Hollywood blockbuster Furious 7, which featured Abu Dhabi in a starring role, and One Direction were the big winners at the 17th Teen Choice Awards on Sunday night.
The event paid an emotional tribute to the film's late star, Paul Walker, and also celebrated the hit musical drama Empire. It also honoured a music-industry elder: Britney Spears.
The two-hour show, broadcast live on US TV on Sunday night, kicked off with a victory lap for the weekend's box-office hit, Straight Outta Compton, as Ice Cube and the young stars of the NWA biopic welcomed the crowd to the event at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
Rapper and Furious 7 star Christopher "Ludacris" Bridges was one of three hosts, alongside Jane the Virgin star Gina Rodriguez and actor Josh Peck.
Furious 7, one of year's biggest hits, won the awards for Best Action Movie and Best Actor in an Action-Adventure, for Walker.
“Paul Walker is here in spirit with us,” said his co-star Vin Diesel. He also applauded a “special, special” teenager in the crowd: Walker’s daughter, Meadow.
The Teen Choice Awards handed out awards across movies, music, TV, fashion, sports and digital media, celebrating the favourites – from Channing Tatum to Wiz Khalifa and Stephen Curry – of one of media’s most powerful demographics.
As a pop star, Spears was a regular at the awards, collecting its trademark trophies – shaped like surfboards – many times over the years, including its version of a lifetime achievement award in 2009.
On Sunday, she was honoured as a style icon. She dedicated the award to her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, and niece Lexie, who were in the audience.
The Teen Choice Awards’ new powerhouse, One Direction, received eight awards, bringing their “lifetime” total to 23. The British boy band accepted the awards in a pre-recorded video.
Hip-hop drama Empire won breakout TV show and provided one of the show's most memorable moments. While Jussie Smollett and Yazz performed You're So Beautiful, a song from the series, the show's Gabourey Sidibe made a surprise appearance, exuberantly dancing among the backup dancers.
Ellen DeGeneres won the Best Comedian award and requested awards from other age groups: the elderly and babies.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 won several awards, including Best Actor in a Sci-fi or Fantasy Film for Josh Hutcherson. The final film in the saga – Mockingjay, Part 2 – is out in November.
