The Met Gala draws some of the biggest names in entertainment every year, but 2026 was no exception when it came to notable absences. While the red carpet was packed with daring looks and surprising appearances, including Blake Lively who showed up just hours after her legal battle with ‘It Ends with Us’ co-star Justin Baldoni was settled, several familiar faces were nowhere to be seen. Here is a look at the big names who sat this one out.
Meryl Streep
Despite fans hoping to catch Miranda Priestly herself on the red carpet fresh off ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’, Meryl Streep did not attend. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy Award winner skipped the event due to billionaire Jeff Bezos’s involvement as a sponsor. She has not attended in past years either.
Timothée Chalamet
Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet’s much-anticipated Met Gala debut as a couple never materialised; Jenner arrived solo in a nude corset with faux nipples and a voluminous skirt. Chalamet has only attended the event once before, in 2021, when he wore a white tuxedo blazer with black lapels, white sweatpants, and Converse sneakers.
Zendaya
Met Gala darling Zendaya, known for leaving a lasting impression with every look she takes on, skipped this year’s event following back-to-back press tours for ‘The Drama’ and ‘Euphoria’. Her stylist and designer Law Roach attended solo, telling Elle on May 1, “It’s one of the first times in my career that going to the Met is about me.” Zendaya made her Met Gala debut in 2015 and has been a highlight of the red carpet ever since.
Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Sweeney broke a four-year attendance streak by skipping this year’s red carpet. The ‘Euphoria’ actress made her Met Gala debut in 2022 in a custom mini dress by Tory Burch, and most recently attended the 2025 event in a dazzling black beaded gown with a keyhole cutout.
Ryan Reynolds
Despite his wife Blake Lively making a surprising appearance on the carpet, Ryan Reynolds was not by her side. The ‘Deadpool’ star first attended the event in 2014 alongside Lively for their first red carpet debut as a couple. He was last seen at the gala in 2022, wearing a velvet tuxedo and white bow tie.
Miley Cyrus
Fresh off the ‘Hannah Montana’ 20th anniversary special, Miley Cyrus also gave the gala a miss this year after attending in 2025, when she wore a custom Alaïa leather crop top with a gold statement necklace and a long braid. The ‘Walk of Fame’ singer first attended in 2013 at age 20 and has returned several times over the years.
Dua Lipa and Callum Turner
After making their Met Gala debut as a couple in 2025, Dua Lipa and Callum Turner opted out this year. The pair were recently spotted in Copenhagen, with Lipa posting an Instagram carousel from Denmark on May 3. At their 2025 debut, Lipa wore an open-back chiffon dress with a sequin tweed jacket while Turner donned a black suit with an ivory button-up.
Lizzo
A year after debuting a platinum blonde look at the 2025 gala, Lizzo decided to sit this one out. The ‘Truth Hurts’ singer made her Met Gala debut in 2019 with a custom Marc Jacobs look and returned in 2022 and 2023 before her 2025 appearance in a bold two-toned gown.
Lana Del Rey
Following back-to-back appearances at the gala in 2024 and 2025, Lana Del Rey was absent from this year’s red carpet. The ‘Summertime Sadness’ singer wore a theatrical Valentino Couture gown in 2025 and a tree-inspired corseted gown the year before.
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