Celebrity Red Carpet PDA That Went Too Far

The following article includes allegations of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

The red carpet is one of the longest-standing traditions in the world of celebrities. Before a big awards ceremony, movie premiere, or gala, the rich and famous converge in front of an army of cameras to show off their designer outfits, which, like clockwork, will be the talk of the town (aka fashion magazines and gossip sites) the next day. Beyond fashion, the red carpet is also the ideal occasion for couples to publicly declare their love, assure the world that they are in fact still together, and engage in some enthusiastic public displays of affection.

Red carpet PDA can range from super sweet, to kinda raunchy, to downright bizarre. When it comes to putting on a show for the photographers, celeb couples aren't usually the shy type. Some, however, do more than others. Over the past few years alone, famous couples have taken to the red carpet to lick various body parts, openly grope each other, and otherwise make their private lives a little bit more public — all for our entertainment. Here are 14 times famous folk raised eyebrows with their PDA.

Actor Megan Fox and musician Machine Gun Kelly made quite the impression as they stepped out on the 2021 Billboard Music Awards red carpet. They got pretty handsy, as Fox kept her hand right in her boyfriend's private area to pose for a photo while their tongues touched — we have to say, it doesn't look like the most comfortable pose we've ever seen. Speaking of tongues, MGK's was painted black for the occasion, adding a little je ne sais quoi to the whole affair. Fox rocked a very daring cut-out black dress with a sheer skirt, and MGK couldn't keep his hands off of her.

The couple met while filming the movie "Midnight in the Switchgrass" in March 2020. In May 2020, Kelly released his video for "Bloody Valentine," which starred a lip-syncing Fox. Referring to a line from the song, the singer later tweeted, "'i'm calling you girlfriend, what the f***' life imitated art on that one." After getting engaged in 2022, Fox and Kelly soon hit rocky waters, becoming an on-again-off-again couple before welcoming their daughter, Saga, in 2025.

When it comes to red carpet PDA, there's the sweet, the sexy, and the downright baffling. Noah Cyrus and Lil Xan's performance at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet falls decidedly in the third category. In a series of fairly strange photos, Cyrus can be seen alternately hanging onto Lil Xan while leaning away from him, gently pushing him away while he smushed his nose into her face, and holding him as he nuzzled her shoulder. Lil Xan's facial expressions when posing for the cameras were a sight to behold, too, when they weren't hidden by all the making out the two were doing. Oh, and let's not forget the obligatory butt grab.

The singer and the rapper first started dating in July 2018. Unfortunately, it all came crashing down just weeks later when both musicians accused each other of cheating via Instagram Stories. In one of these posts, Cyrus wrote (via Elle), "Cheaters like to accuse their partners of cheating to make themselves feel less guilt. this isn't the first time this has happened to me and now im being forced to deal with crazy accusations when im not even sure where all this came from." Despite the drama, it was reported Cyrus and Lil Xan were spotted hanging out together in April 2020. But since then, it's been publicly silent between these two.

The not-so-discreet butt grab seems to be a staple of over-the-top red carpet PDA, as perfectly exemplified by none other than Kanye West. Appearing with then-wife Kim Kardashian at the 2015 Grammys, the musician squeezed her sparkly dress-clad backside with two hands, as if he was about to fall over and Kardashian was the only thing keeping him upright. The couple looked seriously in love that night, sharing sweet kisses and laughs. Of course, the former spouses were never strangers to PDA and were often spotted making out during high-profile events such as the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar party and the 2019 WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards.

We won't be seeing any more of their public displays of affection in the near future, as the Kardashian-Wests called it quits in 2021. They cited irreconcilable differences and agreed to joint custody of their four kids, North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm. West proposed to Kardashian in 2013 in a splashy display at the home arena of the San Francisco Giants, and the two were married in 2014. They shelled out millions on the wedding — which is but a drop in the bucket for these two. In February 2021, Forbes reported that their combined net worth hovered around the $2.1 billion mark.

Russell Brand and Katy Perry's short marriage wasn't short on fireworks, that's for sure. They showed their affection in a particularly big way at the London premiere of "Arthur" as a grinning Brand squeezed then-wife Perry's butt. The singer looked as surprised as onlookers might have been by the very forward gesture, but smiled through it regardless. The couple was also spotted sharing a sweet smooch during the event, showing off how well their relationship was going at that point.

Things may have been going swimmingly for Brand and Perry in April 2011, but by December of that year, they were officially divorcing after 10 months of marriage. "Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage," Brand told the outlet in a statement (via BBC). "I will always adore her and I know we'll remain friends." Perry went on to date actor Orlando Bloom, with whom she shares a daughter, Daisy Dove, but the two sadly split in 2025. As for Brand, he married his wife, Laura Gallacher, in 2017, and they have three children.

Throughout Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's tumultuous relationship, the "Hannah Montana" star showed a great fondness for affectionately *checks notes* licking her beau in public. Cyrus put her tongue on Hemsworth's cheek on the 2018 Met Gala red carpet and the shoulder of his suit jacket at the "Avengers: Endgame" Los Angeles premiere in 2019. At the latter event, the couple had a bit of a back-and-forth after Hemsworth put his hand on his then-wife's belly. In the pictures, she can be seen pulling faces and playfully pushing her husband away from her stomach.

The sweet "Avengers" red carpet moment happened in April 2019 and seemed to prove that the two were in a successful marriage (despite a decade of ups and downs), but Hemsworth filed for divorce in August 2019. "Liam's decision to file for divorce is sad, but in the end, it was never going to work," a source told ET at the time. "They are too different. Liam never wanted to share Miley with anyone. He loves her and he is far too traditional. He finally realized he just wants to start fresh."

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend are adorable — that's just common knowledge. They're also really, really not shy about putting their love on display, as evidenced by their time on the 2015 Golden Globes red carpet. In a pic shared by HollywoodLife, Legend can be seen pretty much swallowing his wife's entire mouth as they engage in a passionate smooch. The phrase "a kiss for luck" took on a new meaning that night, as Legend collected the trophy for best original song for "Glory" from the movie "Selma." He shared the honor with rapper Common.

Teigen and Legend have seemingly only gotten stronger since walking down the aisle in 2013. Posting on Instagram in 2020, Legend wrote, "Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful wife! It's been a year that tested you in so many ways but you've come through stronger, wiser, happier and a better mother than ever. I'm so fortunate to have you as my partner, my inspiration and my best friend." They have four kids together, daughter Luna, son Miles, daughter Esti, and son Wren.

Leave it to one of the original members of the band Kiss to bring his own flair to the art of swapping spit. Appearing on the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of "Haywire" in 2012, rockstar Gene Simmons stuck his entire tongue out of his mouth — which has been his signature move for years — and pointed it in the general direction of wife Shannon Tweed's face. In all fairness, Simmons seems to have found his match in Tweed, who stuck her own tongue out to match her husband. Hey, whatever floats your boat.

Awkward PDA aside, Simmons and Tweed seem to have uncovered the secrets to a long-lasting relationship. They were together for 28 years before getting married in 2011, and now they have two adult children. In 2021, they decided to sell their gigantic Los Angeles mansion, where they lived together for many years and where their kids grew up. "It's a big property, and the kids were literally raised here," Simmons shared while giving ET a tour of the property. "They've got their own lives, and now we've got this big house. And if I want to talk to Shannon, I've got to hit an intercom because she's at the other end of the house." The couple decided to relocate to Nevada, with Simmons telling ET that "it's time" for them to leave LA. They have since moved back to the Los Angeles area.

What is it with celebs licking each other? Musician Travis Mills was pictured putting his tongue in then-girlfriend actor Madelaine Petsch's hair at the MTV Awards in 2017, and hey, to each their own, but surely that can't have been pleasant for anyone involved? Despite the strange gesture, Petsch didn't seem bothered in the slightest and instead cracked up laughing. The pair made many loved-up red carpet appearances after that, with them attending the 2018 Beautycon and showing off plenty of PDA there.

Unfortunately, the relationship wasn't meant to last and Petsch and Mills parted ways in 2020 after three years of dating. "While I'm holding back tears I'm excited to see what you do next," Mills wrote on Instagram in February of that year. "I'll always have your back.⁣⁣⁣⁣ Trying to capture the gratitude, love & pain in a few paragraphs, is impossible.⁣⁣⁣⁣ I'm not deleting any of our images, I regret nothing.⁣⁣⁣⁣" The breakup was hard on Petsch, too. "My mental health was at an all time low," she told Flaunt, describing what it was like going through a breakup and a pandemic at the same time. "Every day was definitely a challenge and therapy was absolutely key for me to keep sane."

For years, Armie Hammer wanted everyone to know how much he loved his wife, starting with how he interacted with her on the red carpet. At a screening for "Final Portrait," the actor fully grabbed Elizabeth Chambers' chest, in a gesture that could politely be described as "too much" for a public appearance. And at the "J. Edgar" premiere in 2011, Hammer pretended to lick Chambers' face while she pulled away. Casual stuff.

All this red carpet PDA didn't bode well for the couple's future, who ended their 10-year marriage in 2020. Hammer filed for joint custody of their two children, claiming that Chambers was refusing to bring them back from the Cayman Islands where the family spent the pandemic before Hammer — who told British GQ that he felt "close to completely losing my mind" — escaped back to the U.S. Soon after, a series of scandals began unraveling around Hammer, who was accused by various women of emotional abuse, manipulation, and violence and was subsequently dropped by his agency. Hammer has denied the allegations of abuse and assault.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

What is it they say? Sun's out, tongues out? That's what Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose heard, anyway. When the rapper and model were together, they loved touching tongues for the cameras. No, not making out, but simply sticking their tongues out and holding the tips together. On more than one occasion, Khalifa and Rose let their tongues lead the way when sharing a smooch at high-profile events and you better believe they got attention. It happened on the red carpet for the 2011 BET Awards red carpet, and after their display of affection at the 2013 BET Awards, HuffPost wrote, "WARNING: TONGUE ALERT."

The pair started dating in 2011 and then got married and had a son in 2013. Though they divorced in 2014, Rose and Khalifa remain on good terms. "Wiz will always be my best friend, forever — we're best friends," Rose told People. "It's kind of weird, because it's like we're almost better divorced, you know?" Honestly, we love that for them.

Cardi B and Offset seemingly borrowed a page from Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose's playbook when the couple locked tongues at the 2019 Grammys. That's not the only time they served up some serious PDA in front of a step and repeat, as the same happened when they hit the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. And at a pre-Grammys event in 2020, Offset grabbed one of Cardi's breasts on the red carpet when she was, as ET put it, "within centimeters of a wardrobe malfunction." When Extra asked the duo about the cleavage-bearing look, Cardi said, "Yeah, my boobs ... he's making sure everything is together."

Offset and Cardi B have led a very on-and-off relationship, but it seems to be more on than off these days. They were married in 2017, broke up in 2018, got back together, then Cardi filed for divorce in September 2020, before calling it off (the divorce, that is — try to keep up) in November of that same year. While they stayed together for a while — welcoming daughter Kulture in 2018 and son Wave in 2021 — Cardi initiated divorce proceedings against Offset once again in July 2024. The "Bodak Yellow" rapper then gave birth to their third child, Blossom, in September 2024. Since then, Cardi went public with her new boyfriend, football player Stefon Diggs, in May 2025.

Even though Kourtney Kardashian has opened up about living separately from husband Travis Barker for a time, the two stars certainly know how to pack on the PDA for audiences on and off-line. This was definitely the case at the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards, where the couple dressed in matching black suits before showing off their love on the red carpet. Barker and Kardashian turned into each other and went for a messy open-mouthed kiss in front of photographers who were eager to capture the frenzy. Barker, at one point, even stopped to lick his wife's smiling mouth in a display of feral intensity. Mind you — neither of them were nominated for an award that night, but Barker was performing in the opening number alongside that year's host, Anthony Anderson.

From the start of their relationship, the couple has been ready and willing to share their passion for one another. "Kourtney and Travis are in total lust over each other," a source once told ET of the pair. "The relationship was a long time coming because the attraction has always been there on both sides." The two have taken their passionate displays of affection for one another beyond the paparazzi. They've gone so far as to leave love notes for each other; Barker has even shared their private message on his Instagram story (via People), with Kardashian once writing "To lots of fun adventures. May we destroy each other completely."

At the 2022 Grammy Awards, Tik Tok star-turned-singer Addison Rae and then-rumored boyfriend Omer Fedi, a music producer behind hits like Lil Nas X's "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," showed off their love for one another on the red carpet. Things started off hot from the get-go when Fedi placed his hand on Rae's rear as they posed for photographers. The "Diet Pepsi" singer later moved in front of her boyfriend, who then proceeded to lick her face as she laughed. If you're thinking this is reminiscent of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's wild antics, you'd be right — Rae and Kardashian are friends and have spent a lot of time together, so it makes sense that they would share a similar affinity for public PDA.

Even though Rae is keen to continue smooching her love whenever and wherever she wants, she has said that she has learned a lot about keeping her relationship to herself, too. This became clear after her public break-up with ex-boyfriend Bryce Hall. "I'm very guarded when it comes to relationships because my first public relationship taught me a lot about myself," she told Rolling Stone. "That was a s*** show. [Hall] was very vocal about everything, and it was a mess."

In a display that definitely put the "affection" in "public display of affection," then-pair Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton made the moves on each other before and during a red carpet appearance at the premiere of Jolie's film "Gone in Sixty Seconds" in 2000. The married couple made what has now become an infamous PDA display, complete with roaming hands, wandering tongues, and a cheeky disposition that bled into their red carpet interviews. Thornton, who is reportedly a celeb who can't seem to stay married for very long, even went so far as to detail their more vigorous activities prior to their arrival. "You want me to be honest with you?" he quipped to MTV News (via Grazia). "We f***** in the car on the way here."

Jolie was also forthcoming about the pair's passion for one another. In a separate interview, she detailed just how intense her physical relationship with her ex-husband was. "It's amazing that we actually leave the room — ever," she revealed to Us Weekly. "But you know what? It's beautiful and I think I'm going to die every few minutes. Then I feel so complete and safe and warm and in love and then I just feel like I'm on fire and I'm so excited and I didn't know I could feel that through my entire body."