Met Gala snubs and absences: Celebrities you won't see on red the carpet

Met Gala 2026, the biggest night of fashion, is just around the corner, and netizens from all over the globe are eager to witness their favourite artists in some stunning designer wear.

Each year, the star-studded gala is filled with celebrities and notable names from multiple industries, making the event more glamorous, and this year is no different.

However, there are some names that would never be seen on the red carpet of the Met Gala, either because they are banned or are not getting an invite back for one reason or another.

Met Gala 2026 details

Met Gala 2026 is taking place on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, with the theme "Costume Art", set to honour the spring 2026 exhibition of the same name.

The official dress code has been revealed as "Fashion Is Art".

This year, the Met Gala co-chairs are Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour.

Here's a list of notable names who are either officially banned from the event or are in self-imposed exile, either because they are not interested or do not enjoy the chaotic night.

Donald Trump

Met Gala co-chair Anna Wintour has only confirmed one name who is permanently banned from attending the biggest night of fashion, which is the President of the US, Donald Trump.

During her 2017 appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Anna said that she would "never" invite the president back.

He was a regular attendee throughout the 2000s, with his last appearance being in 2012.

Tina Fey

The Mean Girls actress labelled the Met Gala a "parade of jerks from every walk of life, all wearing something stupid" during a 2015 interview with David Letterman and shared that she never plans to attend again.

Tim Gunn

While not confirmed by the co-chair, Tim Gunn shared in a 2016 interview that he was permanently disinvited from the event after telling a story about Anna Wintour being carried downstairs at a fashion show.

The Project Runway host said that the story triggered an "open ongoing war" as he confirmed his ban from the event.

Zayn Malik

After attending once in 2016 with Gigi Hadid, he described the event in a 2018 GQ interview as "self-indulgent" and "not me".

Moreover, the One Direction alum has been keeping a low profile since the release of his new album due to an unknown medical concern, making this year's attendance near-impossible.

Lili Reinhart

The Riverdale actress has expressed doubt about her invitation after publicly criticising Kim Kardashian's dramatic weight loss for the 2022 event.

Kardashian had revealed that she dropped 16 pounds in three weeks to fit into the dress Marilyn Monroe wore to serenade John F. Kennedy.

Calling out the extreme method, Reinhart shared on her Instagram Story how starvation for the sake of fitting into a dress was harmful and ignorant.

Billy Porter

After his jaw-dropping outfit at the 2019 Met Gala, when he was invited by Ryan Murphy, fans have missed the Pose star on the red carpet of fashion's biggest night.

In a recent interview with podcast Bevalations, Billy Porter shared that he has not been invited back to the Met Gala since 2019, adding that he felt especially snubbed when he was not invited to last year's event, which had the theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.

Despite the no-invite, the actor said he's "good", adding, "I don't go to places where I'm not welcome."

"I've earned the invitation and it's okay that I don't have it because there's a level that I've reached that doesn't require validation from the outside.

Ported continued, "I'm going to sit and live in that because it helps keep me sane, too."

Jennifer Aniston

While receiving the invitation several times, Jennifer Aniston has shared that she chooses not to attend the Met Gala.

Talking to Glamour magazine last year, the Friends alum noted, "Yes, I have [been invited], but I don't go. It overwhelms me."

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj's recent political affiliations and event appearances have led to speculations that she might be unofficially sidelined from future events.

Zohran Mamdani

Newly-elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is breaking mayoral tradition by not attending the Met Gala.

In a recent interview with Hell Gate, Mamdani confirmed that he and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will be skipping the lavish event to focus on "affordability and making the most expensive city in the United States affordable".

The subtle snub comes as controversy surrounds the event, since billionaire Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez are the lead sponsors of the event.

Posters calling to "Boycott the Bezos Met Gala" have emerged across New York in the lead-up to the event.

Besides the list, there are two automatic deal-breakers that would disqualify a guest from future invites.

While the event organisers keep most blacklist decisions private, Anna Wintour and Met curator Andrew Bolton have publicly stated that smoking in the galleries or touching the artwork will result in a ban from future galas.