Zendaya, Meryl Streep — see who skipped the 2026 Met Gala Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYTue, May 5, 2026 at 3:21 AM UTC 0 Not every celebrity was up for fashion's biggest night this year. While the Met Gala draws stars' most daring looks in May, many Alisters are either not invited or opt out of the fashion spectacle altogether. Several celebrity guests surprised the fashion world, from Lena Dunham, in her first appearance in seven years, to Blake Lively, just hours after her yearandahalflong legal battle with "It Ends with Us" costar Justin Baldoni was settled Monday, May 4.
Zendaya, Meryl Streep — see who skipped the 2026 Met Gala
Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYTue, May 5, 2026 at 3:21 AM UTC
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Not every celebrity was up for fashion's biggest night this year.
While the Met Gala draws stars' most daring looks in May, many A-listers are either not invited or opt out of the fashion spectacle altogether.
Several celebrity guests surprised the fashion world, from Lena Dunham, in her first appearance in seven years, to Blake Lively, just hours after her year-and-a-half-long legal battle with "It Ends with Us" costar Justin Baldoni was settled Monday, May 4.
Yet several former gala attendees were notably absent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Here are some of the big names who, we might suppose, wore joggers or pajama bottoms at home Monday night.
Meryl Streep
Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep, left) is Met Gala-ready in a billowing Balenciaga dress alongside righthand man Nigel (Stanley Tucci).
Though "The Devil Wears Prada 2" fans were hoping to catch Miranda Priestly herself on the red carpet, Meryl Streep did not attend. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy Award winner skipped the event because of billionaire Jeff Bezos's involvement as a sponsor. She has never attended in past years either.
Timothée Chalamet
Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet's Met Gala debut as a couple never came as the "Kardashians" star arrived solo, donning a nude corset with faux nipples with a voluminous skirt.
Co-chair Timothée Chalamet attends The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on Sept. 13, 2021 in New York City.
The "Marty Supreme" actor has only attended the event in 2021 when he wore a white tuxedo blazer with black lapels, paired with white sweatpants and Converse sneakers.
Zendaya
Met Gala darling Zendaya historically stuns in every Met Gala look she takes on, but this year left fans craving more as she ditched the event following back-to-back press tours for "The Drama" and "Euphoria."
Zendaya arrives for the 2024 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024, in New York. The Gala's 2024 theme is "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion."
Her stylist, designer Law Roach, attended the gala as a solo act this year, telling Elle on May 1, "It’s one of the first times in my career that going to the Met is about me."
The "Dune" actress made her Met Gala debut in 2015 and is known for leaving an impression through her various looks over the years.
Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Sweeney attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Sydney Sweeney skipped this year's red carpet, breaking a four-year attendance streak.
The "Euphoria" actress made her Met Gala debut in 2022 when she donned a custom mini dress designed by Tory Burch with a sheer corset, a draped taffeta skirt and a glitter tulle overlay. At the 2025 event, she wore a dazzling black beaded gown with short sleeves and a keyhole cutout.
Ryan Reynolds
Despite his wife's surprising appearance on the Met Gala carpet, Ryan Reynolds was not spotted by her side.
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Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds attend the 2022 Met Gala celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022 in New York City.
The "Deadpool" star first attended the event in 2014 alongside the "Gossip Girl" alum for their first red carpet debut as a couple, both sporting Gucci.
Reynolds last attended in 2022, wearing a velvet tuxedo and white bow tie, while Lively turned heads with her pastel atelier Versace gown, which transcended the night's theme of "Gilded Glamour." The gown's train revealed an ode to the Statue of Liberty and its green patina that has formed over its original copper surface.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Fresh off the "Hannah Montana" 20th anniversary special, Miley Cyrus also skipped this year's gala after attending in 2025, when she sported a bold custom Alaïa leather crop top paired with a gold statement necklace and a long braid.
The "Walk of Fame" singer first attended the gala in 2013 at age 20 and returned in 2015 and 2019.
Dua Lipa and Callum Turner
Callum Turner and Dua Lipa attend the 2025 Met Gala on May 5, 2025, in New York City.
It-couple Dua Lipa and Callum Turner opted out of the fashion event this year after making their Met Gala debut as a couple in 2025.
The "End of an Era" singer paired an open-back chiffon dress with a long bow and a black sequin tweed jacket, while the "One Night Only" actor donned a Louis Vuitton black suit with an ivory button-up.
The near-constant travelers were recently in Denmark, with Lipa posting an Instagram carousel of them in Copenhagen on May 3.
Lizzo
Lizzo attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
A year after she debuted a platinum blonde look, Lizzo decided to skip the Met Gala altogether this time around.
At the 2025 event, the "Truth Hurts" singer wore a bold yet classic two-toned gown with a black corset that transitioned into a white fishtail bottom. She made her Met Gala debut in 2019 with a custom Marc Jacobs look and returned in 2022 and 2023.
Lana Del Rey
Following back-to-back appearances at the gala, Lana Del Rey was nowhere to be seen at the 2026 Met Gala red carpet.
Lana Del Rey attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024, in New York City.
The "Summertime Sadness" singer wore a theatrical Valentino Couture gown in 2025 and a tree-inspired corseted gown in 2024, years after her first appearance at the gala in 2018.
Her absence comes after recent appearances at Paris Fashion Week in October and New York Fashion Week in February alongside husband Jeremy Dufrene.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Celebrities who ditched the 2026 Met Gala from Zendaya to Meryl Streep
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Published: May 5, 2026 at 06:46AM on Source: MORNING MAG
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