Hollywood’s slimiest awards show will return Saturday evening as the 2024 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards are presented at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, with the ceremony dedicated to the 25th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants, who will host the show alongside his Bikini Bottom pal, Patrick Star.
Nickelodeon officials say it’s the first time an awards show will be hosted by animated characters — voiced by Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke. The stage will be designed to immerse viewers into the world of Bikini Bottom.
But there will definitely be slime. In fact, for the first time, the show is expected to include rainbow-colored slime, in addition to the traditional green.
In years past, virtually anyone who steps on stage at the Kids’ Choice Awards has been subject to random sliming. So there’s a chance some big-name stars could receive a slime shower.
The leading candidates?
Taylor Swift has a leading six nominations, including a nod for favorite female artist. Also nominated in that category are Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo and Selena Gomez. Nominated for favorite male artist are Bad Bunny, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, Post Malone, The Weeknd, Travis Scott and Usher.
Beyoncé, Cyrus, Rodrigo and Timberlake each have four nominations.
Taylor Swift’s boyfriend — Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — is nominated for favorite male sports star, a category that also includes his Chiefs teammate, quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Also nominated are soccer stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Lakers star LeBron James and Golden State Warriors standout Stephen Curry.
Competing for best female sports star will be soccer star Alex Morgan, WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark, tennis standout Coco Gauff, track star Sha’Carri Richardson, gymnast Simone Biles and tennis legend Venus Williams.
Williams’ sister, Serena — fresh off her duties hosting the ESPY Awards Thursday night in Hollywood — will receive a Legend Award during the ceremony.
Nickelodeon officials noted that this year’s nominations list includes more than 50 first-time nominees, with categories spanning the worlds of film, television, music, sports, social media and gaming.
Australian rapper The Kid Laroi is scheduled to perform.
The award winners are chosen exclusively through online voting.
Here is a complete list of nominees:
FAVORITE KIDS TV SHOW
Danger Force
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury
Raven’s Home
The Muppets Mayhem
The Really Loud House
Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan
FAVORITE FAMILY TV SHOW
Abbott Elementary
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Goosebumps
iCarly
Loki
Young Sheldon
FAVORITE REALITY SHOW
America’s Funniest Home Videos
America’s Got Talent
American Ninja Warrior
Is It Cake?
Kids Baking Championship
LEGO Masters
FAVORITE CARTOON
Big City Greens
Monster High
SpongeBob SquarePants
Teen Titans Go!
The Loud House
The Simpsons
FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR (KIDS)
Hunter Deno (Amelia Jones, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury)
Lilly Singh (Nora Singh, The Muppets Mayhem)
Olivia Rodrigo (Nini, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
Raven-Symone (Raven Baxter, Raven’s Home)
Sofia Wylie (Gina, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
Tessa Rao (Izzy Garcia, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury)
FAVORITE MALE TV STAR (KIDS)
Chance Perez (Javi Garcia, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury)
Dylan Gilmer (Young Dylan, Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan)
Jahzir Bruno (Clyde McBride, The Really Loud House)
Joshua Bassett (Ricky, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson, Percy Jackson and the Olympians)
Wolfgang Schaeffer (Lincoln Loud, The Really Loud House)
FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR (FAMILY)
Janelle James (Ava Coleman, Abbott Elementary)
Laci Mosley (Harper, iCarly)
Miranda Cosgrove (Carly, iCarly)
Peyton List (Maddie Nears, School Spirits)
Quinta Brunson (Janine Teagues, Abbott Elementary)
Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano, Ahsoka)
FAVORITE MALE TV STAR (FAMILY)
Gordon Cormier (Aang, Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Iain Armitage (Sheldon Cooper, Young Sheldon)
Jerry Trainor (Spencer Shay, iCarly)
Justin Long (Nathan Bratt, Goosebumps)
Tom Hiddleston (Loki, Loki)
Zack Morris (Isaiah Howard, Goosebumps)
FAVORITE MOVIE
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Barbie
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The Little Mermaid
The Marvels
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Wonka
FAVORITE MOVIE ACTOR
Adam Sandler (Danny Friedman, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah)
Chris Pratt (Peter Quill, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3)
Jason Momoa (Arthur, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom)
John Cena (Jakob Toretto, Fast X)
Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire)
Ryan Gosling (Ken, Barbie)
Ryan Reynolds (Cal, IF)
Timothee Chalamet (Willy Wonka, Wonka)
FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESS
America Ferrera (Gloria, Barbie)
Brie Larson (Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, The Marvels)
Halle Bailey (Ariel, The Little Mermaid)
Jennifer Garner (Jess, The Family Switch)
Margot Robbie (Barbie, Barbie)
Melissa McCarthy (Ursula, The Little Mermaid)
Zendaya (Chani, Dune: Part Two)
Zoe Saldana (Gamora, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3)
FAVORITE ANIMATED MOVIE
Elemental
Kung Fu Panda 4
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
The Garfield Movie
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Trolls Band Together
FAVORITE MALE VOICE FROM AN ANIMATED MOVIE
Adam Sandler (Leo, Leo)
Brady Noon (Raphael, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem)
Chris Pratt (Mario, The Super Mario Bros. Movie)
Jack Black (Bowser, The Super Mario Bros. Movie)
Jack Black (Po, Kung Fu Panda 4)
Jackie Chan (Splinter, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem)
Justin Timberlake (Branch, Trolls Band Together)
Shameik Moore (Miles Morales, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse)
FAVORITE FEMALE VOICE FROM AN ANIMATED MOVIE
Anna Kendrick (Poppy, Trolls Band Together)
Anya Taylor-Joy (Peach, The Super Mario Bros. Movie)
Ariana DeBose (Asha, Wish)
Awkwafina (Zhen, Kung Fu Panda 4)
Ayo Edebiri (April, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem)
Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse)
Kristen Bell (Janet, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie)
McKenna Grace (Skye, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie)
FAVORITE VILLAIN
Amy Schumer (Velvet, Trolls Band Together)
Austin Butler (Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Dune: Part Two)
Jack Black (Bowser, The Super Mario Bros. Movie)
Keegan-Michael Key (Chief of Police, Wonka)
Melissa McCarthy (Ursula, The Little Mermaid)
Renee Rapp (Regina George, Mean Girls)
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Ariana Grande
Beyonce
Billie Eilish
Cardi B
Miley Cyrus
Olivia Rodrigo
Selena Gomez
Taylor Swift
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Bad Bunny
Drake
Ed Sheeran
Justin Timberlake
Post Malone
The Weeknd
Travis Scott
Usher
FAVORITE MUSIC GROUP
Black Eyed Peas
Coldplay
Imagine Dragons
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
NSYNC
FAVORITE SONG
“Dance the Night” – Dua Lipa
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs
“Flowers” – Miley Cyrus
“Paint The Town Red” – Doja Cat
“Selfish” – Justin Timberlake
“TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” – Beyonce
“What Was I Made For?” – Billie Eilish
“yes, and?” – Ariana Grande
FAVORITE MUSIC COLLABORATION
“All My Life” – Lil Durk and J. Cole
“Baby Don’t Hurt Me” – David Guetta, Anne Marie and Coi Leray
“Barbie World” – Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice with Aqua
“Doctor (Work it Out)” – Pharrell Williams featuring Miley Cyrus
“Fortnight” – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
“Karma (Remix)” – Taylor Swift and Ice Spice
“SUPPOSED TO BE LOVED” – DJ Khaled featuring Lil Baby, Future and Lil Uzi Vert
“Wild Ones” – Jessie Murph and Jelly Roll
FAVORITE BREAKOUT ARTIST
Coco Jones
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Renee Rapp
Tate McRae
Teddy Swims
Tyla
Victoria Monet
FAVORITE ALBUM
“Barbie: The Album”
“Cowboy Carter” – Beyonce
“Endless Summer Vacation” – Miley Cyrus
“GUTS” – Olivia Rodrigo
“THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY” – Taylor Swift
“Whitsitt Chapel” – Jelly Roll*
FAVORITE GLOBAL MUSIC STAR
Africa: Tyla
Asia: BLACKPINK
Australia/NZ: Troye Sivan
Europe: Zara Larsson
Latin America: Karol G
North America: Taylor Swift
UK: Dua Lipa
FAVORITE TICKET OF THE YEAR
Bad Bunny: Most Wanted
Beyonce: Renaissance Tour
BlackPink: BornPink Tour
Olivia Rodrigo: Guts Tour
Sabrina Carpenter: Emails That I Can’t Send Tour
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
FAVORITE VIRAL SONG
“Beautiful Things” – Benson Boone
“Daylight” – David Kushner
“Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Greedy” – Tate McRae
“Lil Boo Thang” – Paul Russell
“Water” – Tyla
FAVORITE MALE CREATOR
Dhar Mann
Mark Rober
Markiplier
MrBeast
Ryan’s World
Spencer X
FAVORITE FEMALE CREATOR
Charli D’Amelio
Dixie D’Amelio
Emma Chamberlain
Hannah Stocking
Kids Diana Show
Lexi Rivera
FAVORITE GAMER
Aphmau
Kai Cenat
Ninja
Preston
TheBoyDilly
Unspeakable
FAVORITE SOCIAL MUSIC STAR
Addison Rae
Bella Poarch
David Kushner
Djo
Madison Beer
Paul Russell
FAVORITE CREATOR FAMILY
FGTeeV
Jordan Matter/Salish Matter
Ninja Kidz
Royalty Family
The Beverly Halls
The Herberts
FAVORITE FEMALE SPORTS STAR
Alex Morgan
Caitlin Clark
Coco Gauff
Sha’Carri Richardson
Simone Biles
Venus Williams
FAVORITE MALE SPORTS STAR
Cristiano Ronaldo
LeBron James
Lionel Messi
Patrick Mahomes
Stephen Curry
Travis Kelce
FAVORITE VIDEO GAME
Just Dance 2024
Madden NFL 24
Minecraft
Roblox
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom