The big news from Hollywood is that Heath Ledger has won a posthumous Golden Globe award for his performance as psychopathic villain The Joker in Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight.

Batman director Christopher Nolan collected the best supporting actor award on behalf of Ledger, who died of an accidental overdose in January last year at the age of 28.

The victory cements Ledger's status as the odds-on favourite to win a best supporting actor Academy Award at next month's Oscars.

Kate Winslet won the first award at the ceremony in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, taking best supporting actress for her portrayal of a Nazi death camp prison guard in The Reader.

Winslet, 33, who had been nominated at the Globes on five previous occasions, beat out Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler) and Doubt co-stars Amy Adams and Viola Davis.

"I have a habit of not winning things,'' Winslet acknowledged in her acceptance speech.

"I'm in shock ... To my children who are watching on TV: look: I won!''

Winslet also paid tribute to the film's director Stephen Daldry as well as co-producers Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella, who both died before the film was completed.

Winslet is also in the running to add to her trophy haul later on Sunday - she is nominated in the best actress category for her performance in Revolutionary Road, directed by her husband Sam Mendes.

The awards ceremony is still under way, but these are the winners so far:

* Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky
* Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Kate Winslet for The Reader
* Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
* Best Animated Feature Film - Wall-E
* Best Foreign Language Film - Waltz with Bashir
* Best Screenplay - Motion Picture - Slumdog Millionaire
* Best Original Song - Motion Picture - "The Wrestler" from The Wrestler, Bruce Springsteen
* Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama - Anna Paquin for True Blood
* Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama - Gabriel Byrne for In Treatment
* Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy - 30 Rock
* Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy - Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock
* Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television - John Adams
* Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Laura Linney for John Adams
* Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Paul Giamatti for John Adams
* Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Laura Dern for Recount
* Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Tom Wilkinson for John Adams

Click through the image gallery above to check out the stars on the red carpet.