Emily Ratajkowski attended the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles wearing a red-and-black cutout dress and sporting a custom manicure that paid tribute to her boyfriend, French filmmaker Romain Gavras. The model’s event credentials identified her as “Romain Plus One,” acknowledging her presence to support Gavras, whose directed video for GENER8ION’s “STORM starring Yung Lean” earned nominations for Video of the Year and Best Direction at the ceremony.
VMA Red Carpet Details and Personal Touches
Ratajkowski shared a behind-the-scenes look at the September awards show through an Instagram carousel, highlighting her red-and-black dress with dramatic open sides. In a close-up photo showing her event credentials, her pass listed her affiliation with the director. Her manicure also included specific nods to Gavras, featuring the initials “RG” on one nail and a small black design referencing the poster for his movie Sacrifice.
The model captioned her post, “went to the VMAs as a @romaingavras @surkin @yunglean2001 groupie and had the best time.” Gavras built a career directing music videos including M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” and Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” alongside feature films such as the 2022 drama Athena.
Recent Public Outings and Relationship Timeline
The awards show appearance follows a series of public sightings for Ratajkowski and Gavras. The couple was photographed shopping and sharing kisses during a vacation in Rome. Their relationship first drew public attention in November 2025 when they were spotted kissing in New York City, and Ratajkowski made the romance Instagram official in February by sharing a photo embracing the director.
The relationship marks Ratajkowski’s longest romance since her 2022 divorce from movie producer Sebastian Bear-McClard, with whom she shares son Sylvester. Speaking previously to Harper’s Bazaar, Ratajkowski discussed how her approach to dating shifted following her divorce, noting that she wanted to focus on determining her own preferences rather than worrying about how others perceived her.
Emily Ratajkowski supports Romain Gavras at the 2026 VMAs
- Why was Emily Ratajkowski at the 2026 VMAs? Ratajkowski attended the awards show to support Romain Gavras, whose music video direction for GENER8ION’s “STORM starring Yung Lean” received nominations for Video of the Year and Best Direction.
- How did Emily Ratajkowski honor Romain Gavras at the VMAs? Her event credentials identified her as “Romain Plus One,” and her manicure featured his “RG” initials alongside a design referencing his film Sacrifice.
- When did Emily Ratajkowski and Romain Gavras start dating? The couple was first linked publicly in November 2025 when they were spotted together in New York City, and they confirmed the relationship on Instagram in February 2026.
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