday.
'Be honest. Are you on recreational drugs?' Gervais asked Johnny Depp early in the ceremony before targeting Madonna, Natalie Portman, Helen Mirren, Colin Firth, Elton John, Salma Hayek and many others.
The Golden Globes is one of the major lead-up ceremonies for the February 26 Academy Awards, with Globe winners gaining valuable momentum in their Oscar campaigns.
The George Clooney vehicle The Descendants and the black-and-white silent film The Artist were the big winners at the Globes.
The films split the two top categories, with The Descendants winning best drama and The Artist best musical/comedy.
The stars of both movies, Clooney and The Artists' Jean Dujardin, also firmed as favourites for the best actor Oscar.
Clooney won the Globe for best actor in a drama and French-born Dujardin took the musical/comedy actor Globe.
'When I was starting out, an agent said to me: 'You will never do movies. Your face is too big,' Dujardin, proving he didn't need Gervais to poke fun at him, told the audience.
The best actress Oscar appears to be a tussle between Margaret Thatcher and Marilyn Monroe.
Meryl Streep, who plays the former British Prime Minister in The Iron Lady, and Michelle Williams, in My Week with Marilyn, respectively won the drama and musical/comedy Globes.
Williams dedicated the win to Matilda, her six-year-old daughter with late Australian actor Heath Ledger.
'I want to say thank you for sending me off to this job every day with a hug and a kiss,' Williams said in her acceptance speech.
'I couldn't have done it otherwise.'
Pearce was the only Australian nominee at the Golden Globes, but Streep gave a huge boost to Canberra-born actress Mia Wasikowska's flailing Oscar campaign.
Wasikowska has been snubbed in the US for her performance in Jane Eyre. However, Streep, in her Globe acceptance speech announced: 'How about Mia Wasikowska in Jane Eyre?'
Pearce was considered a great chance for a Globe win for his performance in Mildred Pierce. Last September, he won an Emmy for the role in the TV mini-series, but Game of Thrones' Peter Dinklage claimed the supporting actor in a TV series, mini-series or movie category.
'I was talking to my mother in New Jersey before I came out and she said 'Have fun, but have you seen Mildred Pierce? Guy Pearce is so good. He is going to win',' Dinklage said on stage.
Pearce's Mildred Pierce castmate, Kate Winslet, won the Globe for best actress in a TV mini-series or movie.
Octavia Spencer (The Help) and Christopher Plummer (Beginners) received boosts to their Oscar campaigns with Globes in the supporting actor film categories.
Martin Scorsese is also on track to win the second Oscar of his career after claiming the directing Globe for Hugo.
Madonna won best original song for Masterpiece, from her movie W.E., beating Elton John's song, Hello Hello, from Gnomeo Juliet.
In the TV categories, Modern Family won best comedy series and Homeland won best drama.
Claire Danes won best actress in a drama for Homeland while Kelsey Grammer claimed the actor in a drama Globe for his new series, Boss.
Laura Dern, for her new show Enlightened, upset Tina Fey (30 Rock), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) and Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) for the best actress in a comedy TV series.
Media Man News
