A Pirates Life for the People

Tue., Jan. 9, 2007 8:59 PM PST by Natalie Finn

A billion dollars worth of People can't be wrong, right?

Echoing the enthusiasm that made Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest the highest-grossing movie of 2006, fans named the swashbuckling sequel both their Favorite Movie Drama and overall Favorite Movie at the 33rd Annual People's Choice Awards Tuesday night.

The critically panned yet mega-blockbuster action flick also helped score Johnny Depp his second Favorite Male Movie Star win in a row, an honor he wasn't on hand to receive but which he accepted via satellite from London.

"I've said this before, but the fact that this award comes from the people makes it that much more special," Depp, who also picked up a trophy for Favorite Male Action Star and shared Favorite On-Screen Match-Up with costar Keira Knightley, said. "Thanks for the honor. Thanks for keeping me employed. You're the boss."

Jennifer Aniston, formally crossing the line from small-screen to big-screen stardom by accepting the award for Favorite Female Movie Star, gave a shout-out to all those Team Jen members in the audience.

"You all have supported me since the days of Friends, just through all of it," she said. "Good work, bad work and the ugly. I just thank you for continually inviting me back."

And further proving what a small, close-knit world Hollywood is, Aniston's latest ex, Vince Vaughn, beat out her other ex, Brad Pitt, for Favorite Leading Man. On the flip side, The Holiday star Cameron Diaz took home the title of Favorite Leading Lady.

Fittingly enough for the ceremony that doles out awards with an unabashed disregard for critics' opinions or cultural contribution (Click named Favorite Comedy, anyone?), all of the evening's honorees made sure to pay tribute to the masses.

"Without you guys, people like Jon [Cryer] and I would be doing puppet shows in our basement," Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen told the crowd after his sitcom was named Favorite TV Comedy.

"Platoon makes an excellent puppet show," Cryer interjected.

"If it wasn't for the people, I'd never win an award," Eva Longoria, the People's Favorite Female TV Star, joked onstage.

Favorite Male TV Star Patrick Dempsey, the resident heartthrob on the year's Favorite TV Drama who, like Cryer, was saved from '80s-movie obscurity by a sex-obsessed hit show, thanked both the fans and Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes for resurrecting his career.

"Thank you for creating Dr. McDreamy," the Can't Buy Me Love star said. "It changed my life."

Halle Berry, for one, offered her fans a chance to influence her future. Accepting the award for Favorite Female Action Star based on her turn as Storm in the X-Men trilogy, the Oscar winner asked the audience to write letters to Fox so that there would be an X-Men 4. (Berry hasn't spent all that superhero money already, has she?)

Perhaps the best thank you, however, came from Adam Sandler, who wasn't around to accept the Favorite Comedy award for Click but instead offered everyone at the Shrine Auditorium a first-class ticket to join him and his family in Oahu if he could make the "simple" 25-foot putt facing him on the golf course.

Well, he missed, but being the man of the People that he is, Sandler offered his fans the next best thing.

"Rob Schneider's house. Barbecue," the funnyman said via satellite. "Bring your own hamburgers."

On the musical side of things, Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts were the most winning artists, with two awards apiece.

The former American Idol champ was named Favorite Female Singer, while her surprisingly upbeat tune "Before He Cheats" won for Country Song. Meanwhile, Rascal Flatts' cover of "Life Is a Highway" for the year's Favorite Family Movie, Cars, won two categories, Favorite Song from a Movie and Favorite Remake.

Here's a complete rundown of the winners of the 33rd Annual People's Choice Awards:

Film

Favorite Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Favorite Movie, Drama: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Favorite Movie, Comedy: Click
Favorite Family Movie: Cars
Favorite Female Movie Star: Jennifer Aniston
Favorite Male Movie Star: Johnny Depp
Favorite Leading Lady: Cameron Diaz
Favorite Leading Man: Vince Vaughn
Favorite Female Action Star: Halle Berry
Favorite Male Action Star: Johnny Depp
Favorite On-Screen Match-Up: Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest