The Met Gala is the place to be on the first Monday of May, and anyone who’s anyone is invited, from Rihanna to Taylor Swift – so, why has Meryl Streep never been?
As the one and only Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, aka the no-nonsense director of fashion magazine Runway, you’d think the Met Gala would be her dream – she essentially plays a fictional version of its chair, Vogue’s Anna Wintour, after all.
However, as revealed to Metro, it’s not her style.
This year’s Met Gala on May 4 will, of course, take place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, with Beyoncé returning for the first time in 10 years and serving as a co-chair alongside Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams.
The event will adhere to the theme of Costume Art, as the spring exhibition displays garments ‘in dialogue with a range of artworks spanning 5,000 years of art history from the Met’s collection.’
It’s safe to say we can expect some stunning creations on the carpet, with the dress code of Fashion is Art totally open to interpretation.
Alas, if you’re holding out hope that Streep might put in an appearance – which would, admittedly, be more fitting this year than ever, what with the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 just days prior – you’ll be disappointed.
A representative for the Mamma Mia! icon, 76, told Metro: ‘Meryl has been invited to the Met Gala for many years but has never attended.
‘While she appreciates Vogue, Anna, and her incredible imagination and stamina, it has never quite been her scene.’
Their statement comes amid reports that Streep was actually invited to be a co-chair this year but turned down the prestigious opportunity over the Gala’s ties to Jeff Bezos.
The billionaire Amazon founder and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, serve as honorary co-chairs and lead sponsors of the 2026 event, which has fuelled backlash online and even sparked calls for a total boycott.
In previous years, the Met Gala has traditionally relied on luxury brands for sponsorships; hence, having individuals as primary backers is an unconventional move.
Consequently, industry insiders have claimed the shift has raised questions and concerns about the evolving identity of the fashion bash.
What’s more, the Daily Mail has quoted a source as saying it is ‘quite frankly, very hurtful and very disturbing for [the Bezoses] to be the face of this year’s Met Gala’, given that it is ‘really meaningful to a lot of people and to such a highly regarded and highly respected institution’.
‘It feels like a real slap in the face to a lot of people,’ said the fashion insider.
They went on to say earlier this week that, despite the 2026 Gala opening up a prime promo opportunity for the DWP sequel, Streep turned down any potential involvement due to the wealthy couple presiding over the party as guests of honour.
Streep has had her fair share of politically charged moments throughout her glittering career, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that she wouldn’t wish to be affiliated with the Bezoses at all, since they have an alignment with the Trump administration.
In the past, the Oscar winner has thrown support behind Hillary Clinton, proudly described herself as a ‘man-eating feminist’, and spoken at Democratic Conventions. Most recently, she also publicly voiced support for Jimmy Kimmel after Donald Trump called for the late-night host to be fired for a joke about First Lady Melania.
And it’s not just Streep who wants to steer clear of the Met to avoid any insinuation of impropriety, with internal drama said to be ‘rampant’ in the lead-up to the big day.
The Mail’s fashion industry insider also explained: ‘The fashion industry and the people who work in it are, by and large, very liberal.
‘Anna [Wintour] has always publicly supported Democratic candidates for president, and Vogue endorsed Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. Even the politicians that we’ve seen attend the Met Gala over the years have been overwhelmingly liberal.’
Indeed, political figures accepting Met Gala invites is a point of contention every year, but they have been known to make their own statements.
Famously, in 2021, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (known as AOC) made her Met Gala debut in a viral ‘TAX THE RICH’ gown. That same year, former New York representative Carolyn Maloney, known for her lobbying for increased gun control measures, attended for the fourth time, wearing a gown emblazoned with the words ‘ERA’ and ‘Equal Rights for Women.’
On having Bezos, who is worth a shocking $259billion (£190m), in the same room is thought to be leaving many with a sour taste.
‘To have a couple that aligns themselves with and have contributed a million dollars to inaugurating a president who has sought to eviscerate DEI, dismantle Roe v. Wade, disenfranchise Black voters, and crack down on immigration in a way that is so inhumane and horrific, rubs a lot of people the wrong way,’ the insider also claimed.
‘Obviously, the Met Gala is always over-the-top, and wealth and grandeur are always on display, but there are two of the richest people to ever exist in the world who will be hosting it.
‘When we’re in the midst of a war, and there are so many people struggling to have their basic needs met, it’s not necessarily the image everyone wants to see.’
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