Drew Barrymore drops out as MTV Movie & TV Awards host in support of writers' strike
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Drew Barrymore is dropping out as host of the upcoming MTV Movie & TV Awards in a show of solidarity with the WGA strike.
"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. "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."
Barrymore will host the 2024 awards, concluding her statement: "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."
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Drew Barrymore
The May 7 show is still expected to go on sans host. Though Barrymore won't appear live, she'll likely still make appearances in several pre-taped sketches for the telecast, according to Variety. Contingency plans appear to be in place as producers anticipate other presenters, nominees, and guests who may opt out of the festivities in solidarity.
"When this all reared its head, we started to prepare for what could be," Bruce Gillmer, executive producer of the MTV Movie & TV Awards, told the outlet, adding that production has "full respect" and "support" for Barrymore's decision to stand with writers. Though the show will look different, the focus is "delivering for the fans," Gillmer said, noting that exclusive movie sneak peeks and live performances are still on the roster.
Jennifer Coolidge is slated to receive the Comedic Genius Award at the ceremony, which tapped Jamie Lee Curtis, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Halle Bailey, Stephanie Hsu, Ashley Park, Dominique Fishback, Tiffany Haddish, and Anthony Ramos, among others, as presenters. Ayo Edebiri, Riley Keough, and Sam Claflin are also part of the original lineup.
Scott Garfield/Paramount; Netflix; Liane Hentscher/HBO 'Top Gun: Maverick,' 'Stranger Things,' and 'The Last of Us' top 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards nominations
The MTV Movie & TV Awards will air live from Barker Hangar in Los Angeles on Sunday at 8 p.m. The Last of Us, Stranger Things, and Top Gun: Maverick lead the nominations with six each, trailed by The White Lotus and Wednesday with four nominations each.
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
Related content:
