Kate Winslet, Jon Hamm, Julia Stiles and More React to Emmy Nominations

On Thursday morning, July 14, a number of TV workers were woken up with good news. Grabbing nominations at 2011 Emmy Awards, some celebrities have expressed their excitements for being recognized at such big prize-giving event.

Kate Winslet, who gets Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie nom for her role on "Mildred Pierce", said she is "incredibly proud to be a part of this great production." The miniseries rakes in the most nods (21) overall, and the "Titanic" beauty thinks all the nominations are results of Todd Haynes' "remarkable direction and generosity".
Jon Hamm also credited the man behind "Mad Men", showrunner Matthew Weiner, for his Lead Actor in a Drama nod, but he was not that surprised because he has "tremendous amount of faith in Matt's ability to tell a story." Still, he is "beyond thrilled" that the show, which is nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, gets such recognition from the Academy.
Julia Stiles is another possible Emmy honoree this year. Getting Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series through "Dexter", her first experience working in Television, the 30-year-old blonde feels proud to be part of the Showtime series and "to be in such good company with my fellow nominees". She additionally quipped, "What a nice surprise."
Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, "30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin is "very grateful to the Academy". His competitor Matt LeBlanc, meanwhile, revealed he is "even more excited about the writing nomination for Jeffrey [Klarik] and David [Crane]" who work on his comedy show "Episodes".
Chris Colfer also gets a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy, which is the second time for him, for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on "Glee". Taking to Twitter to thank fans for their congratulatory messages, he wrote, "I'm so excited for all of our nominations," especially for co-star Dot Jones who plays Coach Shannon Beiste.
In another grateful statement, "Modern Family" funnyman Ty Burrell who will fight off Colfer in Supporting Actor in a Comedy category, said, "I would still lose to everyone, including both Chris Colfer and Jon Cryer ("Two and a Half Men"), but it would be worth it to see us all in singlets."
Meanwhile, Reality Show Host nominee Cat Deeley ("So You Think You Can Dance") claimed, "To be acknowledged by those who make some of the best television in the world is something I never would have dreamed was possible coming to America six years ago."
The winners of 63rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced at a gala held on September 18 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. The show will be broadcast live by FOX and hosted by Jane Lynch who gets Supporting Actress in a Comedy nomination for her role on "Glee".

Sideshow: 'Mad Men' without its main man?

Matt Weiner, beloved creator and exec producer of the sexy, revisionist '60s soap opera, has yet to renew his contract with Mad Men's home channel, AMC, says Variety.

Fans quake in horror!

But, there's good news, of a sort: AMC has green-lighted the fifth season of the superb drama - to run in 2012. Seems they're determined to crank it out with or without Weiner.

The cabler hasn't necessarily abandoned Weiner, saying that "key non-cast negotiations" continue as we speak. (Weiner plunged AMC into similar contractual chaos two years ago.)

According to the blog Deadline Hollywood, Weiner is opposing AMC and producer Lionsgate on three things they want: more product placements, two minutes less running time in favor of commercials, and cutting two performers. No names mentioned.

Weiner's AMC masterpiece stars Jon Hamm as a latter-day Ivan Ilych forced to confront his mortality and the morality of his Mephistophelian role as facilitator of the American dream, hyperconsumerism.

Hope they resolve their differences. AMC would be mad - maaaad! - to steer the Mad Men ship without Weiner at the helm.

Britney Spears is back . . .

Britney Spears is on an aggressive publicity campaign for her new CD, Femme Fatale. (Dude, Brit is about as fatale as a toaster oven.) She's announced a new tour, and she performed three tunes Tuesday on Good Morning America.

MTV is doing its bit for Brit awareness: On Sunday, it'll air a behind-the-scenes look at Brit's wonderrific life.

In related news, MTV says Brit's ex, Kevin Federline, and his gf, Victoria Prince, are expecting a child. K-Fed is a fecund dude: He already has daughter Kori, 8, and Kaleb, 6, with ex-gf Shar Jackson and sons Sean, 5, and Jaden, 4, with Brit.

. . . but Enrique is outa here?

Billboard reports that Enrique Iglesias, supposed to be touring with Brit, has decided to ditch the job.

Entertainment biz moves

FX has renewed cooler-than-cool-can-be actor Timothy Olyphant's U.S.-marshals-from-Mars drama, Justified, for a third season.

Jennifer Aniston is about to enter uncharted waters: The Friends star is set to direct a segment in Lifetime TV's breast-cancer-themed movie anthology movie, Project Five, says the Hollywood Reporter. Segments will be directed by Alicia Keys, Demi Moore, and filmmaker Patty Jenkins.

Agatha Christie's brilliant pensioner detective Miss Marple is about to undergo a serious makeover. Deadline.com says Jennifer Garner will star as Marple in a big-screen mystery from Disney. What?

Celeb writer and would-be celeb Perez Hilton has signed to write a children's book that celebrates individuality and self-acceptance, titled The Boy With Pink Hair. (Mr. Hilton often sports a neon-pink-dyed do.)

"This story is about every kid that's ever had a dream, felt excluded, wanted to belong, and hoped that one day they could do what they loved," Hilton says in a statement.

Oprah Winfrey has gifted Rosie O'Donnell with her very own show on Oprah's OWN network. "It's a huge thrill for me, and I'm beyond the beyond," Rosie writes on her blog.

Rob Lowe: Charlie, partying dude!

Rob Lowe, 47, used to party with Charlie Sheen when the thesps were young, twentysomething studs. (Rob grew up. As for Chas, well he's still young at heart.)

Vanity Fair has excerpted passages about the boys' fun days from Lowe's forthcoming memoir, Stories I Only Tell My Friends.

"We competed to see who could play harder, then show up for work and still kick [behind]," Lowe writes.

Lowe sums Charlie up as "a wonderful mix of nerd . . . and rebel," but also describes him as "robotic," with "bloodless focus, an intensity that I've never encountered before."

Stone, Parker Broadway!

"You know, people had warned us that the Broadway scene was snooty, but it really has been pretty great."

So says Broadway legend Matt Stone in a really, really long, extended Twitter chat with Gawker.

Adds Stone's accomplice, Trey Parker, "I like theater people. They hug a lot."

Stone and Parker, you may remember, outraged every possible interest group with South Park. But they've become the world's most beloved religious prophets with their Broadway smash hit, The Book of Mormon.

Asked what musical they'd love to produce, Stone said, "Fiddler [on the Roof] starring Sacha Baron Cohen."

'Madagascar Live!' is dead!

Madagascar Live! isn't coming to Philly after all. A show rep says DreamWorks Theatricals and Broadway Across America have canceled all previously scheduled performances of Madagascar Live! at the Academy of Music. The show's final performance will be at New York's Radio City Music Hall on April 24.

Producers have a very specific, clear, enlightening reason for killing the show: "Unforeseen circumstances."

Flash: Beyoncé loves her dad

Sure, she's fired her dad as her manager, but don't believe ugly rumors that Beyoncé hates Mathew Knowles. "I've only parted ways with my father on a business level," Beyoncé tells UsMagazine.com. "He is my father for life and I love my dad dearly."