Ellen DeGeneres won big at the People’s Choice Awards, taking home Favorite Animated Movie Voice, Favorite Comedic Collaboration and more honors.
By Loren Smith | Staff Writer
The most fan-centered award show on television made its 43rd appearance last Wednesday, when CBS broadcast the People’s Choice Awards live from Los Angeles. Hosted by comedian and actor Joel McHale, the annual broadcast produced numerous upsets and honors as it announced winners for over 60 categories, spanning the areas of film, television, music and digital media.
This year’s winners, ranging from “Finding Dory” to “The Walking Dead,” were chosen through online ballots. The show also came with a strange duo of performers: Fifth Harmony and Blake Shelton. The four-member girl group emanated energy during their hit song “Work From Home,” while the country singer countered with his newest single, “Every Time I Hear That Song.”
The two performers also took home several awards, with Fifth Harmony winning Favorite Group and Shelton receiving the awards for Favorite Male Country Artist and Favorite Album for his 2016 release, “If I’m Honest.” Other notable winners include Justin Timberlake for Favorite Male Artist and Britney Spears, who won both Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Pop Artist, along with her win in the digital category for Favorite Social Media Celebrity.
Movies were, as always, the highlight of the night. Ryan Reynolds, Robert Downey Jr., Melissa McCarthy and Tom Hanks were among just some of the A-listers to receive awards in various acting categories. “Finding Dory” dominated movies for the year, winning Favorite Family Movie, Favorite Animated Movie Voice for Ellen DeGeneres and even Favorite Movie.
DeGeneres was honored during the show after she also received the award for Favorite Daytime TV Host and Favorite Comedic Collaboration, becoming the most decorated People’s Choice Awards winner with an astonishing total of 20 wins.
The television categories were kind to many notable actors and actresses as well, including Dwayne Johnson, who won Favorite Premium Series Actor for his role in “Ballers” and Jennifer Lopez, whose show, “Shades of Blue,” earned her the Favorite TV Crime Drama Actress award. “Outlander” won the award for both Favorite TV Show and Favorite Premium Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series, succeeding against the many other popular shows in these categories.
Receiving the Favorite Humanitarian award for his volunteer work, Tyler Perry described his actions as being a metaphor for the importance of remaining kind and hopeful in light of everything going on in the world. His speech was a refreshing break from all of the glitz and glamour of the night, as he focused on more important matters and reminded people that they must refrain from becoming cynical.
“As I look at the state of the world and the state of our country and everything that is going on, it is so important that we know that no matter how dark it gets, we all have to be light for each other,” said Perry during his speech.
To close out the night, Johnny Depp was presented with the Favorite Movie Icon award, giving a heartfelt acceptance speech during which he talked about his difficult year and the gratitude he felt for being given this honor.
This year’s show certainly made for a memorable one, with its shift from political jokes to spreading kindness creating a far different vibe from that which most of the other award shows took on this season. Johnson perhaps best summed up the entire mood of the night during his acceptance speech when he said, “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”
