MTV Movie & TV Awards rely on old clips

A host-less, taped and muted MTV Movie & TV Awards on Sunday became the first big awards show to air during the strike by screenwriters, offering a commercial-heavy broadcast featuring lots of past recycled live clips.

“Scream VI” won the trophy for best movie, holding back competition from “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Elvis,” “Nope,” “Smile” and “Top Gun: Maverick.” In a taped response, the killer Ghostface was humble: “To all the fans that voted, you finally answered my question: What's your favorite scary movie?”

“The Last of Us” was crowned best TV show, beating the likes of “Stranger Things,” “The White Lotus,” “Wednesday” and “Yellowjackets.” Pedro Pascal accepted the award and said he and the cast and creators were standing in solidarity with the striking writers.

Tom Cruise took home the best performance in a movie for “Top Gun: Maverick,” beating Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Michael B. Jordan and Keke Palmer.

In a taped response, Cruise was seen piloting a jet and thanking the fans, while also plugging his next “Mission: Impossible” film, which is being released in July.

Jenna Ortega won best performance in a TV show for “Wednesday,” beating

Aubrey Plaza, Christina Ricci, Riley Keough, Sadie Sink and Selena Gomez. “Stranger Things” won for best kick-ass cast.

“The Kardashians” won best docu-reality show, the best breakthrough performance went to Joseph Quinn of “Stranger Things,” and Pascal won for best hero for “The Last of Us.” Pascal also won half of the best duo prize with co-star Bella Ramsey.

Best comedic performance went to Adam Sandler, for “Murder Mystery 2,” and “Scream VI” won for best fight, with Ghostface again thanking the voters: “It's about time someone finally appreciated my work.”

Host Drew Barrymore had dropped out in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America — later winning best host — and the show's red carpet was rolled up. Faced with a picket from the writers guild, MTV decided to scrap the live event.

Jennifer Coolidge received the Comedic Genius Award on tape and gave a shoutout to striking writers, saying almost all great comedy starts with great writers.

“I stand here before you tonight side by side with my sisters and brothers from the WGA,” she said.

Coolidge also later won for best frightened performance for “The White Lotus.”