The sci-fi smash “Inception” and the Facebook drama “The Social Network” took top screenplay honors Saturday night at the Writers Guild Awards.
“Inception” writer Christopher Nolan won for best original screenplay and “The Social Network” writer Aaron Sorkin won for best adapted screenplay. The awards were handed out by the Writers Guild of America in simultaneous ceremonies at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles and the AXA Equitable Center in New York.
“The Social Network,” which Sorkin adapted from the Ben Mezrich book “The Accidental Billionaires,” was expected to win Saturday. But the original screenplay category was considered a toss-up between “Inception,” the psychosexual thriller “Black Swan” and the boxing drama “The Fighter” because current awards-season darling “The King’s Speech” was not eligible for a WGA award as it was not made under the writing union’s contract guidelines.
Other top films of 2010 like “Toy Story 3” and “Winter’s Bone” were ineligible for the same reason.
Sorkin will be the prohibitive favorite in the adapted category, and “The King’s Speech” and “Inception” will vie for original screenplay honors at the Academy Awards on Feb. 27.
“The Social Network,” was also considered an early favorite for a best picture Oscar. But it has been trumped in recent award ceremonies including the Golden Globes and Producers Guild Awards by “The King’s Speech,” which features Colin Firth as the stammering father of Queen Elizabeth II and is expected to sweep several categories on Oscar night.
In other WGA categories, Charles Ferguson, Chad Beck and Adam Bolt won best documentary screenplay honors for “Inside Job,” a chronicle of the 2008 economic meltdown.
And large teams of writers from AMC’s “Mad Men” and ABC’s “Modern Family” won for best drama and comedy series, respectively.
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More