With Andy Samberg hosting and Eminem performing, how do you make the even bigger? How about inviting Kings of Leon?
The scruffy haired Nashville family rockers will perform live on MTV for the first time — and play their first-ever U.S. awards show — on May 31, when they take the stage of the the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California as part of the Movie Awards festivities. Nominees for the awards — which you can vote for right now — were announced on Monday.
"We're excited, it should be awesome. I always watch that stuff on TV," said the band's lead guitarist, Matthew Followill about the show. MTV News caught up with Matthew and KOL drummer Nathan Followill on the band's tour bus just moments before they took the stage for a sold-out show in Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday night — and Nathan said he's hoping the Movie Awards gig might help him make his transition to the silver screen.
"Hopefully we can break into our acting careers," he joked. "Maybe an agent or something will come up like, 'Hey, you look pretty good up there, wanna be in my movie?' " The drummer said that if he had to choose what movie he'd like to snag a role in, it would have to be " 'Pineapple Express Part 2,' or something like that."
With their latest album, Only by the Night, selling more than 4 million copies worldwide, the Followills said they're stoked to finally show American audiences what European fans have known for several years: That they're one of the best rock bands around.
But first cousins Matthew and Nathan — singer Caleb and bassist Jared are Nathan's brothers — said while they're not nervous about the Movie Awards gig, they are a bit wary of sharing a stage with Eminem, whom they've never met before. "But I'm pretty sure he would write a rap song about us after he met us, so keep our friendship at a distance!" Nathan joked.
The boys said they were also psyched to meet Jack Black, Will Ferrell and especially, Nathan said, Liv Tyler.
Among the list of presenters for the show are Denzel Washington, Cameron Diaz, Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, Vanessa Hudgens, Leighton Meester, Jonah Hill and Lil Wayne.
Will the vampires grab more trophies than the slumdog? What was the year's ultimate onscreen WTF moment? It's up to you to decide the winners of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. Vote now, and tune in on May 31 at 9 p.m. ET, when the big show airs live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California.
