The Comedic Genius Award at the 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards will be handed out to Sacha Baron Cohen when the ceremony takes place on May 16.
Baron Cohen, who currently resides here in Australia with wife Isla Fisher, is also nominated for three other MTV Movie & TV Awards for his work on Borat 2 and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
The multi-talented actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter is only the fourth recipient of the Comedic Genius Award, after Will Ferrell (2013), Kevin Hart (2015) and Melissa McCarthy (2016). The recognition is given to an actor who “has made incomparable contributions to the world of comedy, providing a major influence and transforming the genre.”
Baron Cohen has been having a stellar awards season, having been nominated for two Oscars at the 93rd Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Best Adapted Screenplay for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.
He won the Golden Globe for best motion picture, musical or comedy, and Writers Guild Award for best-adapted screenplay for his work on Borat 2 and was part of the SAG Awards’ best cast prize for his portray of activist Abbot “Abbie” Hoffman in The Trial of the Chicago 7.
In addition to Baron Cohen receiving the Comedic Genius Award, MTV has announced that Scarlett Johansson will be honoured with the Generation Award during the 2021 broadcast.
According to the network, the Generation Award celebrates “beloved actors whose diverse contributions to both film and television have turned them into household names. Past recipients include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Chris Pratt, Will Smith, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Wahlberg, Sandra Bullock, Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise.
The MTV Movie & TV Awards will take place over two nights this year, with the main event airing live from Los Angeles on Sunday, May 16 with the inaugural instalment of Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted — which celebrates reality TV — taking place on Monday, May 17.
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