Beyoncé skipped the 2025 Emmy Awards on Sept. 14 in Los Angeles, despite being nominated in the same category as her husband, Jay-Z—setting up one of the night’s most talked-about “will she show?” questions without a payoff.
Beyoncé’s nomination and the head-to-head with Jay-Z
Beyoncé was nominated for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for “Beyoncé Bowl,” Netflix’s presentation of her NFL Christmas Day halftime performance in Houston.
Jay-Z, meanwhile, was nominated in that same category as an executive producer of The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar.
How the show handled her absence
Host Nate Bargatze referenced Beyoncé early in the telecast, nodding to the intensity of the BeyHive—part of a clear effort to acknowledge her presence in the conversation even without her in the room.
Her no-show stood out because Entertainment Weekly noted this would have been her first Emmy ceremony appearance; she has historically not attended even when nominated.
Who won the category
The Outstanding Variety Special (Live) Emmy ultimately went to SNL50: The Anniversary Special, ending the Beyoncé vs. Jay-Z storyline without either of them accepting on stage.
Why the moment still mattered for Beyoncé’s Emmy story
Even though she skipped the main ceremony, Beyoncé had already secured a milestone earlier in the month: her first Emmy win at the Creative Arts Emmys, for Outstanding Costumes tied to “Beyoncé Bowl,” per Entertainment Weekly.
And the nominations themselves underscored how strongly music-driven specials performed in the 2025 Emmy field, with Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show also earning additional recognition in other categories.
