Coming months after the Oscars, the MTV Movie Awards, which aired June 6, may be the last to award its popcorn-shaped mantelpiece baubles to last year’s biggest films, but that didn’t make this year’s ceremony any less cutting-edge.
The two hottest films of the moment, Spider-Man and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones took center stage in a hilarious opening movie parody starring hosts Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Despite a technical glitch in the show’s otherwise fabulous opening musical number with Black and Gellar, the show went off (relatively) without a hitch, and Gellar, who appeared alternately in a sexy, cleavage-baring red Vivienne Westwood dress, a clingy gray John Gallianos gown, a short, shimmery Vera Wang outfit and a revealing black lace Allesandro Dell’acqua creation, told the press she thought the opening was her favorite of the show, flub and all.
And of course, it wouldn’t be MTV without an appearance from the Osbournes: Ozzy stayed home, but wife Sharon, son Jack and daughter Kelly enjoyed yet another moment in the spotlight. In fact, the hot pink-haired Kelly made an impressive singing debut in which what she lacked in vocal power was made up for in enthusiasm and attitude.
The view from the purple carpet
That’s right, the way into the Shrine Auditorium was lined with purple shag. Movie stars including Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Natalie Portman, Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Colin Hanks, Eddie Griffin, Anne Hathaway and Katie Holmes mingled with music makers such as Eve, DMX, Bow Wow, Ja Rule, Puddle of Mudd, Tyrese and Rob Zombie, along with familiar MTV faces like Andy Dick, Molly Simms and a gaggle of gals from The Real World.
The celebs high-fived screaming fans, signed autographs and were even interviewed by Greg the Bunny as they made their way into the show.
Oscar winner and Movie Award presenter Hilary Swank said she enjoyed mingling with a more laid-back crowd than is at the typical Hollywood fete. “Awards show are awards shows–they’re honoring people and their work,” said Swank. “But I think that the MTV awards are fun, they’re relaxed, they’re entertaining, it’s light. And you can wear denim and diamonds.”
Alias star Jennifer Garner revealed her favorite MTV award was Best Kiss. When asked what put her in the mood to be kissed, she looked appreciatively in the direction of her hubby, Scott Foley, as he waved to fans and sighed dreamily “Do I really need to be in the mood?”
Speaking of kisses…Kate Beckinsale was discussing how her young daughter had compared her mom’s newly red-streaked hair to that of Disney’s Little Mermaid when the actress suddenly jumped–her Pearl Harbor co-star Ben Affleck snuck up behind her to plop one on the back of her neck.
Other celebs weren’t afraid to confess to their lack of pop cultural awareness, even in their own industry. Charlize Theron confessed that she had yet to see either Spider-Man or Attack of the Clones. “I’m not American, so I don’t really know the whole comic book thing. You didn’t get those or Star Wars in South Africa, so it’s a new discovery for me.”
Jack Osbourne, who videotaped nearly every second of his arrivals line experience, said he was more used to the music biz than the Hollywood scene, having been on the job scouring L.A. for hot new bands. “I’m a scout for Epic Records, so it’s my job,” he said. “I’m working with a couple bands right now. It’s my secret–I’m not going to mention them so anyone else won’t find them.”
Jack claimed to be dealing well with his newfound fame: “I didn’t wake up one day and say, ‘Oh, I want to be famous, I’m going to do a reality TV show.’ I woke up and there were cameras in my house and I was, like, ‘OK.'”
Suddenly, a screaming fan in the stands interrupted him: “I love you, Jack! Oh my God! You’re so hot!” A wide grin (complete with braces) spread across to Ozzy’s teen son’s bespectacled face, indicating that fame had indeed come with its perks.
Further up the carpet, Jack’s mom Sharon was all a-quiver in anticipation of Kelly’s live performing debut. “I love every moment,” she said. “I’m such a terrible old stage mother, I know!”
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Inside, Mrs. Osbourne stood beaming in the wings as her daughter–in a jacket that proclaimed “Suck This!” on the back–performed Madonna‘s song “Papa Don’t Preach” onstage backed by her band Pure Rubbish. Afterward she revealed that she’d “had one go-through with friends and family at the Viper Room, and then this was the first time in front of more than 10 people.”
She also denied handpicking the song: “I didn’t choose it, my mama did.” As far as Madonna tunes go, Kelly prefers “Like A Virgin,” she revealed. In the tradition of the Material Girl, she offered her top hair tip for girls trying to emulate her signature look: “Have a lot of time on your hands.”
From the winners’ podium
Will Smith, recipient of the golden popcorn for Best Male Performance for his role in Ali, said he got some valuable advice from Mohammed Ali. “There’s only one thing that’s ever important, and that’s to tell the truth,” said Smith. “Sometimes people don’t like to hear it, sometimes it’s hard to tell it, but if you make yourself tell the truth, everything else will be all right.”
Reese Witherspoon was awarded the Best Comedic Performance award for her turn in Legally Blonde, despite her three-year-old daughter Ava’s opinion that Eddie Murphy as the Donkey in Shrek was the clear favorite. Witherspoon said her daughter told her, “‘Mommy, I wuv you but you’re weawwy siwwy, and the Donkey is funny.'”
She added that the best part of being a wife, mom and Hollywood star is “getting to share your success with people you love, and getting to go home to somebody who supports you and is happy for you–that’s nice, it’s really nice. It makes it all even better.”
Although Jason Biggs couldn’t get out of his Broadway schedule performing The Graduate to collect his half of the award for Best Kiss, his American Pie 2 co-star Seann William Scott was on hand to explain why their lip lock was so convincing: Scott claimed Biggs insisted on a lot of rehearsal–even weeks after the scene had wrapped.
In the cinematic spirit of the event, Best Fight Scene winner Chris Tucker described going to the cineplex with his friend Michael Jackson. “There’s nothing like going to the movies with the King of Pop and sitting in the back row,” said Tucker. “We go in the back door for him to hide and everything, but he laughs louder than everybody. People turn around, ‘Who is that?’ I tell Michael, ‘Will you shut up? We snuck in here for a reason.'”
When asked who pays for popcorn, Tucker explained: “We got free popcorn. They just chucked all types of candy in front of us. [imitating Jackson] ‘Give us some Skittles. Gimme the Skittles! Bubbles, sit down–Can’t nobody see!'”
“I can’t find Jackie!” Tucker said of his co-star Jackie Chan, who choreographed their winning fight scene. “Jackie’s always off doing another movie. I can’t find him, but I’m sure he’ll call me to do Rush Hour 3…He’s the best co-star in the world. When I work with him I don’t have to do nothin’. He just swings me around.”
After winning two awards for Best Musical Sequence and Best Female Performer (both for Moulin Rouge, Nicole Kidman explained that she’d just wrapped the latest of a seemingly endless series of films she’s got in the works.
“I just finished a film with Sir Anthony Hopkins… It’s called The Human Stain and it’s based on a book by Phillip Roth,” said Kidman. “Ed Harris is in it as well. My next movie is with Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore and that’s called The Hours.”
The MTV PR rep tried to call “last question” but Kidman was just getting started. “Already? You can’t shut me up!” she said, to cheers and applause from the media.
It seems that Kidman has more of her own musical moments up her sleeve, with plans to sing again. “Yeah, I have a couple of things, singles I’d like to record that I can’t really talk about yet, but it should be fun,” she said. “I have something that I’m gonna do that I hope will be kind of fun, with Baz [Moulin Rouge director Luhrmann] again. In the next couple of months.” Not with Ewan McGregor, she offered, but rather “something with another girl.”
Continue on for the complete list of winners
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The winners of the 2002 MTV Movie Awards
Best Movie
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Best Male Performance
Will Smith, Ali
Best Female Performance
Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge
Best Villain
Denzel Washington, Training Day
Best Comedic Performance
Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde
Best Action Sequence
Pearl Harbor
Best Kiss
Jason Biggs and Seann William Scott, American Pie 2
Best Musical Sequence
Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, Moulin Rouge
Best Fight Scene
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Rush Hour 2.
Best On-Screen Team
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, The Fast and the Furious
Breakthrough Performance–Male
Orlando Bloom, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Breakthrough Performance–Female
Mandy Moore, A Walk to Remember
New Filmmaker Award
Christopher Nolan
