So, the VMAs are Team Johnny

Johnny Depp appeared at this year's MTV Video Music Awards because he "needed the work"

Johnny Depp appeared at this year's MTV Video Music Awards because he "needed the work"

It has been dubbed the most bizarre cameo since Donald Trump featured in Home Alone 2.

Johnny Depp appeared briefly at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, just three months after the conclusion of his mammoth defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.

The 59-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean actor made a grand (virtual) entrance at the beginning of the formal proceedings, with his face digitally superimposed into the helmet of a floating moon person - the award show’s mascot.

“And you know what? I needed the work,” Depp told the crowd at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday night (local time).

Johnny Depp appears as the moon person at the #VMAs. https://t.co/K3f4GrgiuJ pic.twitter.com/S0dkWrR6mr

— Variety (@Variety) August 29, 2022

He appeared one last time as the show came back from commercial, saying, “Hey VMAs, let’s get back to the f***ing music, shall we?”

The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards (shorthand: the VMAs) honour the best in the music video medium.

It was a tough night for the Australian musicians in the room, with not a single one winning an award.

Indigenous rapper The Kid LAROI had been thrice nominated - Song of the Year, Best Collaboration and Best Visual Effects - for his song STAY, which he made alongside Justin Bieber.

The Kid LAROI was not present at this year's VMAs. Picture: Getty

Australian trio PNAU had two nominations in the Song of the Year and Best Collaboration category for their remix of Elton John and Dua Lipa’s Cold Heart.

The VMAs abandoned gendered awards in 2017 to favour more inclusive categories, following the same decision from MTV's Movie and TV Awards earlier that year.

Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny won Artist of the Year, accepting the Moonperson in the middle of his own show at Yankee Stadium. Harry Styles won Album of the Year for Harry’s House and Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for Happier Than Ever, which has been streamed more than 2 billion times.

@mtv

Congratulations to #HarryStyles on his win for Album of the Year! #VMAs

♬ original sound - MTV

Taylor Swift used the awards to the release date of her new album. The pop sensation’s tenth studio album, Midnights, will drop on October 21.

Swift, 32, who picked up the Best Video award for her music video All Too Well: The Short Film, said in her acceptance speech: “I had sort of made up my mind that if you were going to be this generous and give us this, I thought it might be a fun moment to tell you... that my brand new album comes out October 21, and I will tell you more at midnight.”

@mtv

You heard that right -- #TaylorSwift announced the date for her new album at the #VMAs and I am SCREAMING!!!!

♬ original sound - MTV

Swift also won for Best Direction and Best Longform Video for the same video

"Before this I had directed and written my music videos but I had never made a short film before," Swift said during her acceptance speech. "We put our entire hearts into this, trying to make something that might be worthy of the love that you, the fans, have shown this song."

Swift thanked both actress Sadie Sink and actor Dylan O'Brien who performed in the thinly-veiled video retelling of Swift's relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. 

The red carpet

Rappers Jack Harlow, LL Cool J and Nicki Minaj hosted the event, after MTV teased “a new and unique approach in contrast from the traditional ‘host’ gig seen in previous years.” In addition to his role as emcee, Harlow made his solo VMAs debut as a performer, after last year appearing onstage alongside Lil Nas X for a duet of their hit “Industry Baby.”

Speaking of Lil Nas X, he arrived at the awards dressed as a Crystal Car Wash sponge. 

Lil Nas X skipped a shirt and opted for this bespoke outfit courtesy of British American designer Harris Reed. Picture: Getty

Taylor Swift has also graced the red carpet at this year's awards. Swift is nominated for five VMAs this year, all for her “All Too Well” short film: Video of the Year, Best Longform Video, Best Cinematography, Best Direction and Best Editing.

Taylor Swift shimmered on the red carpet in a jewelled Oscar de la Renta cutout dress and matching metallic silver heels from Christian Louboutin and Lorraine Schwartz jewellery. Picture: Getty

@theoz.com.au

The world is healing ❤️ #taylorswift #VMAs

♬ original sound - The Oz

Lizzo, the only woman nominated for Artist of the Year, arrived in Jean Paul Gaultier Couture.

Lizzo has also been nominated for song of the year for her TikTok bop 'About Damn Time'. Picture: Getty

A sulky-looking Avril Lavigne wore black from head to toe, going back to her Sk8er Boi roots. 

It screams 2003. Picture: Getty

Singer Becky G sparkled in a dress by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad.

Stunning.

The complete list of VMA nominees (and winners!) below

Album of the Year

• 30 — Adele
• Certified Lover Boy — Drake
• Happier Than Ever — Billie Eilish
• WINNER: Harry's House — Harry Styles
• Un Verano Sin Ti — Bad Bunny

Artist of the Year

• WINNER: Bad Bunny
• Drake
• Ed Sheeran
• Harry Styles
• Jack Harlow
• Lil Nas X
• Lizzo

Song of the Year

• About Damn Time — Lizzo
• Cold Heart (PNAU Remix ) — Elton John and Dua Lipa
• Easy On Me — Adele
• WINNER: Happier Than Ever — Billie Eilish
• STAY — The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber
• Woman — Doja Cat

Group of the Year

• BLACKPINK
• WINNER: BTS
• City Girls
• Foo Fighters
• Imagine Dragons
• Maneskin
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Silk Sonic

Best New Artist

• Baby Keem
• WINNER: Dove Cameron
• GAYLE
• Latto
• Maneskin
• SEVENTEEN

Best Collaboration

• Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) — Elton John and Dua Lipa
• WINNER: INDUSTRY BABY — Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow
• LA FAMA — ROSALIA ft The Weeknd
• One Right Now — Post Malone and The Weeknd
• STAY — The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber
• Sweetest Pie — Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa
• Way 2 Sexy — Drake ft Future and Young Thug

PUSH Performance of the Year

• abcdefu — GAYLE
• Baby Boo — Muni Long
• Better Days — Mae Muller
• Chaise Longue — Wet Leg
• i hope ur miserable until ur dead — Nessa Barrett
• One Night — Griff
• Persuasive — Doechii
• R U That — Shenseea
• Sexy Villain — Remi Wolf
• Tamagotchi — Omar Apollo
• WINNER: Rock With You — SEVENTEEN

Song of Summer

• About Damn Time — Lizzo
• Bad Habit — Steve Lacy
• Big Energy (Remix) — Latto x Mariah Carey ft DJ Khaled
• BIZCOCHITO — ROSALIA
• BREAK MY SOUL — Beyonce
• WINNER: First Class — Jack Harlow
• Grand — Kane Brown
• I Like You (A Happier Song) — Post Malone and Doja Cat
• Late Night Talking — Harry Styles
• Left And Right — Charlie Puth ft Jung Kook of BTS
• Me Porto Bonito — Bad Bunny and Chencho Corleone
• Numb — Marshmello x Khalid
• Sunroof — Nicky Youre and dazy
• Super Freaky Girl — Nicki Minaj
• Vegas — Doja Cat
• WAIT FOR U — Future ft Drake and Tems

Video of the Year

• WINNER: All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) — Taylor Swift
• As It Was — Harry Styles
• brutal — Olivia Rodrigo
• INDUSTRY BABY — Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow
• Shivers — Ed Sheeran
• Way 2 Sexy — Drake ft Future and Young Thug
• Woman — Doja Cat

Video For Good

• WINNER: About Damn Time — Lizzo
• Fils de joe — Stromae
• The Heart Part 5 — Kendrick Lamar
• This Hell — Rina Sawayama
• P*SSY — Latto

Best Longform Video

• WINNER: All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) — Taylor Swift
• driving home 2 u — Olivia Rodrigo
• Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles — Billie Eilish
• Madame X — Madonna
• star-crossed — Kacey Musgraves
• Studio 666 — Foo Fighters

Best Pop

• Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever
• Doja Cat - Woman
• Ed Sheeran - Shivers
• WINNER: Harry Styles - As it was
• Lizzo - About Damn Time
• Olivia Rodrigo - Traitor

Best K-Pop

• BTS - Yet to Come
• ITZY - LOCO
• WINNER: LISA - LALISA
• SEVENTEEN - HOT
• Stray Kids - MANIAN
• TWICE - The Feels