US News

AWARDS ARE ‘MIND’ EXPANDING – ‘BEAUTIFUL’ FLICK, ‘MOULIN ROUGE’ TAKE TOP HONORS

“A Beautiful Mind,” the movie about a schizophrenic mathematician, came up with the biggest numbers last night at the Golden Globes, taking four major awards: best dramatic film, screenplay, actor and supporting actress.

“Moulin Rouge” took top honors as best comedy or musical.

Australia’s golden girl and boy – Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe – were the toast of the town at the awards show, broadcast from Beverly Hills.

Crowe won for his work in “A Beautiful Mind,” and Kidman for hers in “Moulin Rouge.”

“It’s just a piece of entertainment,” the famously irascible Crowe said of the movie. “But hopefully, it helps us open our hearts . . . and gives us the belief that in our lives, something extraordinary can always happen.”

Kidman also was nominated for best actress in a drama for “The Others,” but lost out to screen veteran Sissy Spacek, who won for her role in “In the Bedroom.”

“My hands are shaking,” said Kidman, as she accepted the best actress in a musical or comedy category for her starring role as a cabaret singer in “Moulin Rouge.”

She thanked colleagues, mentors and family, especially her son and daughter, whom she adopted with ex-husband Tom Cruise.

Robert Altman won best-director honors for the bustling British mystery “Gosford Park,” and urged his entire cast – who he joked were all the Britons in the audience – to take a bow.

Gene Hackman won best comedic film actor honors for “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

The supporting-actor prize went to performers who played “supporting” spouses in two true-life dramas about ailing geniuses.

Jennifer Connelly portrayed the dedicated wife of Crowe’s character, John Nash, in “A Beautiful Mind,” and Jim Broadbent played the husband of novelist Iris Murdoch, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, in “Iris.”

Akiva Goldsman won for his screenplay for “A Beautiful Mind.”

“I’m a writer, so I’m going to read,” Goldsman said, his hands shaking while he held a list of thank-yous. He singled out Crowe.

“You are my hero,” he said. “This is amazingly cool. Thank you.”

The awards, given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are considered by many to be a barometer for the Academy Awards in March.

In the television categories, HBO’s “Sex and the City” took the best-comedy prize, and star Sarah Jessica Parker won for actress in a comedy.

Charlie Sheen got the nod for best actor in a comedy, for ABC’s “Spin City.”

“This is so surreal. This is like a sober acid trip,” joked Sheen, a recovering drug abuser.

Kiefer Sutherland’s performance as a CIA agent in the Fox thriller “24” took the trophy for best TV-drama actor.

“I’ve just lost complete feeling in my lower half,” Sutherland said as he stood at the podium.

HBO’s WWII drama, “Band of Brothers,” won best miniseries, and Tom Hanks, who co-produced the project, accepted the award on behalf of the veterans depicted in the film.

“They’re all either at home or in heaven, and we do this to bring attention to them,” Hanks said.

In the category of best actress in a TV drama, Jennifer Garner took the Globe for her work in the ABC series “Alias,” while HBO’s “Six Feet Under” won for best drama series.