It’s that time of year again! The MTV Movie Awards are happening on May 7, and this year, they include television. Pitch Perfect‘s Adam Devine will be hosting the live show, airing at 8 p.m. eastern time (that’s 7 p.m. here in Texas!) This year’s show is already being applauded for its progressiveness. For example, categories include “Best Fight Against the System” and nominees are far more diverse than what we normally see from the Oscars. Meanwhile, unlike other awards shows, they actually collapse the “Best Actor” and “Best Actress” categories, putting the genders head to head. So without further ado, here are our picks for the winners at this year’s MTV Movie and TV Awards!
Editor’s Note: Some categories are left out of this analysis. It is not out of disrespect to those categories or nominees, but rather because I had not seen every nominee in those categories and could not evaluate them fairly.
Will win: Get Out – Since the MTV Movie and TV Awards are determined by public vote, the winners can usually be predicted by what people saw and what people enjoyed. Get Out broke box office records, despite an R-rating barring potential viewers. Meanwhile, it was met with rave reviews by critics and the public, maintaining a 99 percent “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The only potential reason that Get Out might not win is its R-rating, which may have kept some of the young voter base for the MTV Movie Awards from seeing it.
Should Win: Get Out should win. It was innovative, funny, and genuinely scary when it intended to be. Unlike nearly every other film that came out this year, I could not guess the plot twists and was sincerely surprised.
Will Win: I’m torn between Emma Watson, whose star power propelled her to unearrned praise for a flat performance in Beauty and the Beast, and up-and-comer Hailee Steinfeld, who was fresh, funny, and empathetic in the often forgotten The Edge of Seventeen. This gem of a role may have been just a little too long ago for people to remember it, but I’m hoping they do and I’m betting on Steinfeld’s rising star.
Should Win: James McAvoy. He was both haunting and fascinating as a man with multiple personalities in Split. However, I fear that voters will be unable to separate the film’s other problems (specifically regarding plot development and pacing) from McAvoy’s incredible performance.
Will Win: Stranger Things took pop culture by storm this year. Even though Neflix doesn’t release viewership numbers, we can be confident that Stranger Things is one of its biggest hits. Meanwhile, shows like Pretty Little Liars and Game of Thrones have been around for a bit and haven’t offered anything new over this past year. Insecure’‘s viewership has been limited by its HBO status, and This Is Us is popular amongst an older viewership. As for Atlanta…
Should Win: Atlanta should win. Donald Glover is amazing. That is all.
Best Actor in a Show Nominees: Donald Glover – Atlanta, Emilia Clarke – Game of Thrones, Gina Rodriguez – Jane the Virgin, Jeffrey Dean Morgan – The Walking Dead, Mandy Moore – This Is Us, Millie Bobby Brown – Stranger Things
Will Win: Millie Bobby Brown. People love this kid, and she gave a heck of a performance in a beloved new show. The odds of her not winning are slim.
Shoud win: Donald Glover. At this point, my love for this show and this man should be obvious.
Will Win: La La Land. This movie was far from perfect, but its saving grace was the romantic chemistry between its stars. Also, these two, and the film, have a level of recognition that won’t be reached by the other nominees. The only potential upset is Beauty and the Beast, because well, Disney magic and all. Moonlight may just have not been seen by enough people in this age group to be a contender.
Should win: I’d give the award for romantic chemistry to La La Land. It was the strongest aspect of the film by far.
Will Win: Jared Leto. He gave a standout performance in an otherwise terrible film. He even went method for the role, intimidating his co-stars behind the scenes. Suicide Squad left us all wanting more of the Joker, and I think voters will acknowledge that.
Should Win: Allison Williams. I can’t say much more than that without giving away heavy spoilers for Get Out. Williams, and what Williams’ character represents, is terrifying.
Honorable Mention: The Demogorgon.
Will Win: With a heavy heart, I predict that people will play it safe with a vote for good ol’ Ellen. I hope I’m wrong.
Should Win: Trevor Noah had big shoes to fill when he replaced Jon Stewart, and he’s done a fantastic job. He’s cutting, witty, empathetic, and even sometimes cute. He’s made the show his own and brought in a different perspective by being a foreign citizen discussing American affairs. Noah pushes the envelope without ever seeming mean-spirited or cruel.
Will Win: This is tricky because all of these are phenomenally made, compelling, and socially important. Just due to the high amount of viewership, I’ll give 13TH the edge over the others.
Should Win: Again, every documentary up here deserves to be seen. If forced to choose one, I’d give it to TIME: The Kalief Browder Story due to the incredibly personal storytelling.
Will Win: Felicity Jones. It’s Star Wars, guys. And she kicked butt.
Should Win: Taraji P. Henson. Not only Henson give a great performance, but she showed a different kind of hero. Her character’s version of heroism didn’t fight with her fists, but used reason and math to solve problems. She was a mother and a friend and a person we could all aspire to be. I think Henson gave us a much better picture of what a hero looks like.
Next Generation Nominees: Chrissy Metz, Daniel Kaluuya, Issa Rae, Riz Ahmed, Yara Shahidi
Will Win: Yara Shahidi from Blackish will take home the award. She’s recognizable, loveable, and got a college recommendation letter from Michelle Obama. This is the girl we all want to be.
Should Win: Riz Ahmed. You might know him from his work rapping on the Hamilton Mixtape or from his role in Rogue One, but you’re sure to see this guy’s face everywhere. He’s smart, talented, and innovative. Check him out!
Best Fight Against the System Nominees: Get Out, Hidden Figures, Loving, Luke Cage, Mr. Robot
Will Win: Get Out. It was universally seen, universally adored, and they literally fight against systemic racism.
Should Win: Get Out.