Dark comedy 'A Different Man' surprisingly triumphs at Gotham Awards

NEW YORK (AP) — In a surprise that stunned the audience of Hollywood’s first big awards-season bash, “A Different Man,” a dark comedy about doppelgängers, deformity and authenticity in acting, won best feature film at the 34th Gotham Awards on Monday night.

Much can be unpredictable at the Gotham Awards, which uses small juries of insiders and film industry veterans to pick nominees and winners. But as the “A Different Man” ensemble, including Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson, took the stage, writer-director Aaron Schimberg was in obvious disbelief.

“I don’t think I'm the only person in this room who’s totally stunned," said Schimberg. “Considering the other nominees, I thought it would be hubris to prepare a speech."

At a starry Gothams that drew Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and Angelina Jolie, most were expecting triumph for Sean Baker’s “Anora,” a comedy about a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch. It came in the lead nominee, the Cannes Palme d’Or winner, and maybe a top best-picture contender at the Oscars, but went home empty-handed.

Instead, the night belonged to the A24 release “A Different Man,” which stars Stan as a man with facial deformities who's healed of them. He's then upstaged by the character played by Pearson, who has neurofibromatosis, a condition that covers much of his face with benign skin tumors.

The Gothams aren’t an Oscar bellwether, though several of its recent top winners – including last year's winner “Past Lives,” as well as “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Nomadland” – have gone on to be nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards, with “Everything Everywhere” and “Nomadland” winning.

Whether any of the winners Monday night — “Sing Sing” and “Nickel Boys” were also victorious — will use the early wins as a springboard for more trophies remains to be seen. But the Gothams, a black-tie affair held at Cipriani Wall Street in downtown Manhattan, tend give some sense of the flavor of the upcoming gauntlet of award-season ceremonies.

How prominent politics, and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, might be in this year’s Oscar race is one of the biggest questions as the season ramps up. On Monday, Trump's name was never uttered on stage (though Stan is in the awards mix for playing him in “The Apprentice" ), nor were there any overtly political statements. But several winners seemed to allude to the shifting political climate.

“Let's keep doing the work that really matters and makes a difference,” said Colman Domingo, who won best lead performance. “That's what we can do right now. That can be the light in the darkness.”

Domingo won for his starring role in “Sing Sing,” the indie drama about a real prison program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts, which helps incarcerated people heal through theater productions. Clarence Maclin, one of the formerly incarcerated men who co-star in the film, won best supporting performance. (The Gothams give gender-neutral acting awards that number 10 nominees instead of the typical five.)

“If someone was going to tell me ten years ago, I was going to be here, I wouldn’t have believed it,” said Maclin.

“Sing Sing,” also from A24, was arguably the emotional winner of the night. The film's ensembled also accepted a tribute award. In one of the evening's most powerful speeches Sean Dino Johnson, a founding member of RTA, spoke passionately about the redemptive qualities of the arts.

“Standing here tonight we are proof that movies like ‘Sing Sing’ don’t just entertain,” said Johnson. “They change lives.”

RaMell Ross' “Nickel Boys," the arrestingly photographed Colson Whitehead adaptation, also won two major awards: best director for Ross and breakthrough performer for Brandon Wilson. Ross’ film, about two Black teenagers at an abusive juvenile reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida, is filmed largely from the first-person perspective of its two main characters.

For many, the Gothams are a chance to make an impression with a speech that helps solidify their awards chances. To that cause, the Gothams gave out an array of tribute awards. This year’s crop was particularly starry, including Zendaya (for “Challengers” ), Jolie (for “Maria”), Chalamet and James Mangold (for “A Complete Unknown”), Denis Villeneuve (for “Dune: Part Two” ), the cast of “The Piano Lesson,” and Franklin Leonard, founder of the unproduced screenplay platform The Black List.

Jolie, who plays the opera singer Maria Callas in “Maria,” also spoke about the importance of the arts.

“It’s so important that art be taught in our schools, and so concerning that is being reduced,” Jolie said.

Zendaya, honored for her performance in Luca Guadagnino's “Challengers,” took a moment to thank her date. “My mom's here tonight," she said. “Shout out mom.”

Chalamet read a short speech about his transformation into Bob Dylan for the upcoming “A Complete Unknown.”

“Getting to study and immerse myself in the world of Bob Dylan has been the greatest education a young artist can receive," Chalamet said. "If you're already a fan of Bob Dylan, this will make perfect sense to you. If you're not familiar with his work, perhaps our film can serve as a humble gateway to one of the great poets and chroniclers of our times.”

Best documentary went to “No Other Land,” a film made by a Palestinian and Israeli filmmaker collective that documents Israeli occupation of a Palestinian village in West Bank over the course of years. Despite being one of the year’s most acclaimed documentaries, “No Other Land” remains without an American distributor.

Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light,” a poetic drama about three women in modern Mumbai, took the award for best international film. Though the film was the first Indian movie in competition in more than 30 years at the Cannes Film Festival, India opted not to select it for its Oscar submission.

The award for breakthrough director went to Vera Drew for “The People's Joker,” a superhero parody about gender identity. Drew thanked Warner Bros. “for not suing me” and Nicole Kidman, an attendee, because, Drew said, “'Batman Forever' is when I realized I was trans.”

Filmmaker and photographer RaMell Ross poses with the best director award for "Nickel Boys" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Actors Corey Hawkins, from left, Ray Fisher, Skylar Aleece Smith, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, and John David Washington pose with their ensemble tribute awards for "The Piano Lesson" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Elle Fanning, from left, Boyd Holbrook and Monica Barbaro pose with honorees Timothee Chalamet and James Mangold with their visionary tribute awards for "A Complete Unknown" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Actor Brandon Wilson poses with the breakthrough performer award for "Nickel Boys" and actor Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Timothee Chalamet, left, and James Mangold pose with the visionary tribute award for "A Complete Unknown" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

From left, Vanessa McDonnell, Aaron Schimberg, Adam Pearson, Gabriel Mayers, Sebastian Stan and Mike Marino pose with the best feature award for "A Different Man" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Sebastian Stan attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Adam Pearson attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Director Vera Drew, center, poses with the breakthrough director award for "The People's Joker" with actors Adrien Brody, left, and Rachel Brosnahan during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Franklin Leonard poses with the anniversary tribute award during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Angelina Jolie attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Zoe Kravitz attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Oscar Isaac attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Natasha Lyonne attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

John David Washington attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Kieran Culkin attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Pablo Larrain, left, and Angelina Jolie attend The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Pamela Anderson attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Saoirse Ronan attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Zendaya attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Aubrey Plaza attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Actor Angelina Jolie, left, poses with the performer tribute award for her role in "Maria" with filmmaker Pablo Larrain during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Demi Moore attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Adrien Brody, left, and Georgina Chapman attend The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Zendaya attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Coleman Domingo attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia, left, and producer Thomas Hakim pose with the best international feature award for "All We Imagine as Light" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Nicole Kidman attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Sean Baker attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo, from left, Clarence Maclin, Sean "Dino" Johnson, Jon-Adrian "JJ" Velazquez and John "Divine G" Whitfield pose with the social justice tribute award for "Sing Sing" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Adam Pearson attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Sebastian Stan attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Actor Zendaya poses with the spotlight tribute award for "Challengers" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo, left, and Clarence Maclin pose with their social justice tribute awards for "Sing Sing" during The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Miami's playoff hopes took an all-but-final nosedive while Alabama's got a boost Tuesday night in the last rankings before the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend.

The Hurricanes (10-2) moved down six spots to No. 12 — the first team out of the projected bracket after suffering their second loss of the season. They are one spot behind the Crimson Tide (9-3), who won last week and moved up two spots to No. 11, where they are projected as the last team in and the fourth from the Southeastern Conference.

To make things worse for the ’Canes, selection committee chair and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said there was no way for them to leapfrog Alabama since neither team plays next weekend. The odds of them moving up based on lopsided results in the weekend's conference title games are virtually zero.

The Miami-Alabama sorting was the strongest indication yet that the selection committee is looking at more than mere wins and losses, but also at strength of schedule and other factors that appear to give the SEC an edge.

“We still think Miami is a very strong team,” Manuel said. “It came down to a difference in their body of work ... not just wins, not just losses but the totality of the season and how those teams performed.”

He mentioned three key data points: Alabama was 3-1 against current Top 25 teams and Miami is 0-1; Alabama is 6-1 against winning teams while Miami is 4-2; and Miami has lost two of its last three games.

Oregon stayed at No. 1 for the fifth straight week and will head into Saturday's Big Ten title game against Penn State as the only undefeated team in big-time college football.

The pairings for college football's first 12-team playoff will be set Sunday, the day after the conference title games. The playoffs start Dec. 20, with the title game set for Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Ohio State moved down four spots to No. 6 after its loss to Michigan.

That bumped Texas up a spot to No. 2, Penn State to No. 3, Notre Dame to No. 4 and Georgia to No. 5.

The selection committee all but designated the Big 12 as a one-bid league, moving Arizona State and Iowa State up only one spot each to Nos. 15 and 16.

The top five ranked conference champions are guaranteed bids, which means the winner of the Big 12 title game is in even it doesn't reach the top 12 — another factor in Miami's likely ouster.

SMU, on a nine-game winning streak, moved up a notch to No. 8 and is the Atlantic Coast Conference’s highest-ranked team, but is still potentially vulnerable if it loses the title game to No. 17 Clemson.

The crux of this week’s drama comes from — where else? — the SEC.

Alabama is only two weeks removed from an ugly 24-3 loss at Oklahoma. The Tide still got better treatment than Miami, which fell 42-38 at Syracuse last week with a spot in the ACC title game at stake.

Also in the SEC, Mississippi was ranked 13th and South Carolina 14th — answering a question of just how deep into the SEC pool the committee was willing to go. Neither team has another chance to build its resume.

Other rankings: No. 7 Tennessee, No. 9 Indiana and No. 10 Boise State. The projected bracket includes four teams each from the Big Ten and SEC and one each from the ACC, Mountain West and Big 12, plus independent Notre Dame.

SEC: This will be awkward for the loser of Texas vs. Georgia. The Longhorns are perched too high to miss the playoff, though a loss would make them 0-2 vs. Georgia and 11-0 against everyone else, and they also have the conference’s easiest schedule. For Georgia, it would be a third loss, but the committee doesn’t seem likely to punish the Bulldogs for playing in the title game.

Big 12, Mountain West: The winner of ASU-Iowa State is still likely outside of the group of four conference champs that receive first-round byes unless UNLV upsets Boise State.

ACC: If Clemson beats SMU, it puts the 17th-ranked team in the bracket and makes the ACC a potential snub for the second straight year. (Remember Florida State last season?)

Based on this week’s rankings. Teams listed by seed.

No. 12 Arizona State at No. 5 Penn State: This game between two teams nobody wants to play right now highlights the obvious benefits of avoiding the first round — which is still possible for both.

No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State: What could be worse for Ohio State fans than hearing “Rocky Top” blaring through their home stadium after a loss?

No. 11 Alabama at No. 6 Notre Dame: Bear Bryant went 0-4 vs. the Fighting Irish. Alabama won both 21st-century matchups in the playoffs.

No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Georgia: The Hoosiers' welcome to the big time would come between the hedges.

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

Georgia wide receiver Dominic Lovett (6) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Athens, Ga. Georgia won in eight overtime periods. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)