The MTV Video Music Awards are taking place in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday (local time). Several celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Selena Gomez and Adele did not show up to the 2022 MTV VMAs. 

The VMAs would have been the first red carpet for Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck as a married couple. Lopez and Affleck were absent from the ceremony in Newark, for two reasons: Lopez didn’t receive any nominations this year and the couple is still on their honeymoon. The couple was photographed in Lake Como on August 27, 2022. Affleck was captured spoon-feeding Lopez. 

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Selena Gomez did not attend the VMAs. The reason could be that she had no nominations. Gomez was last photographed in Malibu on August 28, 2022, having lunch with Interscope Records CEO John Janick at Nobu. 

The “As It Was” singer, Harry Styles was absent from the live award show due to a Love On Tour show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He was nominated for eight awards. Although, he did not attend the awards, he did record a video message acceptiong the silver- plated Moon Person for Album of the Year for his 2022 project, Harry’s House. 

Ariana Grande, who is filming Wicked in the United Kingdom had one nomination for Best Metaverse Performance at MTV VMAs. She was absent from the ceremony. She shared an update about her whereabouts on her Instagram. She posted a picture of her herself at an event at London department store Selfridges for R.EM Beauty earlier this week. 

The first and the last time that Adele attended the VMAs was in 2011. The superstar was up for three awards in VMA 2022, Song of the Year for Easy on Me, Album of the Year for 30 and the Best Art Direction for her Oh My God music video. Despite the recognitions, she was not seen at the award show. 

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Billie Eilish is currently on her Happier Than Ever world tour and had shows both before and after the VMAs. According to Cosmopolitan, she performed in Bangkok, Thailand on August 26, 2022. She has a show in Aukland, New Zeland, on September 8, 2022 which might have made her skip the VMAs 2022.