Idris Elba scoops Golden Globe nomination for playing Neil Cross's 'Luther'

Idris Elba, the star of BBC AMERICA’s critically acclaimed crime drama, Luther, has been nominated for a Golden Globe® Award, it was announced this week. He was nominated in the category Best Performance By An Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television.

Perry Simon, BBC Worldwide America’s GM, Channels says: “Idris’ portrayal of John Luther breaks the mould of TV detectives. He is a central character that is quite possibly just as dangerous as the criminals he’s chasing. Idris’ stellar performance truly deserves this nomination and has set a bench-mark for quality drama on BBC AMERICA.”

Elba plays the title role in the BBC AMERICA co-production about a brilliant and emotionally impulsive detective. The mini-series was lauded by fans and critics alike when it was first broadcast on BBC AMERICA in October. TV Guide said it was, “Criminally good... Luther is Prime Suspect on crack,” USA Today called it a “...terrific six part thriller... you have to watch,” and Variety declared “Luther is well worth the investment… there haven't been many recent offerings in this genre on either side of the pond superior to Luther.”

Luther was created and written by Neil Cross, the acclaimed suspense novelist and one of the lead writers on MI-5. You can watch a trailer for Luther below:

THE 69TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

THE 69TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION
2012 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2011
NOMINATIONS PRESS RELEASE

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. THE DESCENDANTS
Ad Hominem Enterprises; Fox Searchlight Pictures
b. THE HELP
DreamWorks Pictures, Participant Media; Touchstone Pictures
c. HUGO
Paramount Pictures presents a GK Films Production; Paramount Pictures
d. THE IDES OF MARCH
Columbia Pictures, Cross Creek Pictures, Exclusive Media Group, Crystal City
Entertainment; Sony Pictures Releasing
e. MONEYBALL
Columbia Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing International
f. WAR HORSE
DreamWorks Pictures; Touchstone Pictures

2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. GLENN CLOSE ALBERT NOBBS
b. VIOLA DAVIS THE HELP
c. ROONEY MARA THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON
TATTOO
d. MERYL STREEP THE IRON LADY
e. TILDA SWINTON WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. GEORGE CLOONEY THE DESCENDANTS
b. LEONARDO DICAPRIO J. EDGAR
c. MICHAEL FASSBENDER SHAME
d. RYAN GOSLING THE IDES OF MARCH
e. BRAD PITT MONEYBALL

4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. 50/50
Summit Entertainment and Mandate Pictures; Summit Entertainment
b. THE ARTIST
a La Petite Reine – Studio 37 – La Classe Americaine – JD Prod- France3 Cinema -
Jouror Production-uFilms coproduction; The Weinstein Company
c. BRIDESMAIDS
Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Apatow Productions; Universal Pictures
d. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
A Mediapro, Versatil Cinema & Gravier Production; Sony Pictures Classics
e. MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
The Weinstein Company; The Weinstein Company

5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR
MUSICAL
a. JODIE FOSTER CARNAGE
b. CHARLIZE THERON YOUNG ADULT
c. KRISTEN WIIG BRIDESMAIDS
d. MICHELLE WILLIAMS MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
e. KATE WINSLET CARNAGE

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY
OR MUSICAL
a. JEAN DUJARDIN THE ARTIST
b. BRENDAN GLEESON THE GUARD
c. JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT 50/50
d. RYAN GOSLING CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE.
e. OWEN WILSON MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
a. THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
Paramount Pictures/Columbia Pictures/ Hemisphere Capital/Amblin
Entertainment/Wingnut Films Production/ Kennedy/Marshall Production A Steven
Spielberg Film; Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures
b. ARTHUR CHRISTMAS
Columbia Pictures & Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing
International
c. CARS 2
Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures
d. PUSS IN BOOTS
DreamWorks Animation; Paramount Pictures
e. RANGO
Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink / GK Films
Production; Paramount Pictures

8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
a. THE FLOWERS OF WAR (CHINA)
(Jing Ling Shi San Chai)
New Pictures Film Company; New Pictures Film Company
b. IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY (USA)
GK Films; FilmDistrict
c. THE KID WITH A BIKE (BELGIUM)
(Le Gamin au Velo)
Les Films du Fleuve; Sundance Selects
d. A SEPARATION (IRAN)
(Jodaeiye Nader az Simin)
Asghar Farhadi; Sony Pictures Classics
e. THE SKIN I LIVE IN (SPAIN)
(La piel que habito)
El Deseo D.A., S.L.U.; Sony Pictures Classics

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a. BERENICE BEJO THE ARTIST
b. JESSICA CHASTAIN THE HELP
c. JANET MCTEER ALBERT NOBBS
d. OCTAVIA SPENCER THE HELP
e. SHAILENE WOODLEY THE DESCENDANTS

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a. KENNETH BRANAGH MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
b. ALBERT BROOKS DRIVE
c. JONAH HILL MONEYBALL
d. VIGGO MORTENSEN A DANGEROUS METHOD
e. CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER BEGINNERS

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
a. WOODY ALLEN MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
b. GEORGE CLOONEY THE IDES OF MARCH
c. MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS THE ARTIST
d. ALEXANDER PAYNE THE DESCENDANTS
e. MARTIN SCORSESE HUGO

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
a. WOODY ALLEN MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
b. GEORGE CLOONEY, GRANT THE IDES OF MARCH
HESLOV, BEAU WILLIMON
c. MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS THE ARTIST
d. ALEXANDER PAYNE, THE DESCENDANTS
NAT FAXON, JIM RASH
e. STEVEN ZAILLIAN, MONEYBALL
AARON SORKIN

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
a. LUDOVIC BOURCE THE ARTIST
b. ABEL KORZENIOWSKI W.E.
c. TRENT REZNOR, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON
ATTICUS ROSS TATTOO
d. HOWARD SHORE HUGO
e. JOHN WILLIAMS WAR HORSE

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
a. “HELLO HELLO” — GNOMEO & JULIET
Music by: Elton John
Lyrics by: Bernie Taupin
b. “THE KEEPER” — MACHINE GUN PREACHER
Music & Lyrics by: Chris Cornell
c. “LAY YOUR HEAD DOWN” — ALBERT NOBBS
Music by: Brian Byrne
Lyrics by: Glenn Close
d. “THE LIVING PROOF” — THE HELP
Music by: Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason, Jr.
Lyrics by: Mary J. Blige, Harvey Mason, Jr., Damon Thomas
e. “MASTERPIECE” — W.E.
Music & Lyrics by: Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a. AMERICAN HORROR STORY FX
Twentieth Century Fox Television
b. BOARDWALK EMPIRE HBO
Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front
Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
c. BOSS STARZ
Lionsgate Television in association with Grammnet NH Productions, Roya
Productions and Old Friends Productions
d. GAME OF THRONES HBO
Bighead, Littlehead, 360 Television, Grok and Generator Productions in
association with HBO Entertainment
e. HOMELAND SHOWTIME
SHOWTIME Presents, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions,
Keshet, Fox 21

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
DRAMA
a. CLAIRE DANES HOMELAND
b. MIREILLE ENOS THE KILLING
c. JULIANNA MARGULIES THE GOOD WIFE
d. MADELEINE STOWE REVENGE
e. CALLIE THORNE NECESSARY ROUGHNESS

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a. STEVE BUSCEMI BOARDWALK EMPIRE
b. BRYAN CRANSTON BREAKING BAD
c. KELSEY GRAMMER BOSS
d. JEREMY IRONS THE BORGIAS
e. DAMIAN LEWIS HOMELAND

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. ENLIGHTENED HBO
Ripcord Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
b. EPISODES SHOWTIME
SHOWTIME Presents, Hat Trick Productions, Crane Klarik Productions
c. GLEE FOX
Ryan Murphy Television in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television
d. MODERN FAMILY ABC
Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television
e. NEW GIRL FOX
Chernin Entertainment in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. LAURA DERN ENLIGHTENED
b. ZOOEY DESCHANEL NEW GIRL
c. TINA FEY 30 ROCK
d. LAURA LINNEY THE BIG C
e. AMY POEHLER PARKS AND RECREATION

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. ALEC BALDWIN 30 ROCK
b. DAVID DUCHOVNY CALIFORNICATION
c. JOHNNY GALECKI THE BIG BANG THEORY
d. THOMAS JANE HUNG
e. MATT LEBLANC EPISODES

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. CINEMA VERITE HBO
A Pariah Production in association with HBO Films
b. DOWNTON ABBEY (MASTERPIECE) PBS
A Carnival/Masterpiece Co-production
c. THE HOUR BBC AMERICA
Kudos Film and Television/BBC America co-production.
d. MILDRED PIERCE HBO
A Killer Films/John Wells Production in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
and HBO Miniseries
e. TOO BIG TO FAIL HBO
A Spring Creek and A Deuce Three Production in association with HBO Films

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION
PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. ROMOLA GARAI THE HOUR
b. DIANE LANE CINEMA VERITE
c. ELIZABETH MCGOVERN DOWNTON ABBEY (MASTERPIECE)
d. EMILY WATSON APPROPRIATE ADULT
e. KATE WINSLET MILDRED PIERCE

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION
PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. HUGH BONNEVILLE DOWNTON ABBEY (MASTERPIECE)
b. IDRIS ELBA LUTHER
c. WILLIAM HURT TOO BIG TO FAIL
d. BILL NIGHY PAGE EIGHT (MASTERPIECE)
e. DOMINIC WEST THE HOUR

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. JESSICA LANGE AMERICAN HORROR STORY
b. KELLY MACDONALD BOARDWALK EMPIRE
c. MAGGIE SMITH DOWNTON ABBEY (MASTERPIECE)
d. SOFIA VERGARA MODERN FAMILY
e. EVAN RACHEL WOOD MILDRED PIERCE

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES,
MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. PETER DINKLAGE GAME OF THRONES
b. PAUL GIAMATTI TOO BIG TO FAIL
c. GUY PEARCE MILDRED PIERCE
d. TIM ROBBINS CINEMA VERITE
e. ERIC STONESTREET MODERN FAMILY

Rapace in running for Best Actress BAFTA!

Back in August last year I reported on rumours coming out of Hollywood that Noomi Rapace could be in the running for an Oscar nomination for her tremendous portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish-language film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's books. Along with speculation that the makers of the English-language version might try to dampen any such hype, in case it damaged their own film.

I think, if all things were equal (which they never are in the entertainment world), Rapace would be a worthy shoo-in for at least an Oscar nomination. However it remains to be seen whether Hollywood would/will embrace the foreign-language performance. Rapace was overlooked by the Golden Globe Awards (I'm not sure whether her and the film were eligible, depending on their criteria) - Natalie Portman (BLACK SWAN) won Best Actress in a Drama ahead of four other English-language performances - but today comes welcome news that Britain's own film awards, the BAFTAs, have lined up Rapace as a deserved nominee in the Best Actress category.

Joining Rapace and Portman in the Best Actress category for the BAFTAs are Annette Bening and Julianne Moore (THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT), along with Hailee Steinfeld (TRUE GRIT). Moore and Bening were both nominated in the Best Actress - Comedy or Musical category at the Golden Globes (Bening won the category), where like Rapace, Steinfield was overlooked by the Hollywood Foreign Press. It's kind of interesting that in fact the BAFTA list only includes three of the ten Best Actress nominees (Drama and Comedy/Musical) from the Golden Globes.

The Academy Award (Oscar) nominations will be announced next week. It would be fantastic (and deserved) to see Rapace on the list, but I'm not that hopeful of the American academy sharing the foresight of their British counterparts, even though there is some overlap between the bodies. A shame. In its latest 'Oscar predictions' rankings, Entertainment Weekly lists Rapace at number 10 for Best Actress, with bigger names (which may be preferred by the often-conservative American academy voters) and previous Oscar nominees and winners such as Hilary Swank, Michelle Williams and Nicole Kidman 'above' her (Halle Berry was also rated above her until the BAFTA nominations).

As I said in my review of Män som hatar kvinnor (aka the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) in December 2009: "In terms of acting, I thought Noomi Rapace was brilliant as Lisbeth Salander. She conveyed the computer hacker’s conflict, confusion, anger, and uniqueness (amongst other things) exceptionally well through glances, gestures, and other non-speaking moments – not just scripted dialogue. Like the best performances, I never saw it as someone acting as Lisbeth Salander, rather Rapace was Lisbeth Salander. " Read the full review here.

What do you think of Rapace's performance as Salander (especially in the first film, which is eligible for this year's Oscars etc)? Do you think she deserves to be nominated? How does her performance compare to some of the other strong female acting performances of 2010?

Emma Thompson Golden Globe 1996

my favorite acceptance speech...ever. emma thompson winning screenplay fpr 'sense and sensibility' in the 'manner' of jane austin.

Some of My Favorite Golden Globe Memories

kate's double win

supporting actress for 'the reader'

best actress for 'revolutionary road'*

sandra bullock best actress for 'the blind side'

julianna margulies in 'the good wife'

*as happy as i was, am, that kate won two the oscars got it right: best actress for 'the reader'

Golden Globes January 16th: Keep the Date

Golden Globe Nominations 2010

The King’s Speech leads with 7.  The Fighter and The Social Network tie for second with 6.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
BLACK SWAN
THE FIGHTER
INCEPTION
THE KING’S SPEECH
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Halle Berry, FRANKIE AND ALICE
Nicole Kidman, RABBIT HOLE
Jennifer Lawrence, WINTER’S BONE
Natalie Portman, BLACK SWAN
Michelle Williams, BLUE VALENTINE
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Jesse Eisenberg, THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Colin Firth, THE KING’S SPEECH
James Franco, 127 HOURS
Ryan Gosling, BLUE VALENTINE
Mark Wahlberg, THE FIGHTER
BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
BURLESQUE
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
RED
THE TOURIST
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Annette Bening, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Anne Hathaway, LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS
Angelina Jolie, THE TOURIST
Julianne Moore, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Emma Stone, EASY A
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE -MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Johnny Depp, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Johnny Depp, THE TOURIST
Paul Giamatti, BARNEY’S VERSION
Jake Gyllenhaal, LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS
Kevin Spacey, CASINO JACK
BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky, BLACK SWAN
David Fincher, THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Tom Hooper, THE KING’S SPEECH
Christopher Nolan, INCEPTION
David O. Russell, THE FIGHTER

BEST SCREENPLAY
Danny Boyle, 127 HOURS
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Hart, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Christopher Nolan, INCEPTION
David Seidler, THE KING’S SPEECH
Aaron Sorkin, THE SOCIAL NETWORK
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexander Desplat, THE KING’S SPEECH
Danny Elfman, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
A.R. Robin, 127 HOURS
Trent Reznor, THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Hans Zimmer, INCEPTION
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BIUTIFUL
THE CONCERT
THE EDGE
I AM LOVE
IN A BETTER WORLD
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Amy Adams, THE FIGHTER
Helena Bonham Carter, THE KING’S SPEECH
Mila Kunis, BLACK SWAN
Melissa Leo, THE FIGHTER
Jacki Weaver, ANIMAL KINGDOM
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Christian Bale, THE FIGHTER
Michael Douglas, WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS
Andrew Garfield, THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Jeremy Renner, THE TOWN
Geoffrey Rush, THE KING’S SPEECH
BEST ANIMATED FILM
DESPICABLE ME
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
THE ILLUSIONIST
TANGLED
TOY STORY
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“Bound to You” – BURLESQUE
“Coming Home” – COUNTRY STRONG
“I See the Light” – TANGLED
“There’s a Place for Us” – THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE DAWN TREADER
“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” – BURLESQUE