Gabrielle Union has opened up about her Met Gala experiences (Picture: Getty)
The first Monday in May means one thing and one thing only – some of the biggest names in Hollywood descending on New York for the Met Gala.
Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and Gigi Hadid are among those thought to be attending, while Zendaya, Chris Hemsworth, Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez are serving as co-chairs.
The theme for the 2024 bash is the Garden of Time and invites are as coveted as you’d expect, but Gabrielle Union has shed light on her previous efforts at the annual bash, explaining that it can be a hugely nerve-wracking experience.
Unsurprisingly, a lot goes into perfecting the party every single year, with Vogue editor Anna Wintour going above and beyond to ensure a captivating evening for all involved.
There is a lot of focus on the dinner and seating plan, with strict rules over who makes it onto each table, and a reported ban on couples sitting next to each other.
Speaking to People Magazine, 10 Things I Hate About You legend Gabrielle shared that this can lead to fears beforehand, as you never know who will be on your table.
Gabrielle often attends beside husband Dwyane Wade (Picture: Getty)
‘It can be a little nerve wracking if you don’t know everyone at your table or something like that,’ the 51-year-old said. ‘But I’ve also made more friends in those situations. That gave me so much anxiety.
‘“I’m not going to know anyone” – Of course you know people.’
‘I lean into the experience,’ she continued. ‘But it can be nerve wracking when we’re in industries that cater to us and they massage our fears and they don’t have us lean into them in environments like that – where we can grow and expand in our discomfort and not being centered in every single thing.
‘You can appreciate other people and get to know other people that might be feeling the same way that you are.’
Gabrielle shared that her favorite part is the moment she first hits the carpet, explaining that she tries to soak that in as much as possible.
The couple go all out on the red carpet (Picture: Getty)
‘A lot of people want to rush through it, not me,’ she added. ‘They literally are like, “All right, Gab, move it up the stairs.” Because I love it. I love it. I absolutely love it.’
We only have a few hours to wait before the Bring It On icon hits up the red carpet once again, in her finest.
If you didn’t manage to get a ticket to the Met Gala this year, you can put your FOMO at ease as Lizzo previously dispelled the glamour behind the event.
In a video shared on Instagram last year, via TMZ, she claimed that there were long waits and very few drink options.
‘You get there, you’ve got to get out and there’s a long f**king line. I’m taking the glamour away from it but it’s true. You’ve got to wait,’ she reportedly fumed.
Lizzo claimed that it wasn’t as glamorous behind the scenes (Picture: Getty)
‘For everybody to have that individual moment on the stairs, if there wasn’t a line, it would just be mobbed out.
‘So you’re waiting and that’s the hardest part. B***h, I was sweating in that big-ass coat, my feet were hurting. They don’t have no chairs, no cocktails. I’m like, “B***h? Can we get some chairs or some drinks or some hors d’oeuvres?”
‘Everybody else was mixing and mingling, that’s the scariest part for me. After the carpet is done, I’m the happiest b***h in the world.’
The About Damn Time musician also claimed that there was a lack of bar options for guests, with DailyMail.com reporting that she fumed: ‘They were being really stingy with the liquor that night. He was like, “Red or white wine?
‘And I was like, “Tequila! Do you know what I’ve been through? Do you know how many hours I’ve been in this corset? How long I’ve been in these damn shoes? Tequila!”’
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