Mo'Nique, Bridges, Waltz, Bullock show how it's done
Mo'Nique has proven you don't have to campaign for awards, you just have to do the spectacular work and hope the voters (and critics) see it.
Being able to deliver heartfelt, gracious acceptance speech also goes a long way toward staying on the awards circuit, as Mo'Nique, Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock and Christoph Waltz proved Saturday night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
In "Precious," the title character is a victim of sexual abuse and incest and her older child, a girl, has Down syndrome. She and others call the girl "Mongo," a shortened form of Mongoloid and a stinging anachronism.
Mo'Nique's character, who plays the child's grandmother, treats her like a prop during a visit by a social worker. When the social worker leaves the Harlem apartment, she tosses her off her lap in a cold, cruel move.
Picking up her supporting actress honor on Saturday, Mo'Nique thanked a list of unlikely suspects, including the girl who plays Mongo and her mother, "for allowing us to use that special gift in this project." It was a lovely acknowledgement of a scene that probably made more than a few moviegoers cringe.
Actor Bridges seems unstoppable as the front-runner for the Academy Award with "Crazy Heart," opening here Friday although probably at just one location. Bullock's win over Meryl Streep (who I expected to take the prize) just made the Academy Awards a little more interesting. Oscar nominations will be out Feb. 2, and the ceremony is March 7.
Tonight, the Producers Guild of America winners will be unveiled at the Hollywood Palladium. Its 10 nominations for the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures:
AVATAR
Producers: James Cameron, Jon Landau
DISTRICT 9
Producers: Carolynne Cunningham, Peter Jackson
AN EDUCATION
Producers: Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey
THE HURT LOCKER
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Producer: Lawrence Bender
INVICTUS
Producers: Clint Eastwood, Rob Lorenz, Lori McCreary , Mace Neufeld
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness
STAR TREK
Producers: J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof
UP
Producer: Jonas Rivera
UP IN THE AIR
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
9
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
CORALINE
Claire Jennings, Bill Mechanic, Mary Sandell, Henry Selick
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
Producer: Peter Del Vecho
UP
Producer: Jonas Rivera
PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:
BURMA VJ
Producer: Lise Lense-Moller
The COVE
Producers: Paula DuPre Pesmen, Fisher Stevens
SERGIO
Producers: Greg Barker, John Battsek, Julie Goldman
SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
The Producers Guild of America is the non-profit trade group that represents, protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and new media. For more information, www.producersguild.org.