25. Lindsay Lohan
Show: 2004 MTV Movie Awards
Memorable Moments: Could anything top a cameo from Andy Richter and Rachel Dratch as your parents, leading into a You Got Served-inspired dance number? Is anything more 2004? Lindsay Lohan opened the 2004 MTV Movie Awards with a bang, opting for a skit-style monologue a la Saturday Night Live, on which she’s shined multiple times as a live comedic performer. While Lohan’s not the most natural dancer, she looked to be having fun and shedding those lingering jitters. From there, Lindsay did her thing and even took home Breakthrough Female golden popcorn for Freaky Friday.
Public Reception: As was the norm for teen stars in the early aughts, Lohan’s performance as host received inevitable cheers and jeers. It’s to be expected. Namely, critics were quick to point out Lohan’s age, as she was 17 at the time and fresh off her starring role in Mean Girls. She began to back away from the Disney-fied, “good girl” roles that made her famous and transition into more mature movies. Sure, other events have eclipsed her hosting gig at the MTV Movie Awards, but she made decent headway at breaking out of her child star constraints.
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Why They’re One of the Best: There’s no way LiLo’s stint as the host of the 2004 MTV Movie Awards wouldn’t make this list, since it’s perhaps one of the most unforgettable periods of pop culture. Not only was Lohan at the top of her game and fame, pop culture was on another level. She had the daunting task of leading a show featuring appearances from mega-stars like Tom Cruise, Ashton Kutcher, and Halle Berry and honoring massive movies such as The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean. Once again, Lindsay Lohan proved hold her own with the greats and carry the early ’00s MTV generation on her shoulders.