Top 20 Most Shocking Red Carpet Moments of All Time

If you think all celebrities are besties who hang out together, this interaction will make you think again. While attending a charity event in 2017, singer Kesha spotted her TV idol, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, on the red carpet and ran over to introduce herself. Seinfeld played it cool, like any other celebrity would with a fan, but things got awkward fast when Kesha asked for a hug. The comedian shut her down not once, not twice, but three times! All in full view of the cameras. A flustered Kesha had no choice but to walk away with her head down. Seinfeld later confessed he had no clue who she was. But even after a proper introduction, the hug still never happened.

They say the best way to call someone out is to do it right to their face. Debra Messing took that to heart. On the red carpet for the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, Messing took a jab at the E! channel during an interview with none other than “E! News” host Giuliana Rancic. The issue centered around former host Catt Sadler who left the network after finding out her male colleague was earning nearly double her salary. Messing, who was wearing black in solidarity with the Times Up initiative, made sure E! felt the heat over the pay disparity. She wasn’t alone—actresses Eva Longoria, Laura Dern and Sarah Jessica Parker also chimed in on the issue while chatting with “E! News” host Ryan Seacrest.

At this point, there’s hardly anything Hollywood’s wild couple Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox can do to surprise us. They’ve broken up multiple times, then gotten back together, and even confessed to sipping on each other’s blood. But back in 2021, Kelly managed to raise even more eyebrows when he hit the Billboard Music Awards wearing one unusual accessory: a black tongue. Yes, the musician dyed his tongue for the event and walked the red carpet with Fox, indulging in some intense PDA. At one point, she even licked his tongue. Not sure that’s the healthiest image to project but hey, whatever works for you, Mr. Kelly.

Lady Gaga was no stranger to outrageous fashion in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but even she knew this outfit was next-level. For her third look at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, Gaga came out decked in an ensemble that wasn’t just ready-to-wear, it was ready-to-eat. From her dress to her headpiece, and even her boots and purse, everything was made out of raw beef. She confidently strutted the red carpet in the carnivorous couture and also accepted her Video of the Year award in it. For Gaga, this wasn’t as much a fashion statement as it was a political one, aimed at highlighting the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

At the 2000 Oscars, a relatively unknown actress named Angelina Jolie made headlines. Sure, she had just won the industry’s most coveted award, setting herself up for a stellar career. But what had everyone talking was her unexpectedly steamy moment with her brother, James Haven. Jolie had already acknowledged Haven in her acceptance speech for the Best Supporting Actress award, but she took things up a notch at the Vanity Fair afterparty by sharing a kiss with him. The moment was photographed and widely circulated, leaving many raising their eyebrows and wondering, “why?” Although some brushed it off as a publicity stunt, Jolie later clarified that it was merely her own way of showing “brotherly” love.

At the 2017 Golden Globe Awards, many stellar films took home trophies, but the biggest buzz of the night surrounded a movie that didn’t even exist. It all began on the red carpet when Jenna Bush Hager interviewed musician Pharrell Williams, who was nominated for his work scoring the film “Hidden Figures.” However, Hager mixed up the title, accidentally calling it “Hidden Fences,” an apparent blend with the movie “Fences,” which was also nominated that night. This slip-up stirred some controversy, especially since both films featured predominantly African-American casts. But Hager wasn’t the only one to mishmash the titles. Later in the night, when actor Michael Keaton announced Octavia Spencer’s nomination for Best Supporting Actress, he also fell into the “Hidden Fences” trap.

Red carpet events are never complete without at least one shocking occurrence. At the 2008 Oscars, that moment came during an “E! News” interview with Jennifer Garner and Laura Linney. Everything was running smoothly until Gary Busey crashed the party to greet Linney. Ryan Seacrest then introduced him to Garner, and that’s when things got… weird. Busey pulled her into a hug and, for reasons known only to him, kissed her neck. Judging by the actress’ face, the gesture was not welcomed. She made that abundantly clear when she joked with Seacrest, asking him why he wasn’t mentioning the unsolicited neck kiss. Busey later apologized, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see Garner rocking a turtleneck at the next event.

In 2014, Oscar-nominated actress America Ferrera made her Cannes Film Festival debut for the premiere of “How to Train Your Dragon 2.” What should have been a perfect day immediately took a bizarre turn when she stepped on the red carpet with her co-stars. While posing for pictures, Ukrainian prankster Vitalii Sediuk decided to pull a stunt and crawled under her dress. Ferrera didn’t even seem to notice at first, until security dragged him out from beneath her and whisked him away. Although visibly shaken, she managed to maintain her composure and returned to taking pictures. Sediuk, on the other hand, was arrested and later lost his job at the Ukrainian TV channel 1+1.

Looks can be deceiving. That’s why as a reporter, it pays to do a little research about your celebrity subject before interviewing them. Too bad no one shared that tip with TNT correspondent Danielle Demski back in 2015. While chatting with actress Rashida Jones at the SAG Awards that year, Demski complimented her on having a great tan. Not exactly the most appropriate thing to say to someone who actually is African-American, and the daughter of music legend Quincy Jones, no less. Maybe next time, a quick Google search could save everyone from a facepalm moment like this one.

Interviewing a celebrity can be unpredictable. But it’s a whole new level of chaos when the star is a dictator… or at least, pretending to be one. In this case, that star was Sacha Baron Cohen, dressed as General Aladeen, from his film “The Dictator.” Cohen arrived at the 2012 Oscars carrying an urn he claimed held the ashes of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Anyone familiar with Cohen’s antics could have predicted what would happen next—that urn toppled over, spilling its contents all over Seacrest’s pristine suit. Yet, ever the pro, Seacrest kept his cool before cutting to commercial break to clean off. If anything, the incident only proved the saying that if something can go wrong, it absolutely will.

One year after butchering Idina Menzel's name at the Oscars, John Travolta found himself in more hot water after a red carpet moment with Scarlett Johansson. When the "A Love Song for Bobby Long" co-stars bumped into each other, Travolta greeted Johansson with a peck on the cheek. Paparazzi captured the moment, which quickly made its rounds across the internet. Some claimed the "Black Widow" starlet looked uncomfortable, which prompted fans to call Travolta’s behavior "inappropriate" and "creepy." Afterwards, the actress defended the "Grease" actor by stating the whole thing was misconstrued.

Icelandic singer Björk ruffled some feathers when she stepped out for the 73rd Academy Awards. Nominated for her work in "Dancer in the Dark," the musician turned actress arrived wearing a dress shaped like a swan. Complete with a head, beak and lots of plume, the Marjan Pejoski gown stole the show. Björk even brought a collection of eggs that she "laid" out as she crossed the red carpet. The bold outfit became a hot topic and remains one of the wildest Oscar moments to date. Although she didn't walk away with gold that night, Björk became a fashion icon.

They're two of show biz's hottest stars, and when they're paired together, they're too hot to handle. While promoting their series "Scenes from a Marriage," Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac couldn't keep their hands off each other. With lots of pecks, hugs and dreamy eye contact, one would think they were Hollywood's new IT couple. However, the co-stars are both married to other people! Their public displays of (apparently) platonic affection swept the internet, and commenters speculated over whether something was happening beyond mutual admiration. As it turns out, there was nothing romantic between the two, but that didn't stop fans from shipping them anyway.

While attending the Dutch premiere of his rom-com "Music and Lyrics," Hugh Grant got the shock of a lifetime when a fan took their admiration to a new level. Television journalist Cielke Sijben approached the star and handcuffed herself to him. For a whole 10 minutes, the two were attached by the wrist while a perplexed but patient Grant awaited help. After the fire department released them, Sijben was taken away by police. While we're sure the "Love, Actually" star appreciates his fans, this was one interaction that was too close for comfort.

No matter how hard one prepares for a red carpet, you should always expect the unexpected. While covering New York Fashion Week, "E!" reporter Catt Sadler interviewed Jim Carrey, which was bizarre from start to finish. When the correspondent asked him about the evening, he was dismissive of the event’s Icons theme and stated it wasn’t a concept he believed in. Still, Sadler tried valiantly to engage with the “Truman Show” actor. From there Carrey diverged into an existential ramble, making it impossible to tell whether he was being serious or sarcastic. Sadler made one final attempt to salvage the interview, but Carrey, who declared neither of them existed in the first place, was beyond caring.

Long before Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly were trading blood, Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton were causing quite a stir. During the couple’s three-year-long marriage, they attended several red carpets wearing necklaces with vials of each other’s blood. The accessory became a controversial topic as both the media and fans were perplexed by the oddity. In 2018, long after their divorce, Thornton went on record and explained that the idea was merely a way for them to feel connected when they were apart. Even with this justification, the vampiric move still leaves us scratching our heads.

Amy Schumer is never worried about embarrassing herself for the sake of a joke, and this little stunt is a perfect example. While attending the 2015 Time 100 Gala, the comedian sought an opportunity to upstage Kim Kardashian and Kayne West's appearance. Purposely tripping and falling in front of the then couple, the gag was captured by shocked photographers. However, the prank did little to jilt Kardashian and West, who ignored the comedian. Of course, there were no hard feelings given that Kardashian and Schumer have since become good friends.

While attending "The Lorax" premiere, Zac Efron had a little mishap that saw him turning a hundred different shades of red. As he passed some items from his pocket to an assistant, a condom wrapper fell out of the star's pocket. Paparazzi captured the fluster while a blushing Efron had to take a moment to recover. He ended up rolling with the punches and having a good laugh at his own expense. Although it was an embarrassing moment, we’re happy that the star was playing it safe. Guess you could say it was “That Awkward Moment”.

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars will go down as one of the most talked-about celebrity moments in history. However, years before the incident, Smith was part of another moment that got people talking. While on the red carpet, the "King Richard" star came face to face with Vitalii Sediuk, a Ukrainian journalist known for pranking celebs. During their encounter, Sediuk forcefully grabbed and kissed Smith on the cheek. The unwelcomed action ended with a slight slap courtesy of the actor. This didn't stop the practical joker from continuing his controversial stunts against celebrities though, which have resulted in him being arrested more than once.

About a decade before the MeToo movement, fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi caused a stir when he seemingly harassed Scarlett Johansson on live TV. This happened at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards, where Mizrahi served as a correspondent for E! He first crossed a line by asking Johansson an inappropriate question about her underwear. If that wasn’t weird enough, he then reached out and grabbed the lower part of her left breast, claiming he wanted to feel the built-in bra. Johansson’s discomfort was obvious, but Mizrahi didn’t seem to notice, or care. The incident generated a lot of controversy at the time and even resurfaced years later, raising questions about whether gay men like Mizrahi are sometimes given a pass for such behavior.

What’s the most shocking occurrence from the red carpet that you watched live? Let us know in the comments below.