FIVE nominations (and losses).

That is what actress Kate Winslet has seen for 12 years.

So one can imagine why the British actress was prepared for a dull night at the 66th Golden Globe Awards on Sunday evening at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel.

Little mishaps along the way did not seem comforting either.

First, Winslet's hopes of winning Best Supporting Actress were dampened by a website glitch which prematurely announced Anne Hathaway as the winner.

Then Winslet, 33, had wine spilt on her Yves Saint Laurent black strapless gown.

During the show, she also misplaced (but later recovered) a Chopard diamond bracelet and matching ring.

But these 'jinxes' ended up bringing luck to the Titanic star.

Winslet was the show's biggest star with two trophies - Best Supporting Actress for The Reader and Best Actress (Drama) for Revolutionary Road.

Despite prompting to wind up her speech after the first win, Winslet was determined to savour her moment.

She said: 'I'm sorry this is going on a bit but I want to make the most of it.'

In The Reader, Winslet plays a former concentration camp guard who is on trial for war crimes.

It was a role she was heavily tipped to win, having just nabbed a trophy for the same role at the Critics' Choice Award on Thursday.

The second win was unexpected, even to Winslet, who told the Daily Mail later: 'It's been a strange night. Someone spilt a glass of wine over my dress. And I said 'Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to be getting up on stage again. And then look what happens, I win two!'

Front-runners for the award were Penelope Cruz (Vicky Christina Barcelona) and Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married).

Perhaps the Hollywood Foreign Press Association - which organises the annual shindig - decided to shower some love on Winslet, after five nominations since 1996.

When her name was announced, she was so overcome with emotion, she had to be helped onstage by Emma Thompson.

Flustered, Winslet even forgot actress Angelina Jolie (Changeling) when acknowledging her fellow nominees.

She blubbered: 'I'm so sorry Anne, Meryl, Kristin... Oh my God, who's the other one? Angelina!'

In Revolutionary Road, Winslet reunites with Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio to play a disgruntled suburban wife who is dissatisfied with her life.

The film was directed by Winslet's director husband Sam Mendes.

And Winslet didn't forget to thank 'the two most important men in her life'.

Backstage, she said: 'You know, I feel like the kid who came in first in the running race on sports day at school, which I also never won.'

Oddsmakers are now putting their money on Winslet for the Academy Awards on 22 Feb.

The odds have also gone up for two comeback kids.

Making a dramatic return was Mickey Rourke, who beat favourites Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, for the Best Actor (Drama) trophy for The Wrestler.

As if to seal his bad boy reputation, which includes spousal abuse and drink-driving charges, a messy-haired Rourke kept his sunglasses on to receive his prize, and then peppered his thank you speech with several profanities.

Of The Wrestler director Darren Aronofsky, the 56-year-old said: 'He is one tough son of a b****.'

Also carrying his bad boy reputation onstage was Irish actor Colin Farrell who wore his trademark earrings and continued chewing gum onstage.

Having starred in some lacklustre fare of late - Cassandra's Dream and Alexander - Farrell's win for Best Actor (Comedy/Musical) for In Bruges was a surprise.

Javier Bardem (Vicky Christina Barcelona) and Dustin Hoffman (Last Chance Harvey) had been tipped to win.

Referring to the 2000 US presidential elections, Farrell said: 'They must have done the counting in Florida...Winning was an absolute shock.'

Farrell and Rourke won trophies but didn't win points for style.

'Golden' girls

Instead, it was up to a bevy of sexy attendees to add the much-needed glitz and glamour to the red carpet.

Haute couture gowns and luscious jewels made a welcome return to the Golden Globes, as if to make up for last year's show being whittled down to a drab press conference because of the writers' strike.

Adding gold to their globes was Transformers hottie Megan Fox and Latin singer Jennifer Lopez, who showed up in shiny gold confections that showed off their cleavage.

Lopez, 39, wore a slashed-to-down-there Marchesa gown reminiscent of her iconic body-baring Versace dress at the 2000 Grammys.

Fox, 22, who proudly told E! News she has a 22-inch waist, wore a Ralph Lauren dress that emphasised her every curve.

Also showing off curves was singer Beyonce Knowles, 27, in a white beaded Elie Saab creation.

But perhaps she showed too much.

The Daily Mail noticed that Knowles had to keep adjusting her gown and bits of double-sided tape were peeking out of the top of her bodice.

With additional reporting by Seto Nu-Wen

This article was first published in The New Paper on Jan 13, 2009.