Vanderpump Rules star Lala Kent will no longer attend the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards in solidarity with striking writers.
“I am so honored to be nominated this year and thankful to all my fans who have been voting but I have decided to stay home in support of the many hard working writers who deserve to be compensated fairly,” Kent said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Although Vanderpump Rules falls under the unscripted sector of TV, that is not an excuse for me to remain silent and carry on as if there isn’t so much at stake for every writer and their families. We have to protect our creators and I hope you’ll stand with me and many others as we do so until we reach a resolution (hopefully very soon),” Kent added.
Kent marks the first talent to announce that they are pulling out of the show. In addition to Vanderpump Rules being nominated for two awards — best docu-reality series and best reality onscreen team — Kent was also previously announced as a presenter.
The reality star’s announcement follows Drew Barrymore dropping out as host of the ceremony amid the strike. Barrymore has, however, agreed to host the 2024 awards.
“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. Everything we celebrate and honor about movies and television is born out of their creation,” Barrymore said in a statement. “And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait but I’ll be watching from home and hope you will join me.”
The MTV Movie & TV Awards will still air Sunday live from the Barker Hangar in Los Angeles without a host and any Writers Guild of America scribes. MTV has also called off the red carpet for the event. As of now, there is no physical picket of the awards ceremony planned.
