Hugh Jackman poses with his award for best actor in a musical or comedy motion picture for "Les Miserables" backstage at the 70th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California on January 13, 2013. Photo by Lucy Nicholson, Reuters

LOS ANGELES -- (UPDATED) Ben Affleck's Iran hostage drama "Argo" and musical "Les Miserables" were the big winners Sunday at the Golden Globes, while Steven Spielberg's presidential drama "Lincoln" won only one major award.

Affleck won the top prizes of best dramatic film and director for his movie about a CIA mission to rescue diplomats caught in Tehran in 1979, while "Les Miserables" won best film, actor and supporting actress in the musical/comedy category.

Daniel Day-Lewis won best drama actor for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln at the 70th annual Globe awards, but that was the only top award for Spielberg's film, which had topped the nominations tally with seven.

Jessica Chastain meanwhile won best actress in a drama for her role as a relentless CIA agent tracking down Osama bin Laden in Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty," while Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" won two key prizes.

Affleck, who also stars as a CIA agent who rescues six US diplomats who took refuge in the Canadian ambassador's residence in Tehran in 1979, paid tribute to real-life agents and diplomats, including the character he was playing.

"Really this award is about Tony Mendez. You saw him. He's an American hero. He represents the (US) foreign service making sacrifices every day for Americans. Our troops overseas. I want to thank them very much," he said.

The movie has been accused of taking liberties with history, notably by exaggerating the role of the CIA in getting the US diplomats out, at the expense of the Canadian envoy in Tehran at the time.

"Les Miserables," a musical adapted from the book by Victor Hugo, won best musical/comedy movie, while Australian actor Hugh Jackman won best actor for his all-singing role, and co-star Anne Hathaway won best supporting actress.

In his acceptance speech, Jackman -- praised for his vocal skills in the movie -- revealed that he almost gave up the starring role of Jean Valjean only a few weeks before it started filming, after "humiliating" rehearsals.

"My wife talked me off the cliff like she talks me (down) most days," he said.

Hathaway won for her portrayal of the young mother and prostitute Fantine, beating fellow nominees Amy Adams in "The Master," Sally Field in "Lincoln," Helen Hunt in "The Sessions" and Nicole Kidman in "The Paperboy."

One for 'Lincoln'

Day-Lewis, who had been widely expected to win for his turn in "Lincoln," had to make do with being the only big winner for Spielberg's movie -- which has also topped nominations for next month's Oscars.

"My fellow nominees, boys and girls, such beautiful performances this year. I'm very proud to be one amongst you," said Day-Lewis, paying tribute to Spielberg as a "humble master with a quicksilver imagination" and a friend.

Tarantino's blood-soaked spaghetti Western tribute "Django Unchained," meanwhile, won two Globes: best supporting actor for Austrian Christoph Waltz, and best screenplay for the "Pulp Fiction" director himself.

"This is a damn surprise, and I'm happy to be surprised," said Tarantino, whose film tells the story of a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) who teams up with a dentist-turned-bounty-hunter a few years before the American Civil War.

British songstress Adele, making her first red carpet appearance since giving birth in October, won best song for the theme tune from James Bond blockbuster "Skyfall."

Best foreign language film went to Austrian Michael Haneke's "Amour," which won the Cannes Palme d'Or last year.

"Hunger Games" star Jennifer Lawrence won best musical/comedy actress for rom-com "Silver Linings Playbook," while best original score went to Taiwanese-born Ang Lee's "Life of Pi."

Scottish-themed "Brave" won best animated feature.

Comic hosts

Co-hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler had the A-list Hollywood audience in stitches with an opening string of gags, including one about the controversy surrounding the depiction of torture in Bigelow's latest movie.

"I haven't really been following 'Zero Dark Thirty' but when it comes to torture, I trust a woman who was married to James Cameron for three years," Poehler quipped, to a shocked look from the movie's star Chastain.

She was referring to Bigelow's director ex-husband, whom she famously beat at the Oscars two years ago, when her "Hurt Locker" beat his 3D blockbuster "Avatar" to win the top best picture prize.

Spielberg's presidential biopic won a major boost just days before Sunday's show, when it topped the nominations announced Thursday for the all-important Academy Awards next month, shortlisted in 12 Oscar categories.

The awards are voted on by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a group of fewer than 100 members seen as more celebrity-driven than the esteemed Academy of Motion and Picture Arts and Sciences, whose show is on February 24.

Reflecting the perhaps less high-brow taste of the HFPA, Ang Lee's "Life of Pi," which picked up 11 Oscar nominations, is running in only three Globes categories.

TV categories

In the television categories, terrorism-themed drama "Homeland" took home two trophies for its stars, best actor Damian Lewis and best actress Claire Danes.

"Game Change," the political drama looking at John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and his choice of Sarah Palin as running mate, won three awards -- best TV movie, best actress Julianne Moore and best supporting actor Ed Harris.

British actress Maggie Smith won the television award for best supporting actress for her work on "Downton Abbey."

Here is a list of the winners in all major categories for the 2013 Golden Globe awards, handed out Sunday at the Beverly Hilton hotel:

FILM

Best drama film: "Argo"

Best comedy or musical film: "Les Miserables"

Best director: Ben Affleck for "Argo"

Best actor, drama: Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln"

Best actress, drama: Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best actor, musical or comedy: Hugh Jackman in "Les Miserables"

Best actress, musical or comedy: Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best supporting actor: Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained"

Best supporting actress: Anne Hathaway in "Les Miserables"

Best foreign language film: "Amour" (Austria)

Best screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"

Best original score: Mychael Danna, "Life of Pi"

Best original song: Adele and Paul Epworth, "Skyfall"

Best animated feature: "Brave"

TELEVISION

Best series, drama: "Homeland"

Best actress, drama: Claire Danes, "Homeland"

Best actor, drama: Damian Lewis, "Homeland"

Best series, musical or comedy: "Girls"

Best actress, musical or comedy: Lena Dunham, "Girls"

Best actor, musical or comedy: Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"

Best miniseries or movie: "Game Change"

Best actress, miniseries or movie: Julianne Moore, "Game Change"

Best actor, miniseries or movie: Kevin Costner, "Hatfields & McCoys"

Best supporting actress, series, miniseries or movie: Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"

Best supporting actor, series, miniseries or movie: Ed Harris, "Game Change"

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