Lady Gaga and Glenn Close have both had very busy weekends lately. Award season is off and running in Hollywoodland, and both acclaimed stars have seen a lot of each other over the last few weekends. At the Golden Globes last weekend, Lady Gaga took home Best Original Song for “Shallow” and the reaction of Glenn Close after being named Best Actress in “The Wife” was anything but shallow, inspiring memes all over the world for the esteemed senior actress.

Lady Gaga had been predicted to be the winner, that night for “A Star Is Born,” and no one could ever claim that Glenn Close was anything but worthy for her portrayal of the subjugated, invisible spouse.

Providence has a way of putting things right, and this Sunday, January 13, both ladies were called as Best Actress at the Critics’ Choice Awards. The honorees have more than the same hardware in common, and Lady Gaga shared a sweet story of heart and history through her mother.

The occasion became a reason for women to simply appreciate one another and celebrate, as another tie also marked the night.

Complimentary pair

No outside ears will ever know if Glenn Close and Lady Gaga ever made the “What are you wearing?” query phone call to one another, but the immense talents looked regal in complementary shades even during their embrace before coming to the stage. Gaga looked elegant in her flowing pale pink, and Close was sophisticated in her blue-gray satin blazer and pleated gown.

Even without their awards in hand, they were meant for their photos for the history annals.

Willem Dafoe embraced the moment with as much delight as the crowd, saying, “Crazy, crazy-- we got a tie!” Close was named first before Lady Gaga reacted with the startled joy that she must have had when Stefani Germanotta, the schoolgirl, got her first A-list gig.

Presenter Dafoe walked into the table section to give Gaga her trophy, while Glenn Close gushed that “We celebrate each other, and we are proud to be in this room together!”

Lady Gaga gave a dash of her New York attitude when she got to her words of acceptance, reminding everyone that “I can still do this with a piano background,” when the music brought the cue that it was time to leave the stage.

“Glenn, get over here!” insisted Gaga from the podium. She continued, relating that her mother would love this moment because Cynthia Germanotta and Close have become friends and the same hearts for the cause of kindness.

Backstage, after preserving more precious moments in photos, Stefani told how her mother and Close had met for lunch and discovered that they shared much in common in the areas of promoting kindness, mental health services, and inclusion.

Glenn Close has spearheaded numerous social and medical initiatives for the mentally ill since interceding in the life of her sister, Jessie, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after years of suffering in silence without proper treatment.

Lady Gaga and her mother not only work jointly on the Born This Way Foundation but also promote combined efforts in mental health and the power of kindness, such as the #BeKindBeTheDifference campaign in support of Mental Health Awareness Month last May.

The lunch date led to a trip to see Mrs. Germanotta’s old apartment during a sudden rain shower and more sharing of old memories. The shared smiles from this Critics’ Choice Awards are sure to make mom’s scrapbook, too.

The trophy night meant for two

The television world brought the first tied winners at the Critics’ Choice Awards for 2019. Amy Adams got the nod for her HBO limited series, “Sharp Objects,” and Patricia Arquette took honors as Best Actress in a limited television series for Showtime’s “Escape from Dannemora.” Only Arquette won at the Golden Globes, but both powerhouse female actresses stood arm-in-arm on this stage,

Neither of these leading ladies restrained their joy, hamming it up a bit, and giving thanks to both their cable networks and especially in Arquette’s case, to her director, Ben Stiller.

She praised Stiller for taking the “yoke of likability” away from her in the role. Many stars are finding that television is the place of most creative freedom and artistry in these cookie-cutter days of constant movie sequels and spinoffs.

Familiar faces, Mahershala Ali and Regina King, refreshed their skills in accepting recognition, repeating their Golden Globe wins in the Best Supporting actor and actress categories, Ali for “Green Book,” and King for “If Beale Street Could Talk.”

King once more used the power of her words to promote positivity, quoting James Baldwin with “We can make America what America must become.”

Hard work is never completed overnight. With the spirit, commitment, cooperation, and inclusion that were represented by these awards, the creative world is making a good start.
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