Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as Bruno, lands in Eminem's lap during a skit at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday. (Matt Sayles/Associated Press)

Teen vampire drama Twilight may have dominated the podium at Sunday night's irreverent MTV Movie Awards, but edgy British comedy actor Sacha Baron Cohen stole the night with a skit that sent rapper Eminem storming out of the ceremony.

Director Catharine Hardwick's adaptation of Twilight, the first in the forthcoming movie series, snagged MTV's golden popcorn trophy in nearly every category for which it was nominated. Winners are chosen through public voting.

Fetching young stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were among the strong Twilight contingent on hand to pick up the movie's five trophies, including best movie, best fight, best kiss, breakthrough male performance (for Pattinson) and best female performance (for Stewart).

"The fans are the ultimate driving force," Stewart said as she accepted the acting award, which she dropped during her speech.

Fans were also treated to a sneak preview of the film's upcoming instalment, New Moon, as well as footage from upcoming blockbusters Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

The outrageous Cohen, who often stirs the pot in his various comedic personas, sparked the night's most memorable moment with a high-flying segment in character as his gay fashionista Bruno, the subject of an upcoming film.

Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart accept the award for best kiss at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday. (Matt Sayles/Associated Press)

Dressed in a feathery, winged outfit with his buttocks largely exposed, the British actor soared above the auditorium in a harness before being lowered upside-down into the lap of Eminem — with Cohen's nearly naked bottom landing in the face of the notoriously short-tempered and visibly disgusted rapper.

The rapper's entourage extricated Eminem from the situation and he was seen and heard cursing as he exited the live awards show.

Eminem, who is currently promoting a new album, has a reputation for explosive encounters at past MTV events, including lashing out at recording artist Moby and during a skit with puppet comedy act Triumph the Insult Dog.

"I enjoyed [Cohen's] precision landing," Stiller, who was being honoured Sunday night for his string of hit comedies, quipped to reporters backstage about the incident. "I did not see that coming."

Other winners at the Universal City, Calif., ceremony included:

• Best male performance: Zac Efron, High School Musical 3: Senior Year
• Best female breakthrough performance: Ashley Tisdale, High School Musical 3: Senior Year
• Best villain: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
• Best comedic performance: Jim Carrey, Yes Man
• Best WTF moment: Amy Poehler, Baby Mama
• Best song from a movie: The Climb from Hannah
• Montana: The Movie, Miley Cyrus
• MTV Generation Award: Ben Stiller

The night also featured a host of musical performances, including a set from Eminem earlier in the evening, Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker's classical arrangement of the Saturday Night Live skit Dick in a Box and a rap about action movie stars from the evening's host and SNL cast member Andy Samberg.

With files from The Associated Press