An invite to the Met Gala is notoriously tricky to snag. Not only is the event expensive (it is, after all, a fundraiser for the museum), but there are a limited number of seats. Not everyone can make the guest list.
Some stars are basically Met regulars. Top models like Coco Rocha and Karlie Kloss usually make an appearance, and fashion fans have come to expect head-turning looks from Rihanna, Beyoncé, Blake Lively, and Madonna. As an iconically stylish New Yorker, Sarah Jessica Parker always makes a splash, and we have our first real Gen Z Met Icon in Zendaya.
The ladder from onlooker to plus-one to invitee was most famously climbed by Kim Kardashian. In the 2000s and 2010s, she was considered more of an influencer than a bona fide celeb (the presence of influencers at the Met Gala is still a source of major controversy), and only got to go in 2013 because she was with then-fiancé Kanye West. Hence, the infamous sofa dress. But as she upped her style game and her star power, Kim not only snagged an invite for herself but for the rest of her family. Ten years later, Kanye was gone and all of the KarJenners were on the carpet.
On the other hand, there are celebrities of a certain stature that we’d naturally assume would have attended at least once, only to find out they’ve never walked the famous steps. Whether due to scheduling conflicts or something, else, these celebrities have, as of 2024, never attended the Met Gala. Which is a small shame, since we’d love to see how they’d interpret the themes!
Check out these surprising Met Gala no-shows.