Jessica Simpson's Lopsided Lips Make Her Look Unrecognizable At 2025 VMAs

The 2025 MTV VMAs are a favorite occasion for music superstars to walk the red carpet in their most eye-catching ensembles. Jessica Simpson certainly didn't disappoint; in fact, she snagged attention in more ways than one. Her appearance was a surprise to begin with; the "I Wanna Love You Forever" hitmaker hadn't gone to the VMAs in nearly two decades. Simpson's sheer black tulle dress was another stunner. But her face was the real talk of the night. Reminiscent of the plastic surgery rumors surrounding Kimberly Guilfoyle, the ex-fiancée of first son Donald Trump Jr., folks online couldn't stop speculating about the work Simpson might have had done. Simpson's pouty mouth appeared to be enhanced with fillers, and not very expert ones at that; the left side appeared fuller than the right, giving her a cockeyed appearance. (Or, as Pink might say, "The waiter just took Kim's duck lips/And gave them to Jessica Simp.")

Commenters on X were quick to point out the singer's overly taut face, which hinted at additional knife work and inspired more than one double-take. "Omg that's Jessica Simpson? I didn't even recognize her," wrote one viewer. Another was more blunt: "Y'all are really going OVERBOARD with the plastic surgery & bbls & duck lips!!! So messed up & not attractive. Really sad! What bad role models for our youth."

Jessica Simpson's weight loss transformation was also apparent in her MTV VMAs appearance. The star has been fighting off both the pounds and the body-shamers for years. As a teen, she tried extreme dieting on the advice of famed record exec Tommy Mottola; later in life, she became a Weight Watchers success story and spokesperson. Today, Simpson flaunts her killer legs at every opportunity, and the MTV Video Music Awards were no exception. Her little-to-the-imagination Christian Soriano dress defied all viewers to sneer at her figure. Unfortunately, the changes in her face suggested Simpson might still be trying to alter her look for the sake of the critics, and the reaction online was more dismayed than dazzled.

Apart from her outfit and her, um, different facial aesthetic, Simpson caught some flak for her role in the awards ceremony. Having gained new visibility with the release of her two new albums, the "Hopeless Romance" singer was invited to present the MTV Latin Icon Award to Ricky Martin. Though it may have seemed a logical choice to the show producers — as Simpson explained, she was the opening act for Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" tour — some online found it tone-deaf. "Jessica Simpson giving Ricky Martin a Latin Icon award is like Ronald McDonald presenting a Michelin star," blasted a viewer on X.

Wrap your brain around this: Babies born in 2006 — the year Jessica Simpson was last at the MTV VMA Awards — would be 19 today. Back then, Jessica was recently split from husband Nick Lachey and navigating life on her own. Since then, she has married and divorced yet again, this time to former NFL player Eric Johnson, with whom she shares three children. Jessica has also come back in a big way from her musical hiatus; after being dropped by her record label in 2008, she opted to leave the business and regroup. "I took a long break," she told People. "I was mad at music a bit." But Jessica never lost her love for the art, and she returned to recording and performing in the spring of 2025.

Jessica's return to the VMAs was a surprise, but an even bigger shocker occurred just days before. On August 29, TMZ caught her and Johnson boarding the same flight to Las Vegas and sitting in the same aisle on the plane. They were reportedly in town to support Jessica's sister, Ashlee Simpson, as she performed at the Venetian Resort, but the outlet noted they didn't bring their son and daughters along to see their aunt sing. Jessica has yet to comment on the trip or update the public on the state of her divorce, but fans are hoping there might be a comeback for the relationship as well as for her career.