Rachel Weisz wins Golden Globe, but Knightley and Dench miss out

The British actress Rachel Weisz picked up a Golden Globe today, but Keira Knightley and Dame Judi Dench went home empty-handed.

An emotional Weisz beat Hollywood darling Scarlett Johansson to take a best supporting actress award for her portrayal of a pregnant activist in political thriller The Constant Gardener.

Hugh Laurie was also honoured, receiving a Globe for best actor in the TV drama series House, in which he plays a maverick anti-social doctor who ends up solving mysteries that come his way.

Weisz, who recently revealed she is five months pregnant, said her award was shared with co-star Ralph Fiennes, who plays her husband in the film.

Knightley, 20, had been shortlisted as best actress in a musical or comedy film for her performance as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, while Dame Judi, 71, was nominated for her starring role as a theatre owner in Mrs Henderson Presents.

Both lost out to Reese Witherspoon, who walked away with the award for her role in Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line at the 63rd annual awards in Los Angeles.

Her co-star Joaquin Phoenix, who played Cash, was named best actor, denying Pierce Brosnan an award.

Fellow Irishman Jonathan Rhys Meyers took the gong for best actor in a mini series or film made for TV however, for his performance in Elvis.

Weisz, whose triumph was also at the expense of Brokeback Mountain's Michelle Williams, paid tribute to Fiennes as a "magical, committed actor.

The breathless 34-year-old also praised "extraordinary" director Fernando Meirelles, ending her acceptance speech by telling her fiance Darren Aronofsky that she loved him.

Laurie, 46, said his award was "absolutely terrific".

Walk The Line picked up its third award for best musical or comedy film, triumphing over British offerings Pride and Prejudice and Mrs Henderson Present, but it was Brokeback Mountain which ruled the night.

The movie about two cowboys who find an unexpected and enduring love, which had seven nominations, ended up with four Golden Globes: best picture, best director for Ang Lee, best screenplay and best original song for A Love That Will Never Grow Old.

But Heath Ledger failed pick up the best actor award for his performance as taciturn bisexual Ennis Del Mar.

The Globes are seen as a strong tip for Oscar glory.

Bob Hoskins lost out on a supporting actor award to George Clooney, who picked up a gong for his role in Syriana. Hoskins had been nominated for Mrs Henderson Presents.

Other disappointed British contenders were Scot Kelly MacDonald, Lost actor Naveen Andrews, Kenneth Branagh and Bill Nighy.

Neither the BBC3 series Blackpool nor BBC blockbuster Rome, a co-production with US network HBO, were successful.

Rome's star Polly Walker also missed out.

Gwyneth Paltrow presented Welsh-born actor Sir Anthony Hopkins with the Cecil B DeMille award for lifetime achievement.

Paltrow, who plays his daughter in Proof, said he had had a career " most of us can only dream of".

The 67-year-old won an Oscar for his chilling role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs and has been nominated for six Golden Globes since 1978.

Paltrow, who last week was reported to have confirmed that she was pregnant with her second child, wore a flowing white gown revealing what appeared to be a prominent bump.

Sir Anthony said: "I've been around a long time and I never expected this. This industry has been really good to me."

Desperate Housewives got best musical or comedy TV series, but its four stars - Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria - were pipped to the post for best TV actress by Mary-Louise Parker in Weeds.

Huffman walked away with the best actress award for her role as a pre-op transsexual in Transamerica.

The Globes are awarded by the relatively small Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which has about 80 members, compared with the 5,800 film professionals eligible to vote for the Oscars.

But they have an excellent track record at predicting the Academy Awards.

Complete list of winners:

MOTION PICTURES

Picture, Drama: "Brokeback Mountain"

Actress, Drama: Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica"

Actor, Drama: Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"

Picture, Musical or Comedy: "Walk the Line"

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line"

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk the Line"

Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"

Supporting Actor: George Clooney, "Syriana"

Director: Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"

Screenplay: Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, "Brokeback Mountain"

Foreign Language: "Paradise Now," Palestine

Original Score: John Williams, "Memoirs of a Geisha"

Original Song: "A Love That Will Never Grow Old" from " Brokeback Mountain"

TELEVISION

Series, Drama: "Lost," ABC

Actress, Drama: Geena Davis, "Commander in Chief," ABC

Actor, Drama: Hugh Laurie, "House," Fox

Series, Musical or Comedy: "Desperate Housewives," ABC

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds," Showtime

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Steve Carell, "The Office," NBC

Miniseries or movie: "Empire Falls," HBO

Actress, Miniseries or Movie: S. Epatha Merkerson, "Lackawanna Blues," HBO

Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, "Elvis," CBS

Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy," ABC

Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Paul Newman, "Empire Falls," HBO

Golden Globe winner previously announced this year:

Cecil B. DeMille Award: Anthony Hopkins