"THE ARTIST" LEADS 69TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

Still from The Artist

Awards Season has now kicked-in officially with the Golden Globe Nominations being announced earlier today at 5:00 AM PAC from Los Angeles. No huge surprises this year, but if anything Michael Hazanavicius' The Artist has solidified itself as a Frontrunner for Best Picture at the Oscars, leading all other Nominees with a total six nods including Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical where it is up against 50/50, My Week with Marilyn, Midnight in Paris and the biggest Box Office Hit of them all, Bridesmaids.

The Help fared v. well, in addition to leading in SAG Awards nominations as announced yesterday, garnering nods for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama with Viola Davis (some saw her as a Supporting Actress) and also Actress in a Supporting Role with Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer. It too is in the running for Best Motion Picture - Drama vying against The Descendants, Hugo, Moneyball, War Horse and The Ides of March.

Michelle Williams leads the race for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical for My Week with Marilyn, giving her a bit of breather from her stiffest Oscars competition in Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady in the the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Drama. Both Streep and Williams are being campaigned by the same interest in The Weinstein Co.  The Match of the Year.

KATE WINSLET WINS FOR "MILDRED PIERCE" AT PRIMETIME EMMYS

Kate Winslet at 63rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards

Is there any Award left which Kate Winslet hasn't won? The gorgeous Oscar Winner won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie at last night's Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Winslet won for the HBO Miniseries, Mildred Pierce. Am eagerly awaiting its DVD release!

In other categories, ABC's Modern Family won Outstanding Comedy Series, while AMC's Mad Men won Outstanding Drama Series.

Despite Jon Hamm not getting Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series again for the fourth consecutive year, his lovely Partner Jennifer Westfeldt did get a bit of amazing news during the Awards broadcast.  Westfeldt's self-directed/written/acted Friends with Kids, which premiered last week at TIFF 2011, struck a  distribution deal with Lionsgate Films in the U.S. (Alliance Films likely will handle in Canada).  Hamm also stars in the Film.  See Photos from the Premiere here.

For a complete list of Primetime Emmy Winners, click here.

See more Photos from the Primetime Emmys at Zimbio.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Kevin Winter)

KATE WINSLET POSSIBLE FOR TIFF 2011?

Kate Winslet for St. John

If I could get my Photo with any one Actress and one Actress only, it would definitely be Kate Winslet.  The Academy Award winner time and time again has melted my heart with astounding work and after just receiving a Primetime Emmy nomination last week for her work on Mildred Pierce, she now is some TIFF buzz for two possible titles which may be premiering here in September.  Both Steven Soderbergh's Contagion and Roman Polanski's Carnage in which she stars, could begin their Oscars campaign trail here in Toronto before the most discerning of Critics.

The Actress follows Angelina Jolie's lead and now appears as the face of Fashion House St. John's Fall 2011 Collection, while Jolie now is the face of Louis Vuitton.  Please, Kate!

(Photo credit: St. John)

EVAN RACHEL WOOD REVEALS HER SEXUALITY

Evan Rachel Wood in May issue of Esquire

One of my favourite young Actresses, Evan Rachel Wood is showing no signs of stopping and on the May issue of Esquire Magazine, the 23 year-old makes a shocking revelation to Julian Sancton that she’s actually Bisexual.

Those of us who saw her on HBO’s Mildred Pierce recently surely were shocked by her deliciously evil performance as Veda, daughter of Mildred (Kate Winslet). She confesses that she’d marry Winslet if she could. Elaborating further, Wood says “Yeah, I'm more kind of like the Guy when it comes to Girls. I'm the dominant one. I'm opening the doors, I'm buying dinner. Yeah, I'm romantic.". So hot.

Wood can be seen in Robert Redford’s The Conspirator, which expands this weekend in theatres. She only recently finished wrapping the new George Clooney Film The Ides of March in Michigan.

Click here to read the Interview in full here.

(Photo credit: Brooke Nipar/Esquire Magazine)

WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH HBO'S "MILDRED PIERCE"

Still from Mildred Pierce

My latest obsession is HBO’s Mildred Pierce, a five-part Mini-Series which I have been going on about now since learning last year that it began Production in New York. Not to be confused as a Remake of the 1945 Film starring Joan Crawford as much as it is an Adaptation of the 1941 Novel by James M. Cain, Mildred Pierce is well worth that $20/month you’ll have to spend to get HBO here in Canada.

Directed by Todd Haynes, who brought us 2002’s outstanding Far From Heaven and starring Oscar winner Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce alleviates any worries those of us had about Winslet “stepping down a notch” to do Television when she is a bona fide Film Actress. If anything, her work here rates as one of her best performances yet.

Haynes truly understands the soul of a tortured Woman.  Mildred leaves her adulterous Husband, raising difficult and materialistic Daughter Veda on her own. All the while, she single-handedly builds a Restaurant Empire out of her own ambition in California during the Great Depression while experiencing a sexual re-awakening engaging in a sexy and passionate relationship with Monty Peragon (Guy Pearce) who is financially dependent on her. This Mini-Series not only is a study of a complex character, but also a detailed examining of Class Relations in a time when Money or a lack thereof, defined an Era.

Despite Winslet v. much being where our attentions are focused upon, Mildred Pierce’s Supporting Cast is remarkable, including another Oscar winner in Melissa Leo and the great Hope Davis. The biggest revelation thus far has been soon-to-be twelve Child Actor Morgan Turner, who plays a young Veda – full of venomous fire and ambition. Veda has her Mother at her mercy, constantly making her crave approval and validation. Several times we see her deliver slaps and receive them from Winslet. When I was 11 years old… And although she has yet to surface, the talented Evan Rachel Wood plays the older Veda who surely will be stealing a scene or two.

Mildred Pierce airs Sunday nights on HBO Canada at 9:15 PM EST.

(Photo credit: HBO)

HBO'S MILDRED PIERCE MINI-SERIES TO PREMIERE END OF MARCH

Still from Mildred Pierce

HBO's Mildred Pierce will be premiering in the U.S. on March 27, 2011, though its Canadian Premiere Date has yet to be confirmed.  The eagerly awaited five-part Mini-series stars the amazing Kate Winslet in the Lead Role made famous originally by Joan Crawford in 1945.

Instead of studying Crawford's performance, Winslet made sure not to watch the original Film Adaption of James M. Cain's Novel in order to stay true to the original story as much as possible.  Mildred Pierce is about a Woman who finds financial wealth during The Great Depression after becoming a Restauranteur.  She finds that her upward mobility causes strains in her relationship with her spoiled Daughter Veda (Evan Rachel Wood).

Watch Mildred Pierce's juicy Trailer below:

AN EARLY LOOK: MILDRED PIERCE

Kate Winslet looks either extremely focused or upset that she is being photographed here on the set of her latest project, an HBO mini-series about restauranteur Mildred Pierce.  The series, to be released next year, is based on the novel by James M. Cain and 1946 film starring Joan Crawford.  It centers around a woman who after separating from her husband, is left to raise her children on her own during the Great Depression.  She launches a restaurant which becomes wildly successful and this leads to her new-found wealth.  This money strains her relationship with her eldest daughter Veda who takes advantange of the situation. 

Winslet who never disappoints, is in New York right now filming the series and often shines in unflattering roles.  I expect this to be nothing short of heart-wrenching as it is directed by the brilliant Todd Haynes who has a knock for understanding women.  His work garnered Julianne Moore an Oscar Best Actress nod for  Far From Heaven as an emotionally-tortured housewife and the same for Cate Blanchett as Best Supporting Actress in I'm Not There where she transformed into Bob Dylan.