"If you told me a year ago that I would be hosting the Hollywood Film Awards, I would ask you 'What are the Hollywood Film Awards?' "
That is how host James Corden kicked of the evening's festivities at the 19th annual HFAs.
The event is marketed as being "The Official Launch of the Awards Season, " and the ceremony, which took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, felt like a big, fun practice round for the next few months of awards campaigning and shows.
Jamie Foxx, Jake Gyllenhaal, Selena Gomez, Alicia Vikander, Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Ridley Scott, Tom Hooper and Will Smith were a few of the celebrities that graced the stage, many of whom took the time to crack some jokes and offer some snide remarks about Hollywood.
"We aren't even on TV!" the host of the Late Late Show announced to the audience, who were quick to applaud. (The 18th annual HFAs were broadcast on CBS).
"It is the kind of film that when you see it, it kicks you right in the nuts. Like when you watch it on a plane you are gonna cry your balls off, " said Amy Poehler as she presented Inside Out director Pete Docter with the Hollywood Animation Award. The comedienne added: "This isn't televised, so who cares?"
Amy Poehler honors Pete Docter with the Hollywood Animation Award for @PixarInsideOut. #HollywoodAwards
— Hollywood Awards (@hollywoodawards)Ice Cube took the stage to present the cast of Straight Outta Compton, including his son O'Shea Jackson Jr., with the Hollywood Breakout Ensemble Award, thanking the cast and crew for taking the time and care to create a truthful portrayal of the rap group N.W.A.
At one point the actor/musician stumbled over his words and stopped mid-sentence, glared at the teleprompter, and offered "Damn, I f—ed that up." After the uncouth declaration, the audience burst into laughter and Ice Cube leaned into the mic and joked, "Thank you L.A. Unified School District."
— Hollywood Awards (@hollywoodawards)While presenting an award to the ensemble cast of Quentin Tarantino's Hateful Eight, Jamie Foxx referenced the recent controversy Tarantino has been embroiled in for attending an anti-police brutality rally in New York last Saturday. "Keep telling the truth, keep speaking the truth and don't worry about none of the haters, " Foxx said in defense of the filmmaker, whose films have been the subject of a boycott by multiple police unions.
When Amy Schumer accepted the Hollywood Comedy Award, the Trainwreck actress gave an acceptance speech that sounded more like a stand-up routine, with bits that touched on everything from awards contender The Danish Girl to Barbara Walters' libido.
— Hollywood Awards (@hollywoodawards)The night took a serious turn when Vin Diesel accepted the Hollywood Blockbuster Award on behalf of the Furious 7 cast and crew, saying, "We made a film that made the whole world cry with us."
Diesel continued: "It is hard to celebrate Furious 7. I said I wasn't going to talk about Paul, but when you have had a brother like that it is impossible not to."
Vin Diesel, @JordanaBrewster & @MRodOfficial accept the Hollywood Blockbuster Award for @FastFurious.
— Hollywood Awards (@hollywoodawards)Jane Fonda received a standing ovation upon being given the Hollywood Supporting Actress Award at the ceremony.
The HFAs ended with Robert De Niro being given the Hollywood Career Achievement Award. The legendary actor, whose credits include Casino, Raging Bull and Taxi Driver, also received a standing ovation as he made his way up onstage.
"The Hollywood Film Awards are supposed to be the start to the awards season, " De Niro began, "For me the awards season started 40 years ago... that's a long f—ing awards season."
This remark being an apt end to the night.
This year’s award show honored the following:
Hollywood Career Achievement Award
Robert De Niro, presented by David O. Russell
Hollywood Producer Award
Ridley Scott for The Martian, presented by Russell Crowe
Hollywood Director Award
Tom Hooper for The Danish Girl, presented by Amber Heard
Hollywood Actor Award
Will Smith for Concussion, presented by Jamie Foxx
Hollywood Actress Award
Carey Mulligan for Suffragette, presented by Jake Gyllenhaal
Hollywood Supporting Actor Award
Benicio Del Toro for Sicario, presented by Reese Witherspoon
Hollywood Supporting Actress Award
Jane Fonda for Youth, presented by Laura Dern
Hollywood Breakout Actor Award
Joel Edgerton for Black Mass, presented by Johnny Depp and Dakota Johnson
Hollywood Breakout Actress Award
Alicia Vikander for The Danish Girl, presented by Armie Hammer
New Hollywood Award
Saoirse Ronan for Brooklyn, presented by Ryan Gosling
Hollywood Ensemble Award
The Hateful Eight cast including Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Channing Tatum, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, presented by Jamie Foxx
Hollywood Breakout Ensemble Award
Straight Outta Compton cast including Corey Hawkins, O’Shea Jackson Jr. & Jason Mitchell, presented by Ice Cube
Hollywood Comedy Award
Amy Schumer for Trainwreck, presented by Selena Gomez
Hollywood Breakthrough Director Award
Adam McKay for The Big Short, presented by Steve Carell
Hollywood Screenwriter Award
Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight, presented by Mark Ruffalo
Hollywood Blockbuster Award
Furious 7 (award accepted by Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez), presented by Kurt Russell
Hollywood Song Award
Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth for “See You Again” from the Furious 7 soundtrack, presented by Vin Diesel
Hollywood Animation Award
Inside Out (award accepted by director Pete Docter), presented by Amy Poehler
Hollywood Documentary Award
Asif Kapadia for Amy
Hollywood Cinematography Award
Janusz Kaminski for Bridge of Spies
Hollywood Film Composer Award
Alexandre Desplat for The Danish Girl and Suffragette
Hollywood Editor Award
David Rosenbloom for Black Mass
Hollywood Visual Effects Award
Tim Alexander for Jurassic World
Hollywood Sound Award
Gary Rydstrom for Bridge of Spies
Hollywood Costume Design Award
Sandy Powell for Cinderella
Hollywood Make-Up & Hair Styling Award
