FROM WIRE REPORTS

Octavia Spencer, Idris Elba and Morgan Freeman were among the winners at the Jan. 15 Golden Globes.

Spencer won best supporting actress for her role as a brassy housekeeper joining other Black maids to share stories about life with their White employers in the 1960s Deep South tale "The Help."

"With regard to domestics in this country, now and then, I think Dr. King said it best: ‘All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance.’ And I thank you for recognizing that with our film," Spencer said.

DeMille Award for Freeman

Idris Elba of "Luther" won the Golden Globe award for actor in a series, miniseries or motion picture made for television.

Morgan Freeman, awarded this year’s Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes, is well aware of how influential movies and the film industry can be on its audiences.

"One of the more effective avenues for learning American history is movies. I was always a big reader when I was a kid, but movies -– they’re so impactive," Freeman told reporters backstage at the Globes on Sunday.

Freeman pays homage to Poitier

Sidney Poitier and Helen Mirren presented Freeman the award. "Most of us need something to hang our hopes and dreams on -– Sidney was my guiding star. I always tell him that,’’ Freeman said.

Morgan Freeman, center, is shown with Helen Mirren and Sidney Poitier after being presented the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes in California on Jan. 15. (PHOTOS BY AL SEIB/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT)

He added during his acceptance speech: "Mr. Poitier, although they call this the Cecile B. De Mille award, in my house they also call it the Sidney Poitier award."

Davis of ‘Help’ loses to Streep

Since Meryl Streep won the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama for her turn as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," that means Viola Davis didn’t win for her lead role as Aibileen in "The Help."

That could portend things to come for Davis as some see the Globes as a key step to winning an Oscar. On the other hand noted and super snarky Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke says that the Globes very seldom pick Oscar winners.

She gave the best film category as an example. She also dropped this lug about Tyler Perry and Idris Elba winning for his "Luther" role.

"Considering that Tyler Perry stole Elba’s Alex Cross role, this is small comfort indeed for Idris. Really, Tyler, stick to cross-dressing in your movies and holding Oprah’s handbag the rest of the time."

EURweb.com was used in compiling this report.