Actress Drew Barrymore has dropped out as the host of the MTV Movie and TV Awards, saying she is doing so in solidarity with Writers Guild of America (WGA) scribes currently on strike. MTV has also canceled its red carpet event.
“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, according to a report by Variety.
“Everything we celebrate and honor 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,” the Charlie’s Angels star continued.
“I thank MTV, who has truly been some of the best partners I have ever worked with. And I can’t wait to be a part of this next year, when I can truly celebrate everything that MTV has created, which is a show that allows fans to choose who the awards go to and is truly inclusive,” the actress added.
People picket outside of Paramount Pictures on the first day of the Hollywood writers strike on May 2, 2023 in Los Angeles. (David McNew/Getty Images)
Sunday night’s MTV Movie & TV Awards is set to still go on, it will have no host, as well as no writers from the WGA. The show is also the first scheduled awards telecast since the WGA called a strike on Monday.
While Barrymore won’t be at the live event, she will likely still be part of the show, as she filmed a few sketches before deciding to drop — which are expected to air.
“She’s not going to be with us live in the house for the show and we will essentially be going hostless,” Bruce Gillmer, president of music, music talent, programming and events at Paramount Global, and an executive producer of the MTV Movie & TV Awards, said.
“The silver lining in all of this is that we really formed a partnership almost a family-like atmosphere,” Gillmer added. “So we see this as a shift in direction, but also a pause for the initial plan, which we’ve all agreed and she’s accepted to continue as our host in 2024.”
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