(Long Island, N.Y.) The Brits were the big winners at the 38th International Emmy Awards. Great Britain received five International Emmys on Monday, November 22nd at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
Actress Helena Bonham Carter and Bob Hoskins received the famous gold Emmy statuette for the top acting awards as British TV productions received five International Emmys on Monday, including two for the BBC drama, “The Street.”
Bonham Carter did not receive any formal training in acting. In 1979 she won a national writing contest and used the money to pay for her entry into the actors’ directory Spotlight. She made her professional acting début at the age of 16 in a television commercial. She also had a part in a minor TV film “A Pattern of Roses.”
Bonham Carter made her film debut in the K. M. Peyton film, “A Pattern of Roses” before appearing in her first leading role in Lady Jane. She is best known for her portrayals of Lucy Honeychurch in the film “A Room with a View,” Marla Singer in the film “Fight Club,” Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter film series, her Oscar-nominated performance as Kate Croy in “The Wings of the Dove,” her BAFTA-nominated performance as Enid Blyton in “Enid,” her Golden Globe-nominated performance as Mrs. Lovett in “Sweeney Todd:” “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” as well as her other collaborations with Tim Burton, her domestic partner since 2001.
Her first starring film role was as Lady Jane Grey in “Lady Jane” in 1986 which had mixed reviews. The story reflected the troubled life of England’s nine-days’ Queen from her troubled adolescence and arranged marriage to her ill-fated accession and subsequent execution. Her breakthrough role was Lucy Honeychurch in “A Room with a View,” which was filmed after “Lady Jane” but released beforehand.
British Actress Ruth Wilson received the award for Helena Bonham Carter who was unable to attend.
Ruth is an English actress, perhaps best known for her performance in the title role of “Jane Eyre.” “Jane Eyre” is a 2006 television adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel of the same name. This four-part BBC television drama serial adaptation was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One. Wilson’s performance in “Jane Eyre” earned her four nominations for Best Actress awards in 2007, from the Broadcasting Press Guild, BAFTA television awards, Satellite Awards and the 2008 Golden Globes. She also came second in a BBC viewers’ poll for Best Actress of 2006. In 2006 through 2007 she filmed the second series of “Suburban Shootout,” a new Marple mystery for ITV, and Stephen Poliakoff’s BBC television drama “Capturing Mary” as the young Mary. From July 23rd through October 2009 she appeared as Stella in the Donmar revival of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” On November 15, 2009 AMC Television and ITV premiered the 2009 TV miniseries remake of “The Prisoner,” in which Wilson played the Village doctor, “Number 313.” Starting on BBC1 on December 6, 2009, she played “Queenie” in an adaptation of Andrea Levy’s Small Island, which also aired in the United States on PBS in 2010. Her more recent achievement has been starring as Karin in the Almeida Theatre production of “Through a Glass Darkly,” an adaptation for the stage of Ingmar Bergman’s Oscar-winning 1961 film this past summer.
CEO Rupert Murdoch surprised guests and nominees when he presented the honorary International Emmy Directorate Award to Simon Cowell.
“When I think back over 10 years, I can genuinely say I’ve had the best time I’ve ever had in my life,” revealed Cowell, who abandoned his “American Idol” judge’s seat previously this year to brand an American version of his hit British singing competition “The X Factor” soon to be launched in the coming year on Murdoch’s Fox Network.
“Whoever said fame, money, success will destroy you — completely wrong,” said Cowell. Cowell went on to say as he accepted the award thanking all his colleagues, “On behalf of the people who’ve worked on the shows with me and made my shows successful.”
Simon Cowell is an A&R executive, producer and star of the highest rated television shows in the world. His discerning eye for talent and candid remarks have made him a household name as viewers devotedly tune in to watch him as judge on “The X Factor,” “Britain’s Got Talent” and “American Idol.” In 2002 he founded his UK-based media and entertainment production company, Syco, which has become a joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment in 2010. With Syco, Cowell was responsible for developing two of the biggest hit TV formats in the world, in “The Got Talent” and “X Factor” franchises. He is also the first producer to simultaneously have the number one program in the United Kingdom and the United States as “Britain’s Got Talent” and “America’s Got Talent” topped the television charts in 2008. “Got Talent” is Europe’s leading entertainment and is now airing in over 40 countries. “The X Factor,” having recently completed season six was awarded ‘Entertainment Show of the year’ by the 2009 National Television awards. Cowell’s shows can be seen in more than seventy countries around the world and Cowell recently announced that he would be launching “X Factor” in the USA on Fox in the autumn of 2011. In 2009, Cowell recently was named number one in Hollywood Reporter’s Top 50 Most Powerful in Reality TV, and one of Entertainment Weekly’s Top Entertainers of the year. With his own record label, Syco Music, Cowell is responsible for some of the biggest acts of the last decade including Leona Lewis, Westlife and Susan Boyle. Over the last 15 years his acts have achieved sales of more than 150 million albums and Cowell has had more than 100 number one records. The last series of “Britain’s Got Talent” reached record viewing figures of 20 million and runner up Susan Boyle became a YouTube phenomenon and wowed audiences across the world. She has since sold over 8 million copies of her album, ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ with Syco Music worldwide making her the fastest selling female debut artist of all time. Cowell has been on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in the US and the Radio Times, GQ and NME in the UK. He was also amongst the highest ranked on the Forbes ‘TV Faces’ list.
The 38th International Emmys was hosted by American Actor Jason Priestly.
Mr. Priestly is an accomplished actor, director and producer. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series “Beverly Hills, 90210,” a primetime drama created by super producer Aaron Spelling. In 1993, he earned his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series for his portrayal of Brandon. He also directed nineteen of the show’s episodes. Although known mainly for his work in television, Jason appeared in a few film roles, including “Tombstone,” “Calendar Girl” and “Love and Death on Long Island.” In 2000, Priestley appeared on stage in the London production of “Side Man,” the Tony Award-winning play by Warren Leight. On July 15, 2007 he returned to series television as one of the lead males in Lifetime Television’s comedy-drama “Side Order of Life.” In August 2009, Priestley directed and co-produced all 12 episodes of the web-series “The Lake,” on The WB.com. Jason is currently filming with his old co-star, Luke Perry, for the Hallmark Movie Channel “Original Goodnight For Justice,” a TV western.
The International Emmy Directorate Award was presented to Lorne Michaels by “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon and a surprise assistant “30 Rock’s” Alec Baldwin.
Jimmy Fallon is currently hosting the NBC hit “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Previously he was best known as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 1998 to 2004. He started playing the guitar at age thirteen. This musical talent would later pay off as he would go on to mix comedy and music in contests and shows and later can be seen in stretches on “SNL”. Fallon’s impersonations helped land him on “Saturday Night Live” as a featured player in the 1998-1999 season, and he was promoted to full cast member in the summer of 1999. Fallon left “SNL” in 2004 and began pursuing a film career. Fallon has appeared in “Taxi,” “Anything Else,” “Almost Famous,” “Fever Pitch,” “Band of Brothers,” “Doogal,” “Factory Girl” and “Whip It.” In 2002 Fallon released the comedy album The Bathroom Wall. Rolling Stone praised the album’s songs calling the album the “second-best Prince parody ever, after Beck’s ‘Debra’.” In 2007, Fallon wrote the song “Car Wash for Peace” and donated all proceeds to charity. He occasionally does stand up comedy at the Comedy Club in New York City. He also hosted the MTV Movie Awards for numerous years and hosted the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards this past September.
Michaels is the creator and executive producer of “Saturday Night Live,” a show that reinvented comedy on television and launched a generation of major film and TV stars. In addition to his weekly duties on “SNL,” the most Emmy-nominated series on television, Michaels is executive producer of NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” and the Golden Globe, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedy “30 Rock” starring Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan. Over the last thirty five years, “SNL” and “30 Rock” have won numerous Emmy Awards. “SNL” has been honored twice with the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award in 1990, 2008 and “30 Rock” also received a Peabody Award in 2008. Michaels has personally won 13 Emmys as a writer and producer in television. Michaels was inducted into the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 2004 he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. In 2008, he was named one of Time Magazine’s “Time 100” – a list of the most influential people in the world, and additionally was honored by the Museum of the Moving Image in 2009 which recognizes two leaders in the entertainment industry annually whose vision and innovations have dramatically influenced the moving image. He has produced numerous motion pictures including “Baby Mama,” “Mean Girls,” “Wayne’s World,” “Tommy Boy,” “Enigma” and “Three Amigos” which he produced and co-wrote with Steve Martin and Randy Newman. His previous television credits include: “The Kids in the Hall,” “Night Music,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” as well as specials with Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Paul Simon, The Rutles, Flip Wilson, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Randy Newman, Neil Young and Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park. Michaels began his career in Toronto where he attended the University of Toronto and worked as a writer and producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In 1968 he moved to Los Angeles and worked as a writer for NBC’s “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” and other television series until he left in 1975 to begin “SNL” in New York. In 1979, Michaels founded the New York based production company Broadway Video Inc.
38th International Emmy Award Winners included are:
ARTS PROGRAMMING
The World According to Ion B. – WINNER
HBO Romania / Alexander Nanau Productions
Romania
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR
Bob Hoskins – WINNER
The Street
ITV Studios for BBC
United Kingdom
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS
Helena Bonham Carter – WINNER
Enid
Carnival Film & Television for BBC
United Kingdom
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
Shaun the Sheep – WINNER
Aardman Animations / WDR & WDR mediagroup GmbH / BBC
United Kingdom
COMEDY
Traffic Light – WINNER
Kuperman Productions / Keshet Broadcasting
Israel
DOCUMENTARY
Mom and the Red Bean Cake – WINNER
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)
South Korea
DRAMA SERIES
The Street – WINNER
ITV Studios for BBC
United Kingdom
NON-SCRIPTED ENTERTAINMENT
CQC – WINNER
Eyeworks Cuatro Cabezas SA
Argentina
TELENOVELA
My Love – WINNER
Plural Entertainment Portugal
Portugal
TV MOVIE/MINI-SERIES
Small Island – WINNER
Ruby Films in association with AL Films / Northern Ireland Screen for BBC, co-produced with WGBH Boston
United Kingdom
For more information on the 38th International Emmy Awards please visit www.iemmys.tv
Joan Collins, The “Dynasty” diva and still fabulous at seventy-seven has been wowing audiences with her one-woman show at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency from November 16 through the 27th. In “One Night With Joan” Ms. Collins shared her past with intriguing stories and secrets of her celebrated career as one of the world’s most glamorous celebrities. Ms. Collins brought to the stage her engaging wit and frankness that turned her two memoirs Past Imperfect and Second Act into New York Times best-sellers.
When the act premiered in England, the Times of London hailed Joan as “riveting,” “endearing” and “a terrific storyteller.” She recently received the “Best Actress Award” in the New York International Film Festival for her portrayal in the film Fetish and is currently penning her latest publication, The World According to Joan.
I decided to attend the show and sat with my press photographer at a corner cabaret table sipping champagne and dining on an elegant delicious dinner. Sitting to my right was TV Host and Historian Robert Osbourne from Turner Classic Movies TCM Network and sitting front row was Fur Designer Dennis Basso and Actress Brook Shields.
Ms. Collins is a Golden Globe winner and Emmy-nominee who possesses talent and star quality that has transformed her around the world. Ms. Collin’s career began in the 1950’s and continues to flourish. She has come to define what it means to be a living legend. More recently in recognition of her contributions to the arts, culture and charitable causes, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II honored Joan Collins with an O.B.E. title in 1997 making her an Officer of the British Empire.
Ms. Collins has appeared in more than sixty feature films and dozens of television series including her famous role of Alexis Carrington on Dynasty, one of the most highly rated television dramas of all time. Her novels and memoirs have sold over 50 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 30 languages. She is a regular diarist for The Spectator and a contributor to The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The Times and Harper’s Bazaar. On stage, Joan Collins has performed on Broadway, the West End, and in national tours in the UK and North America. She is recognized world-round as a fashion maven of timeless beauty and is a brand ambassador and spokeswoman for top cosmetic, health and beauty companies.
She has worked with many professional actors including: Richard Burton (Sea Wife); Paul Newman (Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys!); Bob Hope and Bing Crosby (Road to Hong Kong); Bette Davis (The Virgin Queen); Gregory Peck (The Bravados), James Mason and Dorothy Dandridge (Island in the Sun); Robert Mitchum (Big Sleep), Edward G. Robinson (Seven Thieves), Sir Nigel Hawthorne (The Clandestine Marriage); and Kenneth Branagh (In the Bleak Midwinter).
Also a humanitarian Ms. Collins is devoted to the well-being of women, children and families. She participates, contributes and gives her support to celebrity causes that include finding a cure for breast cancer and empowering children with learning disabilities.
Ms. Collins is married to Theatrical Manager Percy Gibson and they live happily between their homes in Los Angeles, London, New York and the South of France.
For more information please visit www.joancollins.net
