Ariana Grande, SZA, Jack Black, and more win big at the 2025 Kids’ Choice Awards, featuring epic performances, skate stunts, and surprise slimings!
The 38th annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards exploded onto the Santa Monica stage on Saturday night, celebrating the biggest names in entertainment with slime, stunts, and unforgettable performances.
Host Tyla—fresh off her global music success—kept the energy sky-high, guiding viewers through a night packed with music, comedy, and surprising moments.
Opening & Performances
The evening kicked off with a high-octane performance from Machine Gun Kelly, who delivered a medley of his latest hits complete with pyrotechnics and aerial rigging.
Later in the show, indie-pop sensation KATSEYE took the stage, offering a dreamy visual spectacle that contrasted with the raw energy of MGK’s set. Both artists drew thunderous applause from the live crowd and sparked viral social media buzz well before the night was over.
Skateboarding Stunts & Slimings
Skate legends Tony Hawk and rising star Katelyn West thrilled attendees—and viewers at home—with jaw-dropping tricks on a custom half-pipe built on the stage.
Midway through the show, the pair teamed up for a surprise “tandem grind” that ended with a celebratory slime dunk, proving once again that Nickelodeon knows how to blend athleticism and gooey fun.
In total, the broadcast included five slime moments: an open-floor dunk to honor Kids’ Creator of the Year Ms. Rachel, a mid-performance cascade during the Favorite Cartoon award, and a finale gush when Jack Black was crowned King of Comedy.
Television Winners
In the TV categories, The Thundermans: Undercover dominated by winning Favorite Kids’ TV Show. Its stars also took home honors: Jack Griffo was voted Favorite Male TV Star (Kids), and Kira Kosarin won Favorite Female TV Star (Kids).
For family programming, XO, Kitty captured Favorite Family TV Show, while Cobra Kai actors Xolo Maridueña and Peyton List were named Favorite Male and Female TV Stars in the Family categories, respectively.
America’s Got Talent earned Favorite Reality TV Show, and Nickelodeon’s longest-running hit SpongeBob SquarePants once again claimed Favorite Cartoon.
Film Awards
The musical fantasy Wicked reigned supreme as Favorite Film, and its star Ariana Grande was honored as Favorite Movie Actress for her portrayal of Glinda.
Jack Black earned Favorite Movie Actor for his role as Steve in A Minecraft Movie, underscoring his enduring appeal across generations.
In animated fare, Inside Out 2 took Favorite Animated Movie, while Dwayne Johnson (Maui in Moana 2) and Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) won the animated voice categories.
Jim Carrey was celebrated as Favorite Villain for Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Emma Myers snagged Favorite Butt-Kicker for her action-packed turn in A Minecraft Movie.
Music & Digital Stars
Music was a major draw: SZA and Bruno Mars were voted Favorite Female and Favorite Male Artists, respectively.
Breakout sensation Sabrina Carpenter dominated with three wins—Favorite Song (“Taste”), Favorite Female Breakout Artist, and Favorite Album (Short n’ Sweet)—while Benson Boone took Favorite Male Breakout.
Stray Kids won Favorite Music Group, and the Kendrick Lamar–SZA collaboration “luther” was named Favorite Music Collaboration. Tyla was crowned Favorite Global Music Star for Africa, and Selena Gomez’s “Bluest Flame” (with benny blanco) was the Favorite Viral Song.
On the digital front, top creators were honored: MrBeast and Salish Matter won Favorite Male and Female Creators, IShowSpeed was voted Favorite Gamer, and Ms. Rachel earned Fan Favorite Kids’ Creator. The LOL Podcast rounded out the night as Favorite Podcast.
Lifetime Honors
In a pair of special awards, Nickelodeon paid tribute to two icons: Jack Black received the Silver Blimp as King of Comedy, celebrating his decades of laughter-inducing performances, while Rihanna was awarded the first-ever ICON Silver Blimp, recognizing her global influence across music, fashion, and philanthropy.
Overall, the 2025 Kids’ Choice Awards balanced spotlight-stealing performances with heartfelt tributes and playful slime traditions, reinforcing its status as a must-watch event for families and fans of all ages. The full show is available to stream now on Paramount+.
