Golden Globes 2013: Wins for Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway

By John Horn, Steven Zeitchik and Yvonne Villareal

Jan. 13, 2013 12 AM PT

Jennifer Lawrence was named best lead actress in a musical or comedy at the Golden Globes on Sunday night for her role as the depressed widow Tiffany in “Silver Linings Playbook.”

“I beat Meryl!,” she joked about winning over veteran actress Meryl Streep, who was nominated for “Hope Springs.” (Streep, a Golden Globe winner last year for her turn as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady,” wasn’t at this year’s show, as she was reportedly ill with the flu.)

The 22-year-old Lawrence, who was nominated for lead actress in a drama but did not win a Golden Globe for 2010’s “Winter’s Bone,” thanked distributor Harvey Weinstein, a relentless awards campaigner, for the triumph.

“Thank you for killing whoever you had to kill to get me up here,” Lawrence said.

Anne Hathaway collected the supporting actress award for playing the doomed seamstress Fantine in “Les Misérables.” “Oh, my gosh, this is happening,” said the 30-year-old Hathaway.

She said she would use the award “as a weapon against self-doubt” and thanked fellow nominee Sally Field, who was shortlisted for “Lincoln,” for being a role model, noting that Field followed “The Flying Nun” by playing icons Norma Rae and Mary Todd Lincoln.

Both Lawrence and Hathaway are also up for Oscars (Lawrence for lead actress, Hathaway for supporting actress). Backstage, though, Lawrence said she was trying not to think too much about that. Two years ago, she was nominated for an Academy Award for “Winter’s Bone” but didn’t win.

Lawrence has been open about her nervousness when it comes to award shows, and she did little to dispel that backstage after winning. “That gives me a lot of anxiety,” she said when someone asked if she was looking forward to the Oscars. “Me and the Oscars together give me a lot of anxiety.”

The actress acknowledged that she was a little young to play Bradley Cooper’s paramour in “Silver Linings.” “I was wrong for the part. I was way too young. But I guess we turned that around.”

Cooper’s character is set off by a particular song in the film. Lawrence says she has her own triggers when it comes to music. “’Light My Fire,’” she said, when someone asked her about said trigger. “Losing in tennis, someone drove by playing that song, and now every time I hear that song I want to throw a tennis racket.”

Hathaway told reporters backstage that she feels blessed.

“It’s so encouraging, because there are so many people out there who feel, and know in their hearts, that they are actors … and it doesn’t work out for so many of them,” she said. “It just makes me feel really lucky that I get access to these kind of roles and these kind of experiences. It makes me wonder who I send a check to.”

The young starlet broke onto the Hollywood scene more than a decade ago for her portrayal as an average teenager turned royal in “The Princess Diaries.” The role could have easily pigeonholed her, she suggested.

PHOTOS: Golden Globes red carpet

“I felt like I was walking a very narrow path and that I could fall off it very easily,” Hathaway said. “I knew it was up to me to convince them. I really felt so encouraged by Sally — if you do the work and you do it well, people will listen.”

She seems to be doing just fine. Clutching her trophy, Hathaway was especially pleased to have landed the role of the starving grisette (with quite the voice) in the film adaptation of the musical.

“I’ve loved the show since I was 8,” Hathaway said. “I saw my mom perform this role when I was 8 years old. It just seemed like an amazing challenge to tell a story and represent the destruction and redemption of a soul in 15 minutes of screen time.”

But, really, she would have settled for any ol’ part in the film.

“I honestly would have played a musket, so I was thrilled when I got to sing a really good song.”

ALSO

Golden Globes 2013: Christoph Waltz wins first award for ‘Django

Golden Globes 2013: Robert Pattinson there to party -- and present

Golden Globes 2013: Judd Apatow all about ‘Girls’ star Lena Dunham