Dominic West, 'The Hour' happy with Globe noms

[December 22, 2011]  LONDON (AP) -- Dominic West is no stranger to award ceremonies -- he's just not used to being nominated.

The British actor is on the shortlist for his performance in BBC America's period newsroom drama, "The Hour."

"In my 37 years in show business I've yet to win an award," West grinned. "So yes, we had a little jump up and down at home, cracked open another bottle."

Talking Tuesday to The Associated Press on the TV program's south London set, West said he had worried about how the program would be received, noting the tough competition it faced from "great" American dramas like "Mad Men."

"The Hour" has been nominated for three Globes in all; best miniseries or movie, West for the actor category and co-star Romola Garai for best actress.

West plays blustery anchorman Hector Madden, while fellow Brits Garai and Ben Whishaw round out the love triangle that is taking place behind the scenes of an hour-long British news TV program. Garai is Bel, the producer, while Whishaw gets into all sorts of trouble as an investigative reporter.

West says the news of the Globe nominations, which came at the start of shooting for six new episodes in the second season, has put a spring into the step of the cast and crew.

"It's always nice to know that what you're doing is actually being watched and appreciated by people," he said.

"Especially when audience figures aren't so big. And in England, we were on over the summer holidays, so I wasn't ever sure if anyone saw it," he laughed.

The Golden Globes ceremony is being held Jan. 15 at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles. And West is hoping his old co-star from HBO's celebrated series "The Wire," Idris Elba, will be there to share the fun -- Elba is nominated in the same category as West for "Luther."

Although West claims never to have been in the running for an acting prize before, he says his old castmates at "The Wire" would go to any award show.

"No one would turn up from 'The Sopranos' because they were bored of awards, and no one would turn up from 'West Wing' or whatever because they were bored -- but the whole of 'The Wire' would turn up," he explained. "We never got nominated for anything but we'd always have a good time."

The new series of "The Hour" promises to address cover-ups, sexual intrigues and the looming Cold War. West said his character has become a celebrity in 1957 England and soon goes off the rails.

"He's built up as this big star and his fall is, consequently, as big and profound," he said.

[Associated Press; By HILARY FOX]

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