Drew Barrymore is stepping down as host of this year’s MTV Movie & TV Awards in a show of support and solidarity to the striking Writers Guild members, reports ‘Variety’.
But as a sign of good faith to MTV, Barrymore has also agreed to return and host next year’s edition of the kudocast instead.
Sunday night’s MTV Movie & TV Awards will still continue, but will now go hostless. The state of the show is still evolving day-by-day, as producers pivot to their strike contingency plans and wait and see who among their presenters, nominees and guests are still willing and able to appear on the telecast, adds ‘Variety’.
As another nod to the evolving news, there will no longer be a red carpet or talent interviews before the show.
“I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike,” Barrymore said in a statement, quoted by ‘Variety’.
She added: “Everything we celebrate and honour about movies and television is born out of their creation. And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait but I’ll be watching from home and hope you will join me.”
Bruce Gillmer, president of music, music talent, programming and events at Paramount Global, and executive producer of the MTV Movie & TV Awards, said he’s still awaiting word on which presenters and nominees might still attend.
That includes ‘The White Lotus’ star Jennifer Coolidge, who is slated to receive the ‘Comedic Genius’ award. Gillmer said producers are also still ironing out how the show will open — although as of now, it could be a pre-taped bit featuring Barrymore.
Gilmmer said the show will include some pre-taped acceptance speeches for winners, but the producers are also treading lightly in working with talent as they decide whether to still attend.
The originally announced list of presenters included Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Burd (‘Lil Dicky’), Gal Gadot, Rodrigo Santoro and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Also ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback; ‘Yellowjackets’ stars Courtney Eaton, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Liv Hewson, Samantha Hanratty, Sophie Nelisse and Sophie Thatcher; and the ‘Joy Ride’ stars Ashley Park, Sabrina Wu, Sherry Cola and Stephanie Hsu.
Others originally set to appear: Ayo Edebiri, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber and Rachel Sennott (‘Bottoms’); Camila Morrone, Riley Keough, Sam Claflin and Suki Waterhouse (‘Daisy Jones & The Six’); Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King (‘The Little Mermaid’).
Gillmer said, according to ‘Variety’, that he’s still confident this show will still be entertaining for fans. “We’ve got acceptances from big talent already, and then the short films are incredible. They’re so funny, and entertaining and emotional, and you know, they’re there.”
