The kick-off to awards season has officially begun with the 21st annual Hollywood Film Awards. The gala ceremony took place at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles with James Corden taking hosting duties for the third year in a row. All the stars came out to recognize each other's achievements in American motion picture.
During the evening, Wonder Wheel's Kate Winslet took Hollywood Actress Award as well as an onstage kiss from the night's supporting actress winner, Allison Janney of I, Tonya. After being introduced by her Divergent co-star Shailene Woodley, Winslet noted the amount of notable talent in the ballroom, including Janney. "I know I don't really know you but I know I just want to be you. I do, or just stroke you or something. I mean, we could always kiss, maybe?" she said candidly. As Janney then made her way to the stage, Winslet said, "Ah, it's gonna happen! This is an exciting moment!"
Jake Gyllenhaal winning Hollywood Actor Award, delivered the evening's most moving speech that paid tribute Jeff Bauman, the Boston Marathon bombing survivor he portrays in Stronger. "We've always had this compulsive need for heroes, the need to transform ordinary humans into superhumans, but Jeff Bauman never wanted to be a hero," he said, after being introduced by Amy Adams. "I don't know if I could've found the courage to do what Jeff did in real life, but I know something now that I didn't know then: If we could find in ourselves the strength that Jeff found, we just might not need heroes."
Mary J. Blige, who’s been receiving rave reviews for her breakout turn in Mudbound, picked up the Hollywood Breakout Actress Award. Meanwhile, Call Me By Your Name star Timothée Chalamet picked up the male equivalent award.
Ensemble acting honors were presented to the casts of The Big Sick (Kumail Nanjiani, Ray Romano), I, Tonya (Margot Robbie, Allison Janney) and Mudbound (Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige). The Meyerowitz Stories' Adam Sandler took home the Hollywood Comedy Award.
Darkest Hour director Joe Wright also took home the Hollywood Director Award, and its star Gary Oldman received the Career Achievement Award. He joins previous recipients of that honor including Eddie Murphy, Robert De Niro and Michael Keaton to name a few. "I began my career almost 40 years ago, and at every juncture, some significant person or turn of fate pushed me along. I've had great fortune in my career and I feel every ounce of that privilege," said Oldman onstage. "We all show up to make something grander than real life and perhaps just maybe find something of a truth in it. It's indeed a very, very special way to earn a living."
Check out the complete winners list at https://www.hollywoodawards.com/2017-honorees/
The Hollywood Film Awards, presented by Dick Clark Productions, benefited the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which supports the entertainment community in living and aging well, with dignity and purpose, and in helping each other in times of need.
Next up, our picks for Best Dressed on the red carpet!
By Thor Villagomez
Banner image courtesy of Hollywood Film Awards.
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