ENTERTAINMENTJennifer Lopez Reveals Why She Ditched Iconic VMAs Performance After 'Rehearsing' With Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera
Jennifer Lopez was busy filming a movie when she dropped out of Madonna's VMAs performance in 2003.
June 9 2026, Updated 11:35 a.m. ET
Jennifer Lopez was too busy to take part in one of the VMAs' most iconic performances.
On the Monday, June 8, episode of Watch What Happens Live, the actress, 56, explained why she didn’t sing alongside Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the awards show even though she planned on doing so.
Why Did J.Lo Skip Madonna's VMAs Production in 2003?
Jennifer Lopez guest-starred on 'Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.'
“I was working on a movie, Shall We Dance, at the same time, and they just wouldn't let me out of the movie, but we rehearsed and everything,” she spilled. “I went to Madonna's house. It was me, her, and Britney. And she was playing her guitar, and we were singing.”
The 2003 event, which took place at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, made headlines as Madonna kissed Spears on the lips, then turned to Aguilera and did the same.
Host Andy Cohen asked Lopez if the smooches were a part of the rehearsals, to which she insisted, “No, but she said that’s what she wanted to do.”
Jennifer Lopez rehearsed for the VMAs with Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
During the historic performance, the three pop stars donned wedding gowns as they performed Madonna’s “Hollywood” alongside Missy Elliott.
“It was a thing. She was like, ‘We’re going to get married. I’m going to be the groom. You guys are going to sing,’” J.Lo recalled of Madonna. “I was the one that was going to come out first and sing ‘Like a Virgin,’ and then I can’t even remember, really what it was, but it was something like that. And then they wouldn’t let me out of the movie to do the actual show. I remember I left on the weekend to go meet with her.”
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Jennifer Lopez said the kisses in Madonna's 2003 VMAs performance were unplanned.
When Madonna appeared on Oprah three weeks after the VMAs, she admitted she “had no idea that [the kisses were] going to cause the ruckus that it caused.”
Madonna's Bold 2003 VMAs Performance Was 'in Jeopardy'
Madonna performed with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the 2003 VMAs.
When reflecting on the viral moment in a 2023 interview, former MTV president Van Toffler said he wanted to give the singer the space to go bold.
“I don’t have to encourage Madonna to go over-the-top,” he expressed to an outlet. “That’s in her DNA. We were just saying, ‘We’re gonna give you a lot of real estate. It’s a big moment.’ We talked about guest performers.”
Toffler added that he feared “the performance was in jeopardy” as details constantly shifted, including Lopez dropping out.
Madonna assumed full creative license over her 2003 VMAs performance.
MTV executives also worried that granting Madonna creative control put them at risk of stirring controversy.
"When you turn to Madonna, [network leads] were always very understanding that this is her creative moment," former MTV employee Summer Strauch told the same outlet. "They value whatever she chooses."
