SubscribeWill it be Meg Ryan vs. Sarah Jessica Parker at the Golden Globes?
The success of "Sex and the City" virtually guarantees it a spot in the comedy/musical movie race at the Golden Globe Awards. After all, during the TV series' seven-year run, it took best comedy series at the Globes three times out of six consecutive nods.
"Sex" star Sarah Jessica Parker is even more popular with the Golden Globes. She won four of her seven bids for best actress in a comedy series. And she even picked up an unexpected nod for "The Family Stone," her first starring role in a movie after the series ended in 2004.
The big competition for both movie and star could come in the form of the long-awaited update of the 1939 classic comedy "The Women." Judging by the trailer, this female-only film looks to be a lot of (catty) fun. And it marks a comeback for star Meg Ryan, who hasn't had even a modest hit since "Kate and Leopold" in 2001.
Ryan is a three-time Golden Globe nominee for best actress in a comedy or musical movie. Though she has yet to be nominated for an Academy Award, she lost two of those Globe races to women who went on to win the Oscar. In 1989, Ryan was up for "When Harry Met Sally" but was bested by Jessica Tandy in "Driving Miss Daisy." Her 1998 bid for "You've Got Mail" was edged out by Gwyneth Paltrow in "Shakespeare in Love." Her other loss, in 1993 for "Sleepless in Seattle," was to Angela Bassett, who went on to an Oscar nom for "What's Love Got to Do with It?".
The remake of "The Women" is written and directed by Diane English, best known for creating TV's "Murphy Brown." During that sitcom's decade on the air, it won one of its five Golden Globe bids for best comedy series while star Candice Bergen took two of her eight tries for best actress in a comedy series. Five-time Emmy Award winner Bergen is featured in "The Women" as Ryan's less-than-helpful mother, who berates her daughter over the breakup of her marriage.
Also appearing in "The Women" is Annette Bening as the tart-tongued Sylvia Fowler, the role that made Rosalind Russell a star in 1939. Like Russell, who was a four-time bridesmaid at the Academy Awards, Bening failed to win any of her three Oscar bids. However, Roz was the queen of the Globes, going five for five there. While Annette has only one Globe to show for her five movie nods, it was in the comedy/musical race ("Being Julia," 2004).
A trio of award winners feature in supporting roles in "The Women." Emmy award winner Debra Messing looks like she could steal the movie as the perpetually pregnant Edith. Messing lost six straight Golden Globe races for "Will and Grace" (four of those to Sarah Jessica Parker) and picked up a seventh nod just last year for "The Starter Wife."
Bette Midler may have lost both her Oscar bids ("The Rose," "For the Boys") but she won Golden Globes for them as best actress in a comedy/musical. Besides three additional nods in that category, she won a TV Globe for "Gypsy" in 1994 and even got a nod in 2001 for her failed sitcom "Bette" (losing to, yes, Sarah Jessica Parker). Midler could well be a contender as the divine divorcee who counsels Ryan.
And all-time Emmy Award champ Cloris Leachman, who has eight primetime prizes plus an additional daytime award, is her usual sassy self as Maggie the maid. While she has only one Golden Globe -- a win for TV comedy actress ("Phyllis," 1976) -- she has three movie nods, including one for "The Last Picture Show," a role that won her the Academy Award in 1971.
(Picturehouse, HBO Films, RKO)
Candice Bergin is ALSO in SATC.
The Women will garner no awards in the upcoming season because 1. Jada Pinkett Smith is involved, which kills all chances and 2. If the trailer is any indication, this thing is absolutely heinous on all counts.
Posted by: Michael | June 10, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Not only should Sarah Jessica Parker get a golden globe, she should seriously get an oscar nomination -- her performance is so heartbreaking. I just hope that meg Ryan's The Women gets a major release instead of a platform one. These type of movies should open up during the holidays. If only studio execs would realize that during the holidays -- they want to see movies with stars, especially comedies.
Posted by: jake | June 08, 2008 at 05:15 PM
NO THERE'S NO COMPETITION AT ALL BECAUSE MEG RYAN NEEDS TO FIRE WHOEVER TOLD HER TO GO OUT AND GET THOSE FISH LIPS. THEY LOOK SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WEIRD. SHE HAS TOTALLY LOST HER PERSPECTIVE, SHE WAS A TOTALLY BEAUTIFUL LADY AND SHE RUINED HER FACE WITH THAT WEIRD TROUT MOUTH. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW IT'S SO GROSS PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN STAND TO LOOK AT HER. SHE NEEDS TO STOP MESSING WITH HER FACE, JUST LIKE NICOLE KIDMAN WHO KEEPS SCREWING WITH HER FACE/FOREHEAD AND IT LOOKS REALLY REALLY BAD. THE APEAL OF SATC GIRLS IS THAT THEY ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE REAL PEOPLE, NOT TROUT MOUTHED, FROZEN FOREHEADED ALIENS
Posted by: nichole | June 06, 2008 at 08:27 AM