Hollywood
‘Boyhood’ wins top honours at the Golden Globe Awards 2015
MUMBAI: Richard Linklater’s ‘Boyhood’ walked away with top awards at the 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards, including the best drama, best director and best supporting actress.
Held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in California, the glamorous evening was hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for the third consecutive and final time. Produced by Dick Clark Productions in association with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Golden Globe Awards 2015 honoured the best in film and American television of 2014.
The first award of the night went to JK Simmons for best supporting actor for his performance as a domineering jazz teacher in the acclaimed indie ‘Whiplash’.
Amy Adams accepted the award for best actress in a comedy or musical for her performance in ‘Big Eyes’ while Michael Keaton, who played a former superhero star mounting a serious play on Broadway, won the best actor in a comedy or musical for ‘Birdman’.
‘Birdman’ also won the best screenplay award while The DreamWorks sequel ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ took best animated film.
Wes Anderson’s ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ won the best picture, comedy or musical while the Stephen Hawking biopic ‘The Theory of Everything’ won best score for Johann Johannsson, and the Russian entry ‘Leviathan’ took best foreign language film.
Eddie Redmayne won the Golden Globe for best actor in a motion picture, drama, for portraying Stephen Hawking in ‘The Theory of Everything’ while Julianne Moore took the best dramatic actress award for playing a professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in ‘Still Alice’.
The Cecil B DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award went to George Clooney.
Here is the full list of winners:
Best Motion Picture, Drama
Boyhood
Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best TV Series, Drama
The Affair
Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Transparent
Best Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Fargo
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
Amy Adams, Big Eyes
Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama
Ruth Wilson, The Affair
Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Best Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Billy Bob Thortnon, Fargo
Best Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable Woman
Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture for TV
Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture for TV
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Best Director, Motion Picture
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Birdman
Best Foreign-Language Feature
Leviathan (Russia)
Best Animated Feature
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“Glory,” Selma
Best Original Score, Motion Picture
The Theory of Everything
Hollywood
Paramount seeks FCC nod for foreign-backed $110 billion WBD deal
Gulf funds back merger as foreign stake nears 50 per cent, control stays with Ellison
NEW YORK: Paramount Global has approached the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval for foreign investments tied to its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, marking another key step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
According to regulatory filings made public this week, the investment backing the deal includes major Gulf sovereign funds such as the Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and L’imad Holding Company. Together, foreign investors are expected to hold just under 50 per cent of Paramount’s equity once the transaction is complete.
Despite the sizeable international backing, Paramount has made it clear that voting control will remain with the family of chief executive David Ellison, ensuring the company stays firmly under US control as required by broadcasting rules.
A company spokesperson described the FCC filing as routine for transactions involving foreign capital and stressed that it does not impact the closing of the deal. Under US law, any significant foreign ownership in broadcast licence holders must undergo regulatory review.
The merger itself has already cleared a major hurdle, with Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approving the deal on 23 April. The transaction values the company at $31 per share, a 147 per cent premium to its earlier trading price, reflecting strong strategic intent behind the tie-up.
If completed, the combined entity will bring together a vast portfolio including Warner Bros. film studios, HBO Max, and networks such as CNN, TNT and Discovery Channel. The deal is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
However, scrutiny is intensifying. The US Department of Justice has issued subpoenas seeking details on the merger’s potential impact on cinema competition, streaming services and content licensing. Reviews are also anticipated in international markets, including the United Kingdom.
There is also a financial safety net built into the agreement. If regulators ultimately block the deal, Paramount would face a $7 billion break-up fee. Additionally, the company has taken on $2.8 billion in obligations previously owed by Warner Bros. Discovery to Netflix following an earlier terminated arrangement.
Paramount maintains that easing foreign ownership barriers will unlock fresh capital and strengthen its ability to compete in a rapidly evolving media landscape. For now, the spotlight remains on regulators, whose decision will determine whether this global media consolidation moves from script to screen.
