Beyoncé and Jay-Z skipped the 2025 Emmys despite nominations

Beyoncé and Jay-Z were both nominated at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, but neither of them attended the ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

The couple faced off in the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) category, where Beyoncé was recognised as a performer and executive producer for her Netflix special “Beyoncé Bowl”. 

Husband and rapper Jay-Z earned a nomination as an executive producer for the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show with Kendrick Lamar, produced through his Roc Nation partnership with the NFL.

The award ultimately went to Saturday Night Live (SNL) for "SNL50: The Homecoming Concert", their 50th season special, which premiered on September 28, 2024.

“Beyoncé Bowl” was filmed in Houston during the NFL’s Christmas Day halftime show and later streamed on Netflix, drawing more than 27 million views. 

The performance marked the live debut of songs from her "Cowboy Carter" album and was praised for its production and styling. 

The special received five Emmy nominations in total, including choreography, production design, and directing for a variety special, with Beyoncé directly credited on three of them.

The “Virgo’s Groove” singer already had an Emmy going into Sunday’s ceremony, which she won in August, for her costume design on “Beyoncé Bowl”, an award decided by a panel and announced in advance of the Creative Arts Emmys. 

She shared the honour with designers Shiona Turini, Erica Rice, Molly Peters, Chelsea Staebell, and Timothy White for the detailed looks that tied the show’s themes to Texas culture and Black cowboy heritage.

That win left “Beyoncé Bowl” with one trophy ahead of the primetime broadcast, where it had another chance in the live variety special category.

Her recognition places her closer to EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award) status, with only an Oscar and a Tony missing from her collection for her to attain the prestigious honour. 

She already holds 35 Grammys, the most of any artist, and was previously nominated for an Oscar for “Be Alive” from King Richard however she did not secure the award.

Ahead of the show, producer Jesse Collins was asked whether Beyoncé might attend. “She can make anything happen,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where she is in the world right now; if she wants to be here, she’ll be here, and there will be a seat for her. Several.”

The “Beyhive” was buzzing with excitement as many were convinced the star would grace the Emmys with her presence following several hints that she may be attending.

Host Nate Bargatze and presenter Tina Fey both gave Beyoncé a shoutout during the broadcast, but her absence was not unexpected. Despite several nominations in the past, she has never attended the Emmys.