The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards looked significantly less glittery than usual on Sunday, as organizers cobbled together a scaled-down, moderator-free ceremony in the wake of the ongoing writers’ strike.
It was announced last week that the show would air as a pre-taped special, as several contestants – including host Drew Barrymore – dropped out in solidarity with the writers. Those hoping for the usual spate of eyebrow-raising fashion moments were also disappointed, as MTV scrapped all red carpet plans as well.
“We’re turning away from a live event that still allows us to produce a memorable night full of exclusive insights, irreverent categories our audience awaits and countless moments that will both surprise and delight,” Bruce Gilmer , one of the executive producers at MTV, said in a statement.
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It was a hard hit for an awards show known more for its spontaneous, headline-grabbing moments than any demonstrable measure of cinematic merit, and the result had the disjointed feel of a program that might have aired in the early days of COVID. 19 pandemic. Barrymore still appeared in a number of comedic segments that were believed to have been filmed before her decision to sign off, and much of the show was devoted to “flashback” footage from previous ceremonies.
Still, there were some memorable moments. A-list actors Tom Cruise and Pedro Pascal were among those making virtual appearances. Viewers also got their first look at the “Kiss the Girl” number from Disney’s highly anticipated live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, as well as “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts‘ and an upcoming episode of Showtime’s ‘Yellowjackets’.
However, the writers’ strike remained on everyone’s lips – with Jennifer Coolidge to acknowledge it right in one of her acceptance speeches.
“Almost every great comedy starts with great writers,” she said. “I stand before you tonight, side by side with my sisters and brothers from the [Writers Guild of America] who are fighting right now – fighting for artists’ rights everywhere.”
Here are all the winners:
“Avatar: The Way of Water”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
“Top Gun: Maverick”
BEST SHOW
WINNER: “The Last of Us”
Monica Schipper via Getty Images
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A FILM
Austin Butler, “Elvis”
Florence Pugh, “Don’t Worry Darling”
Michael B. Jordan, “Creed of Faith III”
WINNER: Tom Cruise, “Top Gun: Maverick”
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SHOW
Aubrey Plaza, “The White Lotus”
Christina Ricci, “Yellow Jackets”
WINNER: Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday”
Riley Keough, “Daisy Jones and the Six”
Sadie Sink, “Stranger Things”
Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the House”
ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images
Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday”
Paul Rudd, “Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania”
WINNER: Pedro Pascal, “The Last of Us”
Tom CruiseTop Gun: Maverick
BEST VILLAIN
WINNER: Elizabeth Olsen, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”
Harry Styles, “Don’t Worry Darling”
Jamie Campbell Bower, “Stranger Things”
The Bear, “Cocaine Bear”
BEST KISS (presented by Cheetos®)
Anna Torv and Philip Prajoux, “The Last of Us”
Harry Styles and David Dawson, “My Cop”
WINNER: Madison Bailey and Rudy Pankow, “Outer Banks”
Riley Keough and Sam Claflin, “Daisy Jones & The Six”
Selena Gomez and Cara Delevingne, “Only Murders in the Building”
BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE
WINNER: Adam Sandler, “Murder Mystery 2”
Dylan O’Brien, “Not Okay”
Jennifer Coolidge, “Shotgun Wedding”
Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary School”
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Bad Bunny, “Bullet Train”
Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us
Emma D’Arcy, “The House of the Dragon”
WINNER: Joseph Quinn, “Stranger Things”
Rachel Sennott, “Body Body Body”
ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images
Brad Pitt (Ladybug) vs. Bad Bunny (The Wolf), “Bullet Train”
WINNER: Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers) vs. Ghostface, “Scream VI”
Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna) vs. Millie Bobby Brown (Elf), “Stranger Things”
Keanu Reeves (John Wick) vs. Everyone, “John Wick 4”
Escape from Narkina 5, “Andor”
MOST TERRIBLE PERFORMANCE
WINNER: Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Cocaine Bear”
Justin Long, “Barbarian”
Rachel Sennott, “Body Body Body”
Sosie Bacon, “Smile”
BEST DUO
Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke, “Do Revenge”
Jenna Ortega and Thing, “Wednesday”
WINNER: Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, “The Last of Us”
Simona Tabasco and Beatrice Grannò, “The White Lotus”
Tom Cruise and Miles Teller, Top Gun: Maverick
BEST KICK ASS CAST
“Ant-Man & The Wasp”, “Quantumania”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
WINNER: “Stranger Things”
“Teen Wolf: The Movie”
Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Demi Lovato: “Still Alive” from “Scream VI”
Doja Cat: “Vegas” from “Elvis”
Lady Gaga: “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick”
OneRepublic: “I’m not worried” from “Top Gun: Maverick”
Rihanna: “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
WINNER: Taylor Swift: “Carolina” from “Where the Crawdads Sing”
BEST REALITY DOCUMENTARY SERIES
“Jersey Shore Family Vacation”
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
“Family Reunion: Love & Hip Hop Edition”
WINNER: “The Kardashians”
“Vanderpump Rules”
BEST COMPETITION SERIES
WINNER: “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars”
“The Traitors”
BEST HOST
WINNER: Drew Barrymore, “The Drew Barrymore Show”
Joel Madden, “Ink Master”
Nick Cannon, “The Masked Singer”
RuPaul, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Kelly Clarkson, “The Kelly Clarkson Show”
BEST REALITY ON-SCREEN TEAM (presented by SONIC®)
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Vinny Guadagnino, Pauly D (MVP), “Jersey Shore Family Vacation”
Tori Deal and Devin Walker, “The Challenge: Ride or Die”
RuPaul Charles and Michelle Visage, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
WINNER: Ariana Madix, Katie Maloney, Scheana Shay, LaLa Kent, “Vanderpump Rules”
Garcelle Beauvais and Sutton Stracke, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
Daisy Jones & the Six: “Look at Us Now (Honeycomb)”
Don’t worry darling: Jack’s tap dance
Ginny & Georgia: “I Will Survive” (Bachelorette Party)
Matilda the Musical: “Revolting Children”
WINNER: Purple Hearts: “Come Back Home”
She-Hulk: Lawyer: “Body”
Stranger Things: “Running Up That Hill”
The Last of Us: “Long Long Time” (Bill & Frank play piano)
The School of Good and Evil: “You Should See Me in a Crown”
The Summer I Got Pretty: “This Love (Taylor’s Version)”
Wednesday: “Goo Goo Muck”
Young Royals: “Simon’s Song”
BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
WINNER: “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me”
“The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s American Pie”
Comedy Genius Award: Jennifer Coolidge
