'Homeland' wins big at Golden Globes

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Showtime's "Homeland" was named Best Drama Series and its star Claire Danes Best Actress at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles Sunday night.

As Danes collected her statuette at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, she said she was "deeply grateful" to her parents for their love and encouragement. She also singled out her husband, actor Hugh Dancy, noting he "keeps me sane and happy as I play someone who is not so sane and happy." She then thanked the show's writing team for giving her an "exquisite and divine" CIA agent character to play.

Laura Dern picked up the prize for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of a woman who reinvents herself after a meltdown and subsequent quest for spiritual enlightenment in HBO's "Enlightened."

"Thank you so much, Hollywood Foreign Press, for supporting our show. We're so grateful," Dern said

Dern acknowledged the show's creator and co-star Mike White, as well as cast members Luke Wilson and Diane Ladd, her real-life mother.

She also recognized the other nominees in her category whom she said "inspire bravery and humor in the most unlikely of places."

Matt LeBlanc won the Best Actor in a Comedy Series for playing an exaggerated version of himself on Showtime's "Episodes."

"It's been an awesome, awesome experience," he said. "They write a Matt LeBlanc who is way more interesting and fun than the real thing. I wish I was him."

ABC's sitcom "Modern Family" took the award for Best Comedy Series and Kelsey Grammer won the Best Actor in a Drama Series Globe for his portrayal of a fictional Chicago mayor suffering a health crisis in Starz's "Boss."

The early 1900s-set "Downton Abbey," which follows the lives of a wealthy British family and the people who serve them, was named Best Miniseries or TV Movie.

"How fabulous this is! The whole 'Downton' adventure has been an extraordinary one -- like spotting a promising child and waking up to find they've won the Olympics. That's what we've lived through," the PBS show's creator Julian Fellowes said as he took the stage.

Kate Winslet earned the award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie for her work in HBO's "Mildred Pierce," while Idris Elba won the Best Actor prize for his work in BBC America's "Luther."

Peter Dinklage was honored as Best Supporting Actor for the fantasy series "Game of Thrones."

As he accepted his award, the actor joked about how his mother warned him his rival in the category Guy Pearce would beat him because he was so good in "Mildred Pierce."

"I just love our moms because they keep us humble," Dinklage said.

Jessica Lange took home the Best Supporting Actress statuette for her performance in FX's "American Horror Story."

"This is lovely," Lange said, thanking the network, as well as "the great group of actors I had the pleasure of working with and wonderful crew."

"More than anything, I want to thank the writers because I find it rarer every year to find a piece of work that is really beautifully written and gives you something to do and it certainly was this," she said.