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Paul Giamatti thanked the family of Mordecai Richler and the city of Montreal on Sunday night as he won the Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy for "Barney's Version."

"This was an extraordinary movie to be a part of and people busted their asses to get it made," Giamatti said as he accepted the award from presenter Halle Berry, noting he was "jacked up" from eating too many of the Godiva chocolates handed out at the ceremony.

"I got to smoke and drink and get laid in this movie and I got paid for it ... amazing."

It took producer Robert Lantos over 10 years to turn Richler's sprawling novel into a film.

Giamatti lauded Lantos and expressed gratitude to the family of the late author, who died in 2001.

"I also want to make sure to thank the incredible family of Mordecai Richler who let me stomp around in their private lives, which was very kind of them," he said.

He also gave a shout out to the film's "incredible" crew in Montreal, where the film — which also stars Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver and Rosamund Pike — was shot.

"An incredible beautiful city which I dream about," Giamatti said.

"An incredible place in a great nation, Canada. And I salute the great nation of Canada."

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