Nina Dobrev found herself at the center of attention at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, after videos circulated showing an awkward moment in which security appeared to remove her from the red carpet while she was posing for photographers.
On Wednesday, September 2, the star of “The Vampire Diaries” attended the premiere of the film “Ink,” making a striking fashion choice: a strapless Armani Privé gown decorated with sequins and featuring two pieces of fabric at the sides that billowed as she walked.
When it came time for her to walk the festival’s red carpet, however, a man in a dark suit appeared to ask her to leave the area where guests were posing.
As Dobrev stood in front of the photographers, who were calling her name, the man approached her and raised his hand, seemingly gesturing for her to move along, while saying something that could not be heard. The actress appeared confused about what was happening and seemed annoyed by the development.
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Nina Dobrev rushed off the Venice red carpet early. She looks confused and can’t believe it. https://t.co/8gxhiQM5p7 pic.twitter.com/8P6sppJCVt
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) September 4, 2026
A woman who was off camera appeared to intervene, giving Nina Dobrev a few more seconds to pose for the photographers. However, shortly afterward, a second man in a suit escorted her away from the red carpet.
The actress walked away looking visibly surprised, smiling awkwardly and raising her hand toward the crowd.
The incident was captured on camera, and the video quickly began circulating on social media, prompting a range of reactions.
In videos posted on X, many people expressed their displeasure with the way the actress was treated. One person wrote: “Is this guy crazy? Poor Nina,” while another commented: “Why did they kick Nina Dobrev off the Venice red carpet like that?”
Another comment read: “If I were Nina Dobrev and they kicked me off the Venice Film Festival red carpet, I would have disappeared from sheer embarrassment.”
Someone else asked: “Did she stay for too long, or was it a lack of organization? Either way, it was awkward.”
There were, however, also people who defended the security personnel and offered a different interpretation of the incident.
“They didn’t kick her out. She simply didn’t have much time to pose, so the security man asked her to keep moving, and she made that expression as if she didn’t understand,” one person wrote.
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