VMAs PDA Through the Years: From Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey to Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson

Credit: David Fisher/Shutterstock; Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock

VMAs PDA Through the Years: From Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey to Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson

Stars take red carpet PDA to another level at the MTV Video Music Awards. In the early 2000s, celebrity couples including Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra, Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock, and Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson were the talk of the festivities. After exchanging vows in 2002, Lachey and Simpson attended the awards show together for the next three years as they promoted their MTV series, Newlyweds. However, the 98 Degrees band member and the “I Wanna Love You Forever” singer's marriage ended when Simpson filed for divorce in December 2005. The paperwork was finalized in 2006. More recently, Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson made their red carpet debut at the 2018 VMAs. The relationship milestone came nearly three months after Us Weekly broke the news of their whirlwind engagement, just weeks into their romance. They called it quits that October. Not every celeb couple who flaunted  their love at the VMAs has split. Mainstays like John Legend and Chrissy Teigen and Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are still going strong — red carpet kisses and all. Scroll through to revisit the classic PDA moments:

Credit: David Fisher/Shutterstock; Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock

VMAs PDA Through the Years: From Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey to Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson

Stars take red carpet PDA to another level at the MTV Video Music Awards. In the early 2000s, celebrity couples including Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra, Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock, and Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson were the talk of the festivities. After exchanging vows in 2002, Lachey and Simpson attended the awards show together for the next three years as they promoted their MTV series, Newlyweds. However, the 98 Degrees band member and the “I Wanna Love You Forever” singer's marriage ended when Simpson filed for divorce in December 2005. The paperwork was finalized in 2006. More recently, Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson made their red carpet debut at the 2018 VMAs. The relationship milestone came nearly three months after Us Weekly broke the news of their whirlwind engagement, just weeks into their romance. They called it quits that October. Not every celeb couple who flaunted  their love at the VMAs has split. Mainstays like John Legend and Chrissy Teigen and Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are still going strong — red carpet kisses and all. Scroll through to revisit the classic PDA moments:

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Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini

The duo dominated the 2023 VMAs pink carpet in coordinating red ensembles.

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Offset and Cardi B

The pair were photographed sharing a pink carpet kiss at the 2023 awards ceremony.

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Christian Breslauer and Brittany Breslauer

Christian — who directed SZA’s Video of the Year-nominated music video for “Kill Bill” — cozied up with wife Brittany while attending the 2023 ceremony.

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Raven Tracy and King Combs

King attended the 2023 VMAs with his girlfriend Tracy, where his father, Sean “Diddy” Combs, was honored with that year’s Global Icon Award.

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Sheri Easterling and Yung Gravy

The TikTok star and the rapper made out during their red carpet debut at the VMAs in August 2022.

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Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian

The Blink-182 drummer kissed Kardashian while posing on the 2021 red carpet.

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Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun

The musicians shared a sweet smooch while making their red carpet debut in 2021. They split in 2023.

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Debby Ryan and Josh Dun

The former Disney Channel star kissed the Twenty One Pilots member at the VMAs in September 2021.

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Kevin Jonas and Danielle Jonas

The lovebirds shared a smooth on the 2019 VMAs red carpet shortly after they celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary.

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Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello

On the night of their steamy performance of “Señorita” at the 2019 VMAs, the duo — who later split — had a brief moment of PDA while seated in the audience. The Canadian crooner sweetly had his arm wrapped around the former Fifth Harmony member.

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Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill

The exes, who split in 2017 after two years together, looked so in love while posing on the red carpet at the 2016 VMAs.

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Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber

The former couple had a sweet moment when Gomez interviewed Bieber at the 2011 event. When the Disney alum called Bieber “babe” at the end of the interview, the Grammy winner planted a kiss on her cheek.

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Chrissy Teigen and John Legend

The “All of Me” singer showed the cookbook author some love on the carpet in 2015.

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Noah Cyrus and Lil Xan

The pair’s relationship was short-lived, but the musicians couldn’t keep their hands off each other in 2018.

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Diddy and Jennifer Lopez

Diddy and Lopez called it quits in 2001, but they only had eyes for each other in 1999.

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Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande

The twosome’s romance was hot and heavy at the 2018 VMAs, but they called off their engagement two months later.

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Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez

The on-off duo kept close on the carpet in 2010.

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Katy Perry and Russell Brand

A year before filing for divorce, the “I Kissed a Girl” songstress and the comedian looked very in love at the 2011 VMAs.

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Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey

The former spouses were still documenting their love on MTV’s Newlyweds and on the red carpet in 2005. They split the following year.

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Jordin Sparks and Jason Derulo

The “Talk Dirty” singer planted a sweet kiss on his then-girlfriend in 2014.

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Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock

Anderson and Rock were engaged for the first time in 2001. After calling it quits in 2003, they reconciled in 2006. Their marriage was over, however, by 2007.

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Pink and Carey Hart

The duo, who tied the knot in 2006, kissed on the carpet in 2012.

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Paris Hilton and Benji Madden

The Good Charlotte rocker and the socialite were inseparable for the majority of 2008 before breaking up.

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Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra

Narrate and Electra kept close in 2003, four years before calling it quits.

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Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose

The rapper rested his hand on the model’s backside in 2014.

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Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez

The “Let’s Get Loud” singer referred to the former New York Yankee as her “twin soul” at the 2018 VMAs.

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Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley

The twosome shared a kiss on stage at the 1994 VMAs. They split in 1996.

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Britney Spears and Madonna

The two women infamously smooched while performing in 2001.

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Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee

The twosome couldn’t keep their hands to themselves in 2007.