Academy Award® Winner Reese Witherspoon to be Honored With the "MTV Generation Award" at "2011 MTV Movie Awards"

NEW YORK, June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV today announced that Academy Award®-winning actress Reese Witherspoon will be honored with the "MTV Generation Award" during the "2011 MTV Movie Awards" for her exceptional contributions to the film industry and for charming generations of the MTV audience throughout her career. Witherspoon is considered one of Hollywood's most talented, diverse and bankable actresses, who consistently holds film critics and moviegoers spellbound with her varied and engrossing performances. The "MTV Generation Award" is the "MTV Movie Awards" highest honor, acknowledging an actor who can be counted on to engage the MTV audience with everything she does. Past recipients include Sandra Bullock, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey. Hosted by Jason Sudeikis, the "2011 MTV Movie Awards" will broadcast LIVE from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, CA on Sunday, June 5 at 9pm ET/8pm CT.

Building a devoted fan base worldwide since her motion picture debut as a teen in "The Man in the Moon," Witherspoon is renowned for her ability to inhabit both dramatic and comedic roles with unparalleled fluidity. After receiving notoriety for layered and iconic performances in feature films like "Fear," "Cruel Intentions" and "Pleasantville," Witherspoon went on to receive critical acclaim for her hilarious role in the comedy "Election" and to set box office records with the blockbuster motion pictures "Legally Blonde" and "Sweet Home Alabama." She received the 2006 Academy Award® for her extraordinary turn as country music legend June Carter in "Walk the Line" and started her own film production company Type A Films in 2000.  Most recently, Witherspoon has entertained in the holiday comedy "Four Christmases" and the period romance "Water For Elephants."

"Reese Witherspoon is one of the most versatile and accomplished performers of her time," said Stephen Friedman, President, MTV.  "Our viewers admire her for taking risks and for the breathtaking range of her roles.   She fearlessly moves between dramas and comedies and always leaves everyone guessing what she'll do next.  We are thrilled to honor Reese with this year's 'MTV Generation Award.'"

As previously announced, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Steve Carell, Emma Stone, Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel, Patrick Dempsey, Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, Nicki Minaj, Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy are confirmed to present popcorn awards during this year's telecast. In addition, the Foo Fighters will deliver one of their trademark epic performances as they debut their new single "Walk" from their seventh studio album Wasting Light. Also set to rip the stage is Grammy Award-winning hip-hop superstar Lupe Fiasco who will treat viewers to two singles off his hit album LASERS by joining with R&B sensation Trey Songz for their first-ever televised performance together of "Out of My Head" to be followed by Lupe's platinum single "The Show Goes On." 

The "2011 MTV Movie Awards" will turn fantasy into reality as the improbable materializes live before viewers' eyes. The magic and wonder of movies will go from the big screen to the "Movie Awards" stage as the fantastical world of whimsical landscapes and larger-than-life, reality-defying moments that audiences love are celebrated. Sure to be a treat for the over-active imagination, this year's ceremony will build upon the "Movie Awards" trademark individuality and status as Hollywood's most outrageous live event to provide movie fans with an experience worthy of their favorite blockbusters from the past year.

Emmy® Award Winner Mark Burnett returns for the fifth year in a row to executive produce the "2011 MTV Movie Awards" in Los Angeles, where movie megastars will vie for the golden popcorn in award categories as only MTV could create them. The "2011 MTV Movie Awards" will be a dead heat as the blockbusters "Inception" and "The Social Network" give fan favorite film franchises "The Twilight Saga" and "Harry Potter" some serious competition that could make the night anyone's to win. Winner voting at MovieAwards.MTV.com for the "2011 MTV Movie Awards" in 12 returning and all-new categories closes on Saturday, June 4. The "BEST MOVIE" category will remain an ongoing battle throughout the LIVE show.

The "2011 MTV Movie Awards" will be available to a potential viewing audience of more than 1.2 billion people via MTV's global network of more than 60 channels reaching nearly 600 million households around the world as well as through syndication.  In addition, its convergent programming & content will reach the entire interactive community, via MTV's more than 200 digital media properties around the world.

Mark Burnett serves as Executive Producer for the "2011 MTV Movie Awards." Audrey Morrissey is Executive Producer.  Garrett English serves as Executive Producer and Executive In Charge for MTV. Jane Mun serves as Supervising Producer.  For MTV, Wendy Plaut is the Celebrity Talent Executive and Amy Doyle and Joanna Bomberg serve as the Executives In Charge of Music and Talent.

Official sponsors of the 2011 MTV Movie Awards include adidas®, Chevrolet, SNICKERS® Brand, Sprint, Starbucks Coffee Company, State Farm®, Taco Bell® and TWIX.®

About MTV:

MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand.   With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people.  MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy®, Grammy® and Peabody® award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile.  MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is the leading destination for music, news and pop culture.  MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  For more information, go to www.mtvpress.com.

SOURCE MTV

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