Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins turned the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards into a date night on Sunday, making a rare red carpet appearance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas ahead of the ceremony.
The couple, who welcomed their fifth baby, son Brave, in February, arrived on the red carpet after spending much of the year focused on family life. Their appearance came before the 61st ACM Awards, which were set to stream live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET, with Rhett also listed among the night’s performers.
The outing carried extra weight because it was one of the few public appearances for the pair since the birth of baby No. 5 at the start of 2026. For country music fans, it also placed Rhett back in the center of one of the genre’s biggest nights, where Shania Twain was hosting the ACMs for the first time.
The red carpet in Las Vegas drew other major names across the industry, with Megan Moroney entering the night as the most-nominated artist with nine total nods. Miranda Lambert followed with eight nominations, while Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each had seven, underscoring how much of the evening would be shaped by a crowded field of top contenders.
For Rhett and Akins, though, the night was less about the nominations board than about showing up together after months centered on home. Their appearance marked a public return that fit the moment: a star couple, a major awards show and a performer who was also part of the night’s lineup.
The key question heading into the ceremony was not whether the couple would be seen again, but how much of the evening Rhett would have both onstage and in view. With the ACMs underway in Las Vegas and streaming live, the answer was immediate: he and Akins had already made the night one of the event’s early talking points.
