Yahoo Movies Jeff Bezos toasts 'drinking buddy' Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson at 2021 People's Choice Awards: See all the winners
The People's Choice Awards returned Tuesday – and revealed a surprising friendship between two famous faces
Televised live from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, the awards show ended with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson receiving the People's Champion award from none other than his "tequila drinking buddy," Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Bezos surprised the crowd when he walked onto the stage, declaring that this year's People's Champion is someone not only "larger than life," but also "strong, handsome (and) bald."
"Hey, it's a good look," Bezos quipped.
Johnson, who also won 2021 People's Choice trophies for comedy movie star and male movie star, gave Bezos a big hug when he walked onto the stage. But the actor ended up giving his last trophy to a more worthy recipient.
"I used to call myself the People's Champion," Johnson said, before inviting a young guest from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, identified as Shushana, onstage. "What it means to be the People's Champion is so much bigger than me... I wanna give you (Shushana) this, because you represent everything that it means to be a people's champion."
After welcoming a virtual audience last year amid the coronavirus pandemic, the People's Choice Awards returned this year with a crowded, in-person ceremony honoring celebrities like Kim Kardashian West, Halle Berry and Ellen DeGeneres.
Kardashian West won the Fashion Icon award, and family members Kris Jenner and Khloe Kardashian returned to the stage with Kim after winning best reality show. The trio used their acceptance speech as an opportunity to tease their upcoming series. The final season of the family's long-running show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" aired on E! this year.
“We’ve closed this one chapter but a new one is coming," said momager Kris Jenner. "We can't wait for you to see what we have in store for you coming in 2022 on Hulu."
Halle Berry, accepting the People's Icon award from presenter Cardi B, shouted out her "two little kids": Nahla, 13, and Maceo, 8.
"They have to lose so much time with their mommy, because I get to go work and do what I love," she said. To her children at home, she added, "I hope you find something in life that you can love and you can do with as much vigor and as much zest as I do what I do."
Marvel star Simu Liu also won for Action Movie Star for "Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings." "I went to college for finance and accounting, and it was because I didn't have the courage inside me to give myself the permission to pursue what I truly wanted," he said. "So whatever that means for you guys, it all starts with permission for yourself."
Kenan Thompson hosted the awards show, which determined its winners via fan vote. The "Saturday Night Live" veteran cracked jokes while not taking himself (or the ceremony) too seriously.
“It’s kind of like the Oscars," Thompson quipped at the top of the show. "Except it’s for movies people have actually seen."
Here are more of this year's winners:
Host Kenan Thompson predicts a good night for 2021 People's Choice Awards: What to know
People's Champion
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
People's Icon
Halle Berry
Fashion Icon
Kim Kardashian West
Movie of 2021
"Black Widow"
Male Movie Star of 2021
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Female Movie Star of 2021
Show of 2021
"Loki"
Reality Show of 2021
"Keeping Up With the Kardashians"
Comedy Show of 2021
"Never Have I Ever"
Male TV Star of 2021
Tom Hiddleston
Female TV Star of 2021
Ellen Pompeo
Daytime Talk Show of 2021
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show"
Bingeworthy Show of 2021
"Squid Game"
Competition Contestant of 2021
JoJo Siwa
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Male Artist of 2021
Lil Nas X
Female Artist of 2021
Adele
Country Artist of 2021
Blake Shelton
Latin Artist of 2021
Bad Bunny
The Group of 2021
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Song of 2021
"Butter"
Album of 2021
"Sour"
New Artist of 2021
Olivia Rodrigo
Social Star of 2021
Pop Special of 2021
"Friends: The Reunion"
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: People's Choice Awards 2021: Jeff Bezos toasts The Rock, Simu Liu wins
