Golden Globe Winners Gush Backstage
"Dreamgirls" sang and danced its way into the winners circle at last night's Golden Globe Awards, being named "Best Picture" in the Comedy or Musical category as well as winning two major acting honors.
Eddie Murphy walked off with the Best Supporting Actor award. And former American Idol loser Jennifer Hudson is now a Golden Globe winner for her star-making "Dreamgirls" performance.
"When you think of the journey, 17 years, never thought of myself as an actress. I feel welcomed into a world," she told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "I want to stay a part of it."
After talking with her, it became obvious to Smith that Hudson's mind was on another gold statue when she accidentally slipped and talked about her "Oscar" victory rather than her Golden Globe award.
"You can't blame a girl for dreaming," she said. "I'm a dreamer. Did I say that?"
Comedy veteran Eddie Murphy also came away with a Golden Globe — an honor he said he never really thought he would receive.
"No, I thought, I was saying on the way in, every 10 years I get nominated for this thing and I'm getting dressed up to come lose again," Murphy said. "But I said, I like all those other actors, I got my girl, my girl is so fine, lets just go out and have some fun. It caught me off guard when they said I won."
His role in the "Dreamgirls" is very different from the comedic parts Murphy is known for. In the early '80s he was nominated for his three star-making hits, Murphy's 1982 film debut, "48 hours," 1983's "Trading Places" and 1984's "Beverly Hills Cop."
"I've been making movies for so long, like it's my 25th year in movies, and this is great for the 25th year to celebrate it," he said.
Murphy's role as a James Brown-like singer is a huge departure from the often zany roles he plays in movies like "The Nutty Professor." He said it was time for him to try something new.Photos: Award Winners
"I got to do something different," he said. "I love that it was a supporting role. I love that now people might look at you and offer you stuff that they might not have offered you before. You get to do some different. If you get to be in this business for any length of time, you know, it's a blessing, but to be here this long and be able to still be doing different things is a true, true blessing."
The best actor in a comedy or musical was "Borat" star, Sacha Baron Cohen who probably made the censors nervous with his tribute to his 300-pound naked wrestling co-star.
Meryl Streep won her sixth Golden Globe for "The Devil Wears Prada" and took a few minutes on stage to give thanks.
"Did I speak for four minutes?" she asked Smith backstage. "Oh, my god. I'm so sorry. I hate people who do that. I thought I was speaking so rapidly but you never know."
Streep said winning never gets old.
"It's not old hat. At this point, it's shocking that anyone still employees me or can stand to look at the screen when I'm there," she said. "You have that feeling that you're pushing your luck. And anyway, so far, so good."
Her role in "The Devil Wears Prada" was a great opportunity for her to shine, she said. But this was also a year when many actresses were able to deliver great performances, she said.
"Every time that I say, 'It's really rare that these things come along,' then there is a year like this, when there are so many wonderful female performances and performers," Streep said. "It's just great to see people."
This was Streep's 21st Golden Globe nomination, her first win was back in 1980, as best supporting actress for "Kramer vs. Kramer."
"It's a thrill to win. You have to realize, I've been nominated so many times for various things, and I have lost so many more times than anyone on the face of the earth," she said. "I've lost. So I've protected myself in that it doesn't really matter to me if I lose. I've gotten used to that feeling. But the winning, it's great."
For drama, "Babel" was chosen as best picture to the astonishment of many, including the film's director.The Winners' List
"Heart stop in side of me, really surprised, felt adrenaline, shock," Alejandro González Iñárritu said.
Forest Whitaker could barely contain his emotion after winning Best Actor in a Drama for playing Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland."
"I gave it everything I could. Uganda, I studied, I did all I could. If it works, it works, but if it doesn't not because of me, gave my heart, soul, spirit," he told Smith.
Helen Mirren won two Golden Globes — one for playing Elizabeth the first on TV and another for playing the current Queen Elizabeth on the big screen.
"Two Queen Elizabeths. Been good to me. If I have a child I'd have to name her Elizabeth," she said. "I think people are mesmerized, to see behind the red velvet curtain, people love seeing the real world of that, of that existence."