Director Mel all smiles with his statuette after he was given the nod for best film drama for the biblical epic "The Passion Of Christ."

Fan favourite Renee took home the gong for best leading lady at the 31st Annual People's Choice Awards on Sunday.

    BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- The season of award shows kicked off in style on Sunday, with Renee Zellweger and Mel Gibson once again proving themselves fan favourites: both took home gongs at the 31st Annual People's Choice Awards in Pasadena.

    The season of award shows kicked off in style on Sunday, with Renee Zellweger and Mel Gibson once again proving themselves fan favourites: both took home gongs at the 31st Annual People's Choice Awards in Pasadena.

    Elegant in a long white gown cinched in with an eye-catching beaded rosette at the waist, the 35-year-old actress accepted the award for favourite leading lady from presenter Prince.

    "I feel so lucky and so grateful to be able to be part of films that resonate with you in some way," said the star of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

    The evening was a triumph for controversial films that have fared well at the box office, yet appear set to be snubbed at further awards shows this season. Michael Moore's smash hit documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 was voted best film, while Mel Gibson's biblical epic The Passion Of The Christ was given the nod for best film drama.

    A surprised Mel was welcomed to the stage by a rousing round of applause when he collected his statuette.

    "Heck, I was just hoping to break even," said the Aussie actor/director of the unexpected hit that took $370 million at the box office and whose DVD version sold over four million copies in just one day. Thanking in particular the crew who worked with him on the production and those who went to see it, Mel said: "If it wasn't for you guys we would have been dead in the water."

    Over 21 million votes were cast online to choose this year's winners. The evening's biggest victor proved to be the animated film Shrek 2 which picked up a total of five gongs sweeping categories including; favourite comedy, favourite sequel and favourite animated movie.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com/hello magazine)