While several stars headed to New York for the Met Gala, some huge names decided to skip the event amid Jeff Bezos’ take over, schedule conflicts and family feuds
Those at the Met Gala may have been rubbing shoulders with Showbiz royalty including the likes of Nicole, Margot Robbie and Kate Moss, but several huge names decided not to attend amid Jeff Bezos’ take over, family feuds and more.
The annual charity event always takes place on the first Monday in May and is regularly host to the biggest stars in the world, as they dress up in elaborate, themed outfits. This year’s theme was ‘Fashion is Art’, which saw Heidi Klum turn up as a marble statue and Sabrina Carpenter wear rhinestoned film strips.
But amid the glamour and glitz, there was also a heap of controversy. Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, were the lead sponsors of the event, sparking backlash throughout the city. Due to sponsorship, New York City has been covered in protest posters calling for people to “boycott” the event. The posters read: “Boycott the Bezos Met Ball: Brought to you by worker exploitation.” There are also others that highlight Amazon’s connection to ICE. One poster read: “There’s no dressing it up. Met Gala chair Jeff Bezos avoids tax, enables ICE, and backs Trump. Don’t let him get away with it.”
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A variety of organisations, including the Service Employees International Union, the Strategic Organising Centre and the Amazon Labour Union, are set to stage a ‘Ball Without Billionaires’ protest. During the demonstration, workers for Amazon, Uber and Starbucks will model clothes made by ethically minded designers.
This year, there were also huge names who chose not to attend the gala. Here’s who wasn’t at the Met Gala and why they chose not to attend…
Timothee Chalamet
Despite his girlfriend Kylie Jenner attending the Met Gala, Timothee Chalamet did not. The 30-year-old actor instead headed to Madison Square Garden to watch the New York Knicks in the NBA playoffs.
Timothee was seen at the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals, where the Knicks won against the Philadelphia 76ers. While he did not address the fact that he’d skipped the gala, Timothee did post a picture of his trainers as he sat courtside. This is the second year in a row that he decided to watch the Knicks play instead of going to the Met Gala.
Lewis Hamilton did not attend the event either, despite his rumoured girlfriend Kim Kardashian heading there with her sister Kylie. Lewis’ reasons for not going were not revealed.
Brooklyn Beckham
Brooklyn has been a Met Gala regular in the past but both this year and last year, he decided to skip the event. But while the eldest Beckham brother was absent, Romeo Beckham made his Met Gala debut.
Neither Brooklyn nor his wife Nicola Peltz have said why they did not go to the Met Gala but it has been speculated that they chose not to attend to avoid an awkward run in with Romeo. Earlier this year, Brooklyn cut ties with his family by releasing a statement in which he accused his parents of trying to control him and destroy his relationship, as well as of sending his brothers to ‘attack’ him online.
Bella Hadid
Model Bella Hadid appeared to make it clear before the Met Gala began that she would not be attending because of Jeff Bezos’ involvement in this year’s event. She liked multiple posts criticising the billionaire’s involvement amid his connection to Donald Trump and ICE, including one that said: “I love the ICE out pins, but you can’t wear them to the @jeffbezos backed Met Gala.”
Taraji P. Henson
Actress Taraji P. Henson attended the Met Gala last year, but she also chose not to attend this year because of the Bezoses’ sponsorship. She wrote in a comment on the same music video Bella liked: “I am so confused by some ppl that are going. I am just like WTF ARE WE DOING!?!?!?!”
The Hidden Figures star also reposted a picture to her Instagram Stories which highlighted the massive wealth disparity between Jeff Bezos and his Amazon Warehouse workers.
Zohran Mamdani
Since 2002, every New York City mayor has attended the Met Gala. But newly elected Zohran Mamdani broke with tradition to stay home instead.
The mayor, who was elected on a manifesto of making New York affordable, said he was not going to the gala to instead focus on “making the most expensive city in the United States affordable”.
Lisa Ann Walter
Abbott Elementary and The Parent Trap actress Lisa Ann Walter may not have been at the Met Gala but she was close by. The star took to the streets with the protestors in New York City and picked up a microphone to share exactly what she thought about Jeff Bezos.
She said she had something to say about the “very big, very bald” billionaire that had reportedly put $10million towards the Met Gala. Lisa slammed him for trying to make the biggest night in fashion “all about him”.
Lisa said: “How did an event that’s supposed to celebrate creativity, artistry and fabulousness in all genders end up revolving around this Temu Lex Luthor, who profits off of pushing working people to their very brink?” She added that the Met Gala had become a “vessel for one man’s ego”.
Zendaya
After becoming the person to watch at the Met Gala and hosting it one year, Zendaya decided to sit the 2026 Met Gala out. Prior to the gala, Elle reported that she was not expected to attend as she was trying to take a break from publicity.
This comes after the actress took part in back to back press tours for her new film The Drama and the third series of HBO show Euphoria.
Ariana Grande
This is the second year singer and actress Ariana Grande has chosen not to attend the Met Gala. She has not shared why but some have speculated that she is busy preparing for her worldwide The Eternal Sunshine Tour an the release of her eighth album, petal. Similarly, Olivia Rodrigo sat the event out, reportedly so she could prepare for the release of her third album and Demi Lovato was said to be busy with her It’s Not That Deep tour.
Harry Styles
Just like Ariana Grande, Harry Styles did not say why he chose not to go to the Met Gala, but the running theory is that he is busy with tour preparations.
Harry’s recent album Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally, is set to be the focus of his upcoming worldwide tour Together, Together. But while Harry did not attend, Zoe Kravitz, who is reportedly engaged to the singer, did.
Meryl Streep
While her Devil Wears Prada 2 co-stars were in attendance at the Met Gala, Meryl Streep, who plays Anna WIntour-esque fashion editor Miranda Priestly, did not. Meryl never attends the Met Gala. Her reps told Buzzfeed that the event has “never quite been her scene”.
Callum Turner and Dua Lipa
The two made their Met Gala couple debut last year but chose to take a little holiday to Denmark instead this year. The two were in Copenhagen whilst the Met Gala was in full swing.
Likewise, Sydney Sweeney chose to be in Australia instead of attending the Met Gala, and Stranger Things’ star Sadie Sink had to be in London as she was performing in Romeo & Juliet on stage in the West End.
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