Tinseltown Celebrates its Finest at the Hollywood Film Awards

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The 20^th Annual Hollywood Film Awards brought together Hollywood’s elite to honor and preview the year’s most talked about and highly anticipated actors, actresses, films and those who help bring them to life.

The awards ceremony, which celebrated its 20^th anniversary as the official launch of the awards season, was hosted by actor and comedian James Corden, and took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, on November 6, 2016.  Its honorees over the past 20 years have included the world’s biggest stars and more than 110 have gone on to garner Oscar nominations and/or wins.

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The show took on an expected political tone, with several presenters and honorees commenting on the importance of the quickly upcoming election. Nicole Kidman noted how pleased she was to act in a film that puts inherent goodness into the world during this “strange time,” while Jeffrey Katzenberg began his presentation to “Hollywood Career Achievement Award” recipient Eddie Murphy with an update on the latest poll results from Florida.  Murphy humbly accepted his award, receiving the only standing ovation of the night.

“Hollywood Documentary Award” recipient Leonardo DiCaprio delivered a heartfelt speech about his film Before the Flood and the urgency of supporting those who are working to address the issue of global warming.  The evening had an abundance of lighthearted moments as well, with the always-hilarious Leslie Mann taking to the stage to introduce her The Comedian co-star Robert (or “Bob,” as Mann calls him) DeNiro.  She complimented his good looks, sans shirt, and hinted to her husband Judd Apatow that it is possible to “be funny and work out.”  DeNiro jumped on the politics bandwagon, commenting that unfortunately the classic comedy films of the Marx Brothers where “lunatics rule the world” do not seem so off base from our current political climate.  He closed his speech with an emphatic call to action for everyone in the room to “Vote for Hillary!”

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Honoree Justin Timberlake, presenter Anna Kendrick, and host Corden shared a playful moment when Timberlake allowed Corden, who also starred in their film Trolls, a turn at the podium to accept the “Hollywood Song Award.”

An emotional Janelle Monáe, whose impactful turns in both Moonlight and Hidden Figures earned her recognition, thanked the many women who helped make those films possible and “celebrated those who are often uncelebrated.”  After Clint Eastwood’s understated introduction of “Hollywood Actor Award” recipient Tom Hanks, Hanks joked that it was the “longest Clint has talked to an actor in over 40 films.” Anywhere But Here co-stars and friends, Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman, showered praise upon one another as Portman accepted the “Hollywood Actress Award” for her powerful portrayal of Jackie Kennedy.

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This year’s award show honored the following:

“Hollywood Career Achievement Award”
Eddie Murphy, presented by Jeffrey Katzenberg

“Hollywood Actor Award”
Tom Hanks for Sully, presented by Clint Eastwood

“Hollywood Supporting Actor Award”
Hugh Grant for Florence Foster Jenkins, presented by Andie MacDowell

“Hollywood Actress Award”
Natalie Portman for Jackie, presented by Susan Sarandon

“Hollywood Supporting Actress Award”
Nicole Kidman for Lion, presented by Dev Patel

“Hollywood Comedy Award”
Robert De Niro for The Comedian, presented by Leslie Mann

“Hollywood Breakout Actress Award”
Naomie Harris for Moonlight, presented by Lenny Kravitz

“New Hollywood Award”
Lily Collins for Rules Don’t Apply, presented by Warren Beatty

“Hollywood Spotlight Award”
Janelle Monáe for Hidden Figures, presented by Mahershala Ali

“Hollywood Documentary Award”
Fisher Stevens and Leonardo DiCaprio for Before the Flood,
presented by Jonah Hill

“Hollywood Ensemble Award”
Gold cast including Matthew McConaughey, Bryce Dallas Howard, Edgar Ramirez and Stacy Keach, presented by Kate Hudson

“Hollywood Song Award”
Justin Timberlake for “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!” from Trolls,
presented by Anna Kendrick

“Hollywood Blockbuster Award”
The Jungle Book (accepted by Jon Favreau), presented by Sir Ben Kingsley

“Hollywood Director Award”
Mel Gibson for Hacksaw Ridge, presented by Andrew Garfield and Vince Vaughn

“Hollywood Breakthrough Director Award”
Tom Ford for Nocturnal Animals, presented by Julianne Moore

“Hollywood Producer Award”
Marc Platt for La La Land, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, and The Girl on the    Train, presented by Aaron Eckhart

“Hollywood Screenwriter Award”
Kenneth Lonergan for Manchester By The Sea, presented by Casey Affleck

“Hollywood Animation Award”
Byron Howard and Rich Moore for Zootopia

“Hollywood Cinematography Award”
Linus Sandgren for La La Land

“Hollywood Film Composer Award”
Mychael Danna for Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

“Hollywood Editor Award”
John Gilbert for Hacksaw Ridge

“Hollywood Visual Effects Award”
Stephane Ceretti and Richard Bluff for Dr. Strange

“Hollywood Sound Award”
Christopher Boyes and Frank Eulner for The Jungle Book

“Hollywood Costume Design Award”
Albert Wolsky for Rules Don’t Apply

“Hollywood Make Up & Hair Styling Award”
Shane Thomas, Angela Conte, Bec Taylor and Noriko Waztanabe
for Hacksaw Ridge

“Hollywood Production Design Award”
Wynn Thomas for Hidden Figures