This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Johnny Depp opened the Hollywood awards season on a high note on Friday night, appearing to be drunk and being cut off while presenting at the Hollywood Film Awards in Los Angeles, which were being televised for the first time.

Depp was on stage to present the documentary award to Mike Myers’s Supermensch: the Legend of Shep Gordon.



“That’s the weirdest microphone I’ve seen in my life,” he began, before struggling with the recalcitrant equipment, to laughter.

He added: “I’m not very good at this kind of thing,” before broadcaster CBS blanked out a swearword or two.

“No-no,” Depp continued. “Watch, I’m going to read this thing.”

Attempting to focus on the autocue, the star, who was wearing dark glasses, slurring his words and was distinctly unsteady on his feet, said: “For decades, Shep Gordon has been one of the most beloved and respected talent managers in the music industry. He is also currently the star of the documentary Supermensch – because he is a mensch – and I have been very, very, er … lucky to have him in my life.

“He’s someone I consider a great friend, somebody … uh, yeah, uh … incredibly, uh … loyal, loyal friend. Um. And so … you have to watch the film. Yeah, there you go.”

After asking “What’s that say?” Depp appeared to swear and was blanked out again. After saying “I mean, it’s one of those nights”, he was cut-off by a clips package.

Gordon was pictured during the speech. Like the rest of a bemused audience, he was laughing. Depp carried out the presentation.

Other winners at the awards, which do not involve nominations and largely dealt with films not yet released to the public, included Benedict Cumberbatch as best actor for The Imitation Game, in which he plays the British second world war codebreaker Alan Turing. Morten Tyldum won for directing the film.

Depp’s current projects include Mortdecai, an adaptation of a trilogy of beloved cult novels by Kyril Bonfiglioli in which he plays a louche art dealer. It is due out in the US on 23 January.

Hollywood Film awards: full list of winners

Best film

Gone Girl

Best actor

Benedict Cumberbatch for The Imitation Game

Best blockbuster

Guardians of the Galaxy

Best documentary

Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon

Best actress

Julianne Moore for Still Alice

Career achievement

Michael Keaton

Best animation

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Best comedy film

Top Five

New Hollywood award

Jack O’Connell for Unbroken

Best ensemble

Foxcatcher

Best director

Morten Tyldum for The Imitation Game

Best song

What is Love? from Rio 2

Best screenwriter

Gillian Flynn for Gone Girl

Breakout performance actor

Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything

Breakthrough director

Jean-Marc Vallee for Wild

Best supporting actress

Keira Knightley for The Imitation Game

Breakout performance actress

Shailene Woodley for The Fault in Our Stars

Best supporting actor

Robert Duvall for The Judge

Best cinematography

Birdman

International award

Jing Tian

Best visual effects

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Best film composer

Alexandre Desplat for The Imitation Game

Best costume design

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best editing

Fury

Best production design

Maleficent

Best sound

Gone Girl

Best makeup and hairstyling

Guardians of the Galaxy