Since 1972, the Met Gala has been one of the hottest tickets for A-list celebrities, but a long list of famous faces have never attended the exclusive event in New York City. While stars like Kim Kardashian, Zendaya, and Sabrina Carpenter spend months preparing for fashion's biggest night, others are content to skip the red carpet on Monday, May 4.
Jennifer Aniston Finds It Overwhelming
Last September, Jennifer Aniston confirmed that she had received invitations to the annual Costume Institute benefit in the past but described the experience as 'overwhelming.' The 57-year-old Friends alum told Glamour, 'It's the getting ready, the putting on the dress. I'm a "jeans and flip-flops and tank top" kind of girl. I love dressing up too, but for me it's a mental game of, "Let's get dressed up, put on a fancy dress, makeup, get your hair all 'purdy' and go sit in a big room with your peers." Everyone's there to celebrate each other and have some fun, but I get nervous.' She added, 'But whatever. You get to a place in life where none of it really matters at the end of the day.'
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Also Absent
Angelina Jolie, who was famously involved in a 2005 love triangle with Aniston and ex-husband Brad Pitt, has also never graced the famed steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Pitt himself has yet to make his Met debut.
Tom Holland Skips for Zendaya
Another notable no-show is Spider-Man star Tom Holland, who avoids walking the red carpet with his rumored wife Zendaya. As he told Men's Health last year, 'It's not my moment, it's her moment, and if we go together, it's about us.' Last year, the 29-year-old Englishman was spotted staying at the nearby hotel The Surrey while the Euphoria actress walked the red carpet. In 2024, he supportively gave her an Instagram shout-out for her Met Gala looks with heart-eye emojis.
Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera Never Attended
Singers Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera have surprisingly never scaled the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art staircase.
Dolly Parton's Pet Gala
Dolly Parton loves the flash and trash of fashion and is widely considered a national treasure, yet she has never attended the Met Gala. The 80-year-old Oscar and Grammy winner poked fun at fashion's biggest night when she hosted CBS's two-hour special Dolly Parton's Pet Gala, featuring a dog fashion show, in 2024.
Meryl Streep a Potential First-Timer
Another possible first-time attendee is Meryl Streep, as she has been glamming up for the red carpet premieres of The Devil Wears Prada 2 – hitting theaters this weekend. She was supposed to co-chair the 2020 Met Gala before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Helena Bonham Carter's Snub
Helena Bonham Carter famously revealed on The Graham Norton Show in 2018 that she had never been invited to the Met Gala. Her Ocean's 8 costar Rihanna quipped, 'That's because you wear dresses like that.' The eccentric 59-year-old replied, 'That's right. That's entirely right. I'm gonna cry now.'
Leonardo DiCaprio Sneaked In
While Leonardo DiCaprio has never walked the red carpet at the Met Gala, he did sneak into last year's festivities. Vogue captured the moment the 51-year-old Oscar winner shielded his eyes while being photographed walking alongside his much younger girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti, inside the bash.
Ticket Prices and Theme
Individual tickets to the invite-only event were raised from $75,000 to $100,000 this year, while tables continue to start at $350,000. This year's Met Gala dress code is Fashion Is Art, and the theme is Costume Art, inspired by the museum's exhibition about the dressed body as a form of artistic expression. The exhibition opens to the general public on May 10 and runs through January 10, 2027.
