Pirates rakes in prizes at subdued People`s Choice Awards

Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp and Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon were selected by the US public as their favourite movie stars at a scaled-down People's Choice Awards.
The Hollywood writers strike caused the show's organizers to revamp its format, changing it from a live show complete with Hollywood glamour to a pretaped programme in which the winners received their trophies, which are awarded by fans, wherever they happened to be at the time of the taping.
Witherspoon accepted hers on the set of her new movie while Robin Williams, who won for funniest male star, was taped in Kabul, where he was visiting US troops. Fellow comedian Lewis Black appeared on tape with Williams, who was fighting laryngitis, and accepted the honour on his behalf.
Among the top winners at the show broadcast Tuesday night was Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Not only did Depp win the prize for favorite male movie star for the third year in a row, but Keira Knightley was also named favorite female action star.