Sally Hawkins, Mickey Rourke Among Winners at Golden Globes Awards 2009

On a night when no one expected anyone other than Heath Ledger to win a posthumous Golden Globe, the ceremony managed to come up with a few surprise winners.In a deeply emotional moment in an otherwise lighthearted ceremony, Ledger’s win, for his role as the Joker in the Batman film “The Dark Knight,” reminded Hollywood what it had lost — a terrific young actor who had yet to fullfill his potential.

The announcement of Ledger’s name by presenter Demi Moore was met with a standing ovation by the crowd, followed by “Dark Knight” director Christpher Nolan’s short but moving speech.“I accept this with an awful mixture of sadness and intense pride,” said Nolan, adding that Ledgers’ death a year ago at age 28 meant “a hole had been ripped in the future of cinema.”

If the Golden Globes are indeed a portent for Academy Awards nominations, then the night’s biggest winner has to be Kate Winslet, who won two awards — after losing out five previous times. Winslet was the first winner of the night, for her supporting role as a Nazi guard in “The Reader.”Near the end of the ceremony, Winslet was an emotional, happy wreck when she was named best actress for her harrowing role as an unhappy 1950’s housewife in “Revolutionary Road” (directed by her husband, Sam Mendes).

The sentimental winner of the evning was Mickey Rourke, who took a next big step on his unlikely comeback trail by winning best actor in a drama for his role as a down-and-out former pro in “The Wrestler.”“It’s been a very long road back for me,” said Rourke to a cheering crowd.The same could be said of Woody Allen, who ended a creative slump when his Spain-set “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” was named best picture in the musical or comedy category. Allen, who never attended the Osacrs in his prime, was predictably absent last night, too.

The underdog ended up a top dog when “Slumdog Millionaire,” about a young Indian man’s hard-scrabble life, was named best picture in the drama category.On the TV front, Tina Fey continued to enjoy the best year of her creative life. “30 Rock,” which she created and stars on as the harried producer of a “Saturday Night Live”-like show, won for best comedy series.

But Fey — who took home several Emmys last year for the show, co-starred in the hit comedy “Baby Mama” and practically single-handedly revived “SNL” with her impersonation of presidential nominee Sarah Palin — was forced to take a back seat to the antics of “30 Rock” co-star Tracy Morgan, who hogged the mic with a pseudo-drunken speech.Fey got her moment in the spotlight a few minutes later —- she won for best actress in a comedy series, and with the stage to herself delivered a hilarious rant against her detractors on the Internet.

The speech was in stark contrast to another of the night’s big winners. Actress Sally Hawkins may have stayed at the podium a bit too long, but her teary, emotional acceptance was genuine. The little-known London actress received a tremendous career boost after winning best actress in a musical or comedy for her role as an eternally optimistic schoolteacher in the British film “Happy-Go-Lucky.” Among Hawkins’ fairly formidable competition: Meryl Streep, Frances McDormand and Emma Thompson.

Paul Giametti finally got a small measure of retribution for his Oscar snub four years ago, when he failed to be nominated for his acclaimed role as a prissy, insecure wine enthusiast in “Sideways.” Giametti was named best actor in a miniseries or TV movie for the title role in HBO’s “John Adams.”Anna Paquin’s win for best actress in a drama series for “True Blood” proved the 25-year-old New Zealand actress, can handle sexy grownup roles. Paquin, who earned an Oscar for 1993’s “The Piano” at 11 (which was also her first Golden Globe nomination), won for for her role as a mind-reading waitress with a taste for vampire love in the HBO series.And maybe now, with “Mad Men’s” win for best TV series last night, the ‘60s-set drama may finally draw some viewers.