The MTV Movies Awards stand out from all other awards shows for two major reasons. 1) They happen well after the traditional awards season has ended. 2) Their nominees come from across the spectrum of film, with Oscar-nominated actors going up against the stars of summer blockbusters. There is no better reflection of that then the MTV Movie Awards' Best Male Performance category, which this year gives the stars of Oscar-nominated films whose own performances were overlooked another chance at a trophy — if they can beat the male leads of some of 2015's most popular movies. In the end, it was Bradley Cooper who won the MTV Movie Award, proving that a combination of both critical recognition and box office success may be the formula for winning the Golden Popcorn.
Cooper beat out a formidable group for the prize, having been up against Channing Tatum for Foxcatcher, Miles Teller for Whiplash, Chris Pratt for Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ansel Elgort for The Fault In Our Stars. Honestly, I was surprised to hear Cooper's name called, assuming that Elgort or Pratt would win, since both of their films have huge, dedicated fandoms. It just goes to show how many people loved American Sniper and were affected by its story.
When Cooper accepted his award, he kept things brief, and ended his speech with a tribute to the real U.S. Marine he portrayed in American Sniper, Chris Kyle. Cooper explained that Kyle would have turned 41 years old four days ago (he was killed in February 2013), and dedicated the award to him, lifting his Golden Popcorn towards the sky.
