Lee Daniels’ controversial movie "The Butler" was dealt a major blow in Thursday's Golden Globe nominations, being shut out in all categories.
The movie which had gone into the annual awards season as one of the favorites failed to get a single nod from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the host of the glitzy showpiece.
The story of a black man from the south who served eight American presidents over three decades in the White House received nominations from the actors union on Wednesday for best ensemble, lead actor for Forest Whitaker and supporting actress for Oprah Winfrey.
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"What the Screen Actors Guild giveth, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association taketh away," film critic John Horn
said in The Los Angeles Times.
The film, which opened this summer, earned mixed reviews and came under fire
for its portrayal of former President Ronald Reagan as being racist, in part because he was not in favor of imposing economic sanctions on South Africa, and for casting Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan. It grossed $116 million at the box office.
Making the decision more startling is that the Golden Globes has nominations for both dramatic movies and for musicals or comedies, doubling the amount of nominations of most other award shows.
The Foreign Press Association instead chose "12 Years a Slave," "Gravity," "Captain Phillips," "Rush," and "Philomena" ahead of "The Butler," in the dramatic category.
Following the Globe announcements at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, there were several startled responses to "The Butler" snub.
"Well, the HFPA was clearly not having this movie at all!" said New York magazine, adding, "Just a complete and total shutout across the board."
"Lee Daniels’ 'The Butler' was high on early lists, then fell back (and didn’t even make the American Film Institute’s Top 10 movies-of-the-year roster),"
noted The New York Times.
Director Daniels revealed
to The Hollywood Reporter last month that he initially had trouble getting financing for the film, which was based on a story by Washington Post reporter Wil Hargood, who tracked down then-89-year-old former White House butler Eugene Allen for a piece celebrating President Barack Obama's election.
In that story, Allen fondly recalled first lady Nancy Reagan inviting him and his wife to a state dinner. “She said, ‘You and Helene are coming to the state dinner as guests of President Reagan and myself," he told Hargood.
"I’m telling you! I believe I’m the only butler to get invited to a state dinner," he grinned.
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