Taylor Lautner thought Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift's speech was planned

2 February 2023

Taylor Lautner thought it was part of a planned "skit" when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) acceptance speech.

Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's speech

The 'Twilight' actor presented the Best Female Video award to his then-girlfriend for her 'You Belong with Me' promo at the 2009 ceremony but her moment in the spotlight was tainted when the 'Stronger' hitmaker stormed the stage to declare Beyonce should have taken the prize.

And Lautner, 30, has now reflected on the infamous moment and admitted it took some time for him to realise what was happening.

Asked by his wife Tay Dome which moment of his career he would loike to relive, he said on their 'The Squeeze' podcast: “Probably the 2009 VMAs when I presented the award to Taylor. I was unaware that the Kanye thing was not a skit.

“Yeah [we had just gone public with our relationship] and I presented the award to her, so I gave her the award [and] I took five steps back and was standing five feet behind her.

“In the middle of giving her thank you speech, Kanye jumps up onto the stage.

“I can barely hear it. I can’t see them. I’m just assuming that this whole thing was a practiced and rehearsed skit because why else would Kanye West be jumping up on the stage, interrupting Taylor Swift? It just didn’t make sense.”

But after Kanye gave the mic back to the 'Shake It Off' singer, Lautner realised it wasn't a joke.

He recalled: “He jumped off, she finished [and] the second she turned back around and I saw her face for the first time, I was like, ‘Oh. No, that wasn’t good.' "

During the awards show, Swift had just begun her speech when she was interrupted by the 45-year-old rapper.

He said: “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish. But Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time [with ‘Single Ladies’]! One of the best videos of all time."

When Beyonce later scooped Video of the Year for 'Single Ladies' at the ceremony, she invited Taylor back on stage to finish her speech.