Zendaya and her husband Tom Holland will not be attending the Met Gala Ball in New York tonight, opting instead for a leisurely stroll in Wimbledon village at lunchtime. The couple, believed to have recently married, were seen pausing by a flower stall and coffee shop, with Holland wearing a black flat cap and going largely unrecognised.
Previous Attendance and Speculation
Zendaya was among the stars at the renowned fundraiser last year, wearing a white Louis Vuitton suit, and has attended the event seven times previously. However, speculation over the weekend suggested she would skip this year's gala due to its alignment with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who is the sponsor. Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos were welcomed as sponsors by Vogue boss Anna Wintour, a move that has drawn controversy as the couple appear to be close to President Trump and his administration.
Social Media Backlash
Both Zendaya and supermodel Bella Hadid, another Met Gala regular, liked an Instagram video that criticised the event's sponsorship. The video stated: 'If you are a celebrity and you attend the Met Gala and you wear the ICE out pin, please note that I will be dragging you in perpetuity. You cannot wear the ICE out pin to the Jeff Bezos-backed Met Gala.' It added: 'Jeff Bezos is part of the reason we're in this f****** mess. Jeff Bezos supports this f****** mess.'
Protest Campaign
The British political activist group Everyone Hates Elon, which describes itself as 'anti-billionaire', has arranged a flyer campaign in New York to protest Bezos' involvement. Posters read: 'Boycott the Bezos Met Gala' and 'Bezos Met Gala: Brought to you by the firm that powers ICE.' The group's name is inspired by Tesla tech mogul Elon Musk.
Other Reasons for Absence
Zendaya may simply be choosing to skip this year as she has just finished press tours for the TV show Euphoria and the movie The Drama. Later this summer, she will be doing press tours for Dune Part 3 and Spiderman: Brand New Day.
Other Celebrities Missing or Attending
Meryl Streep, who has an association with Wintour thanks to her role as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, will also not be attending. A spokesman said: 'While she appreciates Vogue, Anna, and her incredible imagination and stamina, it has never quite been her scene.' Streep's daughters, Grace and Mamie Gummer, are attending, as are her Devil Wears Prada 2 co-stars Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.
Kim Kardashian is expected but will not be there with her new boyfriend Lewis Hamilton. Friends of the racing driver confirmed that he is not planning to attend this year, even though he was a co-chair last year. Nicole Kidman will attend with her model daughter Sunday Rose.
Wintour's Response
Wintour has attempted to quell the backlash over the couple's involvement, telling CNN in November: 'I think Lauren is going to be a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event. I'm very grateful for her incredible generosity, and she's a great lover of costume and obviously of fashion, so we're thrilled she's part of the night.'
The theme this year is Costume Art. Last year's event raised a record $31 million for the museum.
