LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Hollywood legend Meryl Streep and former "American Idol" finalist Jennifer Hudson became early winners at the 64th Golden Globe Awards ceremony held Monday night here.

Jennifer Hudson holds her award for best supporting actress in a musical or comedy for her role in "Dreamgirls" while backstage at the 64th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California Jan. 15, 2007. (Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    Streep was awarded best actress in a comedy or musical motion picture and Hundson won the award for best supporting actress in a motion picture.

    Streep won the trophy for her role as a fashion executive in the comedy "The Devil Wears Prada," while Hudson was honored for her musical performance in "Dreamgirls."

    The 26-year-old former "American Idol" contestant said winning the prize for her first film role "goes far beyond anything I ever imagined."

    "It makes me feel like an actress," said Hudson, while accepting the award at the Beverly Hilton hotel.

    Eddie Murphy was announced as the Golden Globe winner for best supporting actor in a motion picture for "Dreamgirls."

    The film "Babel" led the list of nominees entering Monday's ceremony, with seven nominations, while Leonardo DiCaprio and Clint Eastwood were celebrating an entertainment milestone as the first actor and director, respectively, with two nominations in the same category.

    "Babel" went into the gala ceremony with nominations for best motion picture in the drama category and for best screenplay, best original score, best supporting actress for both Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi, best director for Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and best supporting actor for Brad Pitt.

    Competing against "Babel" for best drama are "Bobby," "The Departed," "Little Children" and "The Queen."

    Close behind "Babel" and its seven nonimations was the mob story "The Departed," with six nominations, including DiCaprio's for best actor in a motion picture drama. His other best actor nomination is for "Blood Diamond."

    Eastwood is nominated for best director twice -- for "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima." Also nominated are Inarritu for "Babel," Stephen Frears for "The Queen" and Martin Scorsese for "The Departed."

    Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" is nominated for best foreign language film, along with "Letters from Iwo Jima," which is also from a U.S. studio but mostly in Japanese. They are competing with "The Lives of Others" from Germany, "Pan's Labyrinth" from Mexico and "Volver" from Spain.