DiCaprio Overlooked by Oscar--but Not by MTV

Leonardo DiCaprio was overlooked by his peers in nominations for the Academy Award this year, but his fans didn’t let him down: His role in the biggest box-office hit of all time won him best-male-performance honors at the 1998 MTV Movie Awards.

And “Titanic,� the movie in which he starred, was named best movie of the year--duplicating its win at the Oscars.

But “Titanic� didn’t even come close to sweeping these awards, which were handed out in Santa Monica on Saturday night in a ceremony that will be televised Thursday on MTV. Kate Winslet was passed over for best female performance in favor of Neve Campbell of “Scream 2.� And while DiCaprio and Winslet were nominated for best on-screen duo, the award went to John Travolta and Nicolas Cage of “Face/Off.�

Other winners, as voted by MTV viewers:

* Comedic performance: Jim Carrey, “Liar, Liar.�

* Villain: Mike Myers, “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.�

* Breakthrough performance: Heather Graham, “Boogie Nights.�

* Song: “Men in Black,� from “Men in Black.�

* Kiss: Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, “The Wedding Singer.�

* Action sequence: The speedboat chase in “Face/Off.�

* Fight: Will Smith and the cockroach in “Men in Black.�

* Dance sequence: Mike Myers & Londoners, “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.�

* New filmmaker: Peter Cattaneo, “The Full Monty.�

* Lifetime achievement: Clint Howard.

* AWARDS CELEBRATION

Partygoers toasted the winners at a convention-size fete. E1