The Most Awkward Red Carpet Altercations Caught On Camera

Red carpet events are an important part of the life of a celebrity, but not every occasion is as glamorous as you might think. From film premieres to prestigious fashion parties like the Met Gala, famous people are often required to attend these events, whether they want to or not. Plus, the red carpet often carries with it a slew of stressful demands, such as posing for the paparazzi or meeting overzealous fans. As a result, it's perhaps unsurprising that some of the world's most famous people have gotten involved in altercations or arguments on the red carpet.

Unfortunately, premieres and events attract photographers and pranksters alike, meaning that celebrities need to have their wits about them. And if someone is unlucky enough to bump into an enemy or rival on the red carpet, any fight is sure to be snapped by a million camera lenses and broadcast worldwide within an instant. 

Of course, it's crucial to remember that celebrities are only human, and we all have bad days. Join us as we explore the most awkward red carpet altercations caught on camera, and what was really going on behind-the-scenes.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are one of Hollywood's golden couples. The pair wed on April 30, 1988, and celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in 2023, proving that some relationships really can survive in the entertainment industry. However, Hanks and Wilson were unexpectedly caught up in some furore when they hit the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival to premiere the new movie "Asteroid City." While the couple looked as adorable as always, they were also caught on camera getting into a heated discussion with Cannes staffer Vincent Chapalain.

Onlookers initially wondered if Hanks and Wilson were engaged in some sort of red carpet argument, as the "Forrest Gump" star looked somewhat annoyed during the discussion. Later, Wilson took to her Instagram Stories to dispel any rumors of a fight, writing, "This is called, 'I can't hear you. People are screaming. What did you say? Where are we supposed to go?' But that doesn't sell stories! Nice try! We had a great time! Go see 'Asteroid City'!" Understandably, fans were relieved to find out that the couple weren't really arguing with anyone on the red carpet at Cannes, especially as Hanks is one of Hollywood's most likable stars.

The drama heated up at the 2021 VMAs when UFC fighter Conor McGregor and Machine Gun Kelly almost got involved in a fight on the red carpet. According to Page Six, the pair had to be separated as they walked the red carpet at the annual event, with McGregor seemingly throwing a punch in Machine Gun Kelly's direction. A source also alleged to Page Six that McGregor threw a drink over the "Emo Girl" singer, and photos suggested that there was no love lost between the pair. In fact, one eagle-eyed witness shared video footage of the tussle on Twitter, and it certainly looked like the professional fighter was ready to engage in a full-on punching match with the musician.

Despite there being a slew of photographic and video evidence of the almost-beat down, McGregor's representative released a statement to Page Six saying, "Conor only fights fighters." According to Radar Online's sources, there was a lot of screaming between the pair on the red carpet, with security guards trying to intervene and stop the altercation escalating. It remains unclear why McGregor and Machine Gun Kelly seemed to be beefing, but hopefully they've both moved on from the very random interaction.

In 2023, model Ashley Graham hit the red carpet for the Academy Awards, where she was given the task of interviewing some of Hollywood's biggest celebrities for ABC. While this may sound like an enviable job, Graham got more than she bargained for when she spoke to actor Hugh Grant, who most definitely wasn't in the mood to chat. For instance, when Graham asked Grant what he was wearing, hoping to elicit the name of some famous designer, Grant replied, "Just my suit." When the model tried to draw more details out of the "Notting Hill" actor regarding who made his suit, he shut her down by saying, "I can't remember. My tailor." Basically, he wasn't playing ball.

Proving that she's not someone to simply give up, Graham continued with her line of questioning, much to Grant's seeming disdain. When Graham quizzed Grant about his surprising role in "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," he snidely replied, "Well, I'm barely in it. I'm in it for about three seconds." Viewers immediately came to Graham's defense, with many taking to Twitter to voice their disgust at Grant's behavior. After all, Graham was just doing her job. Perhaps in future it would be best if Grant skipped the red carpet altogether, or even better, just stayed at home. As for Graham, she's proven herself to be an indestructible interviewer who isn't fazed by even the most tricky of subjects.

After Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage at the Academy Awards in March 2022, people were instantly reminded of a seemingly similar altercation that took place on the red carpet in 1992. Nick de Semlyen, an editor at Empire magazine, took to Twitter to revisit the moment when Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren ended up in a brawl at Cannes Film Festival, which shocked people all over the globe at the time. However, Lundgren and Van Damme's unforgettable takedown wasn't all that it appeared to be.

Van Damme and Lundgren's very public brawl was allegedly a publicity stunt to help promote their 1992 movie "Universal Soldier." In the action flick, dead soldiers are brought back to life in a futuristic military experiment, so it makes sense that the two stars would want to show off their unrivaled brawn on the red carpet. During a TV interview with Arsenio Hall, Van Damme confirmed the fight was fake, saying, "The movie was complete but not cut yet ... I was in Cannes with Dolph, so I called his room and said, 'Dolph, we have a problem. We're here, [but] we have no movie to show off. So let's do something special.'" According to Van Damme, Lundgren was completely onboard with the idea, and the rest is history. "So we push around each other, we made all the news in Cannes," Van Damme explained. "Free publicity ... I'm a businessman!"

Since reuniting in 2021, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have found themselves constantly in the spotlight, with fans fascinated by the couple's enduring love story. However, this constant attention has also made them the subject of negative reports, with some suggesting that there might be trouble in paradise when it comes to their relationship. One such moment occurred at the premiere for Netflix's "The Mother" in May 2023, with the pair seemingly having a disagreement on the red carpet. As reported by the New York Post, photographers caught Lopez and Affleck engaged in a somewhat tense discussion, with the "Air" director wildly gesturing with his hands. However, was this so-called "argument" really what it seemed?

According to the Daily Mail, Affleck and Lopez weren't really fighting, but were actually talking about how exactly to pose on the red carpet. As per usual, it seems that the general public has been reading way too much into Affleck's facial expressions. The actor even addressed people's perceptions of him during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," saying, "Listen, I have a very unhappy-looking resting face." Perhaps it's time we all left Affleck and his facial expressions alone.

In July 2018, David Arquette attended the premiere of "350 Days" in Los Angeles, but his experience was far from glamorous. In a video shared by TMZ, Arquette could be seen getting slapped multiple times by a man who ran up to him on the red carpet. However, the publication also revealed that the man in question was pro wrestler RJ City, who Arquette was set to fight professionally just days later. Basically, just like Van Damme and Lundgren before them, Arquette and City appear to have engaged in a red carpet fist fight to promote their new project.

Alongside his acting career, Arquette has made a name for himself as a professional wrestler, having won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in 2000. In 2020, the movie "You Cannot Kill David Arquette" documented his decision to return to the wrestling world. Speaking to the Daily Star about his commitment to the sport, Arquette reflected on the surgical procedure he needed to have following a heart attack. "I had two stents put in my heart," Arquette told the publication. "And as I was going into that surgery — because you think about everything, you think about your life and your family — I kept thinking about wrestling." Basically, wrestling means everything to Arquette, and he's not above staging a red carpet fight if he has to.

Every year, celebrities flock to the Met Gala dressed to the nines, often wearing over-the-top outfits in keeping with the exclusive party's annual theme. On May 2, 2022, Nicki Minaj attended the Met Gala, at which the theme was "Gilded Glamour," wearing an ensemble designed by Riccardo Tisci for Burberry. The jaw-dropping look included a leather baseball cap, a strapless jumpsuit, and an extravagant train featuring a lot of feathers. However, Minaj's red carpet moment was marred by a verbal altercation she seemingly got into with a journalist on the sidelines. 

According to Newsweek, a video clip of Minaj started circulating on TikTok, and saw the rapper single out a person on the red carpet, saying,  "Hey you. Are you the man that leaked that I was gonna be here?" She then proceeded to tell them, "It was you. About to come up to you and slap the s*** out of you. Come here." While it's totally unclear whether Minaj was joking or not, her strong words certainly caught the world's attention. The Met Gala may be one of the most prestigious events in the fashion world, but that doesn't preclude anyone from starting an argument, especially while wearing an incredibly expensive, showstopper of an outfit.

In January 2023, Chrisean Rock shocked everyone at the premiere of "Baddies West" when she was caught on camera throwing a punch. According to What's On Rap, who posted a video clip of the altercation on Twitter, Rock's red carpet ruckus occurred just three days after she announced her pregnancy, and security guarded managed to stop the fight before it got any worse. Although the video doesn't show the person Rock punched, What's On Rap suggested that it may have been the rapper's former stylist.

Rock's red carpet punch isn't the first time she's been seen getting physical in public. The same month, TMZ shared video footage of Rock allegedly starting a fight with two women during a visit to rapper Blueface's house. According to the outlet, Rock attempted to crash a party that was occurring, in the hopes of taking her on-and-off partner Blueface away. TMZ reported that Rock left the party solo after the very public fight, but it's clear that she's not afraid to throw a punch, on or off the red carpet.

The "Jackass Forever" premiere was always going to be eventful, but no-one was prepared for the fight that almost broke out on the red carpet. WWE star Sami Zayn managed to get himself thrown out of the event after antagonizing Johnny Knoxville, and he didn't leave quietly. According to The Sun, the trouble began the previous month when Knoxville announced that he was entering the WWE's Royal Rumble, confirming his place in the competition by throwing Zayn over the top of the rope during WWE Smackdown. Fast forward to February 2023, and Zayn rocked up at the premiere of "Jackass Forever" to make his disgust for Knoxville known.

The Sun reported that Zayn was forcibly removed from the event by security guards, after giving an interview to Entertainment Tonight that didn't go well. According to the publication, Zayn could be heard saying, "What, you've got your goons here?" You're having me tossed out? Haha!" Knoxville then brought a cattle prod out on to the red carpet, to which Zayn allegedly responded, "Put down the cattle prod and then we'll do something about it. Big star Johnny Knoxville, huh?" While there may very well be some friction between Knoxville and Zayn, it seems more likely that the pair were purely putting on a show for the cameras, especially in light of Knoxville's WWE Smackdown appearance. Either way, the red carpet simply isn't a safe place to be these days.

In a truly horrifying turn of events, America Ferrera was accosted by a complete stranger at the premiere of "How To Train Your Dragon 2" at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. A smartly dressed man was seen crawling underneath Ferrera's dress while she posed on the red carpet with her co-stars. Luckily, security guards noticed the creepy intruder and managed to pull him out from under Ferrera's gown before too much damage had been done. Obviously, this entire act is a huge breach of the "Ugly Betty" star's personal space and privacy, and it's completely wild that something so shocking could happen at a such a huge event.

As reported by 9News, Ukrainian reporter and well-known prankster Vitalii Sediuk was the man underneath the dress, and this wasn't his first offence. From attempting to kiss Will Smith to cuddling Bradley Cooper, Sediuk has seemingly made a habit of harassing celebrities at premieres on red carpets. But when it comes to crawling under Ferrera's dress, it's clear that the prank went a little too far. Hopefully he's been banned from red carpet events for life.

Dakota Johnson took her famous mom Melanie Griffith as her date to the Academy Awards in February 2015. While both mother and daughter looked sublime on the red carpet, they also had a minor tiff during a red carpet interview, proving that celebs really are just like us. As reported by Her, Johnson apparently got annoyed with her mom when Griffith said she wouldn't be watching her daughter's famous, and slightly scandalous, movie "Fifty Shades of Grey." The publication alleged that Johnson was visibly irritated by her mother's comment, presumably because the huge movie had only been released a week prior.

Luckily, this particular fight didn't last for too long, and Johnson was soon making fun of her own red carpet reaction. While previewing her appearance on "Saturday Night Live," cast member Taran Killam asked, "So did you mom ever end up seeing 'Fifty Shades of Grey'?" Johnson replied, "No, she didn't, I'm really upset about it," to which Killam reacted with an impression of an obnoxious teenager. Clearly, Johnson has a sense of humor when it comes to mother-daughter disagreements, which is refreshing to watch.

In August 2019, it was announced that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth had split up, after tying the knot in December 2018. Since then, the general public has been reflecting on the couple's seemingly tumultuous relationship, and further evidence of discord between the pair has come to light. For instance, in May 2021, Twitter user @beysupdates uploaded a video clip of Hemsworth and Cyrus at the premiere of "Avengers: Endgame" in April 2019. In the clip, the "Flowers" singer can be seen pretending to lick her husband, which Hemsworth doesn't look overly happy about, and the Twitter user suggested he may have been saying, "Could you behave for once?"

As the "Avengers: Endgame" premiere took place just several months before the couple confirmed their split, it's extremely possibly that there was some tension between the pair. MTV News reported on an additional video clip from the event, which allegedly showed Hemsworth expressing his disdain as Cyrus started twerking on the red carpet. Basically, this particular joint appearance likely wasn't as picture-perfect as it initially seemed, and it's probably best that Hemsworth and Cyrus went their separate ways.

Back when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were still together, the actors attended the premiere of Disney's "Maleficent" in May 2014. While they both looked exceedingly happy to launch the movie, in which Jolie stars, Pitt was involved in a slightly concerning incident on the red carpet. Per E! News, a man hopped over the rope separating the crowd from the celebrities, and ran towards the "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" star, even managing to get close to him. Luckily, police officers and security guards were on hand to stop the man from getting any closer to Pitt or Jolie, and he was reportedly taken away from the premiere in handcuffs. But that's not the end of the story.

As it turns out, the man trying to get up close and personal with Pitt is the very same person who inappropriately crawled underneath America Ferrera's gown in 2015. Journalist and now-renowned prankster Vitalii Sediuk was reportedly behind the Brad Pitt interaction, and presumably wanted to add another ill-timed celebrity encounter to his long list of stunts. As Sediuk was quickly restrained by security, his "Maleficent" prank was very brief, which was probably for the best.

Migos hit the red carpet in June 2017 for the BET Awards, but the event wasn't all smooth sailing. During a sit down interview with DJ Akademiks and Nadeska Alexis, it became clear that there was no love lost between Migos and Joe Budden. In Complex News' video, Budden can be seen storming off at the end of the interview after Migos receive praise from DJ Akademiks. It starts to seem as though a fight might be brewing between Budden and Migos, and it's not long before security is summoned to prevent the altercation from escalating. 

In a since-deleted Instagram post, Budden mentioned the eventful interview with Migos, saying, "They was just a little too sassy for me that's all ... Y'all think everybody with a song u like can fight lol." It appears as though Budden is not a fan of the group for whatever reason, and a red carpet event isn't enough to stop him from voicing his opinion.

As one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Tom Cruise has attended a plethora of red carpet events. However, the "Mission: Impossible" star was left mortified when he was squirted with water by a so-called journalist at the premiere for "War of the Worlds" in June 2005. It was immediately clear that Cruise was unhappy with the incident, and he was seen on camera grabbing the journalists arm and telling them to "Come here," via CNN. He then proceeded to ask, "Why would you do that?" before announcing, "You're a jerk!" 

British broadcaster Channel 4 was later forced to issue an apology to Cruise, for what appears to be a prank that simply wasn't that funny. "The stunt was intended to be light-hearted rather than malicious and we would apologise to Mr. Cruise for any offence that was caused," Channel 4 told The Guardian. Making it clear that the incident was being taken very seriously, the broadcaster also revealed, "The tape is with the police ... No decision has been made whether it will air." Basically, you don't mess with Tom Cruise, and you should never, ever squirt him in the face with water.