Moonlight's Jharrel Jerome has applauded MTV for scrapping gendered prizes as stars arrived on the red carpet for its Movie & TV Awards - only to be sent running for cover by a sudden hail storm.
Diehard fans donned ponchos in order to brave the elements for a glimpse of their favourite stars, but the hail-covered carpet was closed off.
Jerome's emotional scene with Ashton Sanders could add to the film's packed awards cabinet, which contains three Oscars, if it fends off La La Land's Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, as well as Emma Watson and Dan Stevens in Beauty And The Beast.
Jerome celebrated the lack of best male or female categories and said he hoped other awards would follow suit.
He told the Press Association: "I think it's incredible. I think it's about time we did something like that because we are all artists, we are not actress, actor, we are performers.
"I think it's about time we should say who is the best storyteller rather than who is the best man or who is the best woman."
He said he was excited about being up for best kiss, saying he remembered how "important" the scene felt while filming it.
Watson is also up against Hugh Jackman and James McAvoy for best big-screen actor at the inaugural awards.
David Kaluuya is also in contention for the prize for his role in horror film Get Out, which leads the way with six nominations, including film of the year.
Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown and Game Of Thrones' Emilia Clarke will face The Walking Dead's Jeffrey Dean Morgan for best actor in a television show.
The ceremony, being hosted by comedian Adam Devine in Los Angeles on Sunday, replaces the 25-year reign of the MTV Movie Awards by introducing prizes for shows on television and streaming services.
The move away from gendered categories brings it in line with the Grammy Awards, which scrapped male and female prizes in 2011.
The Fast And The Furious franchise, which is in its eighth incarnation with more rumoured to follow, is set to receive the generation award for its "global contribution to pop culture".
The ceremony, which is taking place in the Shrine Auditorium, can be watched on the MTV channel from 8pm on Monday.