Liam Hemsworth Thanks ‘Beautiful Wife’ Miley Cyrus at G’Day USA Awards
By Christi Carras
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus may have kept their December wedding out of the public eye as much as possible, but that didn’t stop their not-so-secret newlywed status from being the running joke of the G’Day USA awards gala on Saturday night.
While presenting the “Hunger Games” star with the excellence in film award, Vince Vaughn expressed his gratitude for the “mate-ship” he formed with Hemsworth on the set of their upcoming movie “Arkansas” — though he did have one concern about their relationship.
“We’re obviously not that great of a mate-ship because I wasn’t invited to the wedding,” Vaughn joked. “I don’t know. That may or may not have happened. I don’t know.”
Vaughn continued to prod the couple about the nuptials at every turn in his speech, prompting a middle finger from Cyrus and several eye-rubs from Hemsworth.
“His first leading role was in 2010 — ‘The Last Song’ — which won him a Teen Choice award,” Vaughn continued, before adding, “And that’s also where he met Miley, who he might or might not be married to. I would not know, personally, because I was not invited to this wedding that may or may not have happened.”
Jokes aside, Hemsworth was happy to confirm his wedding to the “Malibu” singer in his acceptance speech, during which he thanked Vaughn, his parents, his brother, Luke Hemsworth, and, of course, Cyrus.
“Thank you to my beautiful wife,” Hemsworth said. “You are a sweet, sweet angel. Yeah, you’re great.”
And if there was any confusion as to whom Hemsworth was speaking, Cyrus soon cleared it by yelling from the crowd, “More about me!” To which Hemsworth replied, “I’ll tell you later.”
Some have been quick to point out that their wedding comes 10 years after they filmed “The Last Song,” based on the bestselling novel by romance author Nicholas Sparks. And Hemsworth told Variety that he hopes to collaborate with Cyrus on another project “someday.”
More of the night’s honorees included outstanding achievement in film and television award recipient, “Game of Thrones” production designer Deborah Riley, as well as lifetime achievement award recipient Helen Reddy. “Halloween” star Jamie Lee Curtis introduced Reddy with an anecdote about the Australian vocalist’s performance of her hit song “I Am Woman” at the inaugural Women’s March in Los Angeles in 2017.
“We all know many, many of our friends, who have been brave and bold and have come forward and told their truth,” Curtis said, referring to the #MeToo movement. “But the woman who told the truth before all of us is who we are honoring here tonight.”
Cover performances of some of Reddy’s greatest hits, more song and dance numbers, and jokes from host Patrick Brammall filled out the rest of the ceremony. More Australian guests included actors Isla Fisher, Paul Hogan, Callan McAuliffe and Cody Fern, as well as pop-rock band 5 Seconds of Summer. A few non-Australians also showed their support for Australia Day, including John Travolta and “Downton Abbey’s” Allen Leech.
