Why These 5 Celebrities Were Excluded from Met Gala's Exclusive Guest List

As the Met Gala approaches, a major event in the fashion world, not all celebrities will be attending. Some well-known stars have decided to skip the event, and they have their reasons. From personal bad experiences to strong criticisms of the event's atmosphere, these celebrities are sparking discussions about the downsides of such a glamorous night.

The Met Gala is considered one of fashion's biggest nights, and every year the most prominent celebrities show off their creative interpretation of the theme. The Met Gala is a fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and takes place annually on the first Monday of May.

This year, the gala will be on May 6, 2024, celebrating the Costume Institute's new exhibition, "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." In 2023, the theme honored fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who was not only a fashion legend but also a regular attendee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute.

As the most highly anticipated fashion night, the list of celebrities attending is another exciting part of the event. However, not every well-known artist makes the list which is curated by the lead chairperson of the Met Gala and editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour. Here is why these five celebrities will not be attending this year's Met Gala.

1. Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow is one of the A-list stars many would expect to see walk the star-studded carpet. She has attended several Met Gala events but the "Iron Man" actress opened up about the behind-the-scenes of the event and how she really felt about it.

In a 2013 interview with Australian radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O, the "Goop" founder revealed that the Met Gala was not as glamorous or exciting as many imagine it to be. She candidly expressed, "It sucked. It seems like it's the best thing in the world, you always think, 'Oh my god, it's gonna be so glamorous and amazing and you're going to see all these people' and then you get there and it's so hot and it's so crowded and everyone's pushing you."

At the time, Paltrow had attended the 2013 Met Gala with the punk theme, and she did not find it age-appropriate. She wore a hot pink Valentino Haute Couture Corolle gown, but the then 40-year-old actress said, “I think we're all a bit old to dress up punk.”

She also remembered how Kanye West’s performance was a complete disaster after the rapper reportedly furiously threw the microphone on the floor. All in all, Paltrow thought her night at the Met Gala was nothing she had imagined.

The one thing she did fondly look back at was the opportunity for her and her husband, Chris Martin, to snap a picture with Korean rapper Psy. The couple scrambled through the crowd to get a picture with the rapper for their children. But after attending the event several times, Gwyneth Paltrow might not grace the carpet again.

2. Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner is a multifaceted actress who has a long history in Hollywood, but she has only attended the Met Gala once, in 2007.

She wore a red Valentino gown and took the designer as her date. Although she felt "majestic" and "special" on that night, she had not attended the fashion event in 17 years because it was a bit too "scary" for her.

3. Zayn Malik

Zayn Malik is another celebrity that fans would look forward to seeing walk the carpet at the Met Gala, but the singer confessed that his stylist had to convince him several times to attend the fashion event.

But if it was up to Zayn Malik, he would have rather spent the day at home, doing something more productive than wearing expensive clothes and being photographed all day. “To the self-indulgent ‘look at me’ ‘I am an amazing' thing on the red carpet, it's not me," he said.

4. Tim Gunn

Tim Gunn, known as the former host of one of the most loved fashion competition shows, "Project Runway," revealed that he was disinvited from the Met Gala.

While appearing on "Fashion Police" in 2016, he said it was over a simple question of what was his most unforgettable moment in fashion. Gunn said it was when Anna Wintour was carried down five flights of stairs by two bodyguards after a fashion show, and “all hell broke loose.”

However, Wintour did not seem too impressed with what Gunn said, because, since that statement, Gunn said it has been “an open war.”

5. Lili Reinhart

Another actress who had a few things to say about the culture of the extravagant fashion gala was the "Riverdale" star, Lili Reinhart. The star took to Instagram to express her opinions about the extremes celebrities go through for fashion.

Reinhart reiterated, "To openly admit to starving yourself for the sake of the Met Gala. When you know very well that millions of young men and women are looking up to you and listening to your every word. The ignorance is other-worldly disgusting."

This social media rant came after Kim Kardashian walked the Met Gala red carpet wearing a vintage gown that Marilyn Monroe once wore. In an interview, the reality TV star revealed that the dress did not fit at first, but she was willing to do anything to get into it. So, the SKIMS founder confessed she went on a strict diet to help her lose weight.

However, Lili Reinhart did not believe that admitting to going on a strict diet to fit into a gown was a good message to send to young people about self-image. She continued to emphasize, "Please stop supporting these stupid, harmful celebrities whose entire image revolves around their bodies.”

While many fashion lovers anxiously wait for this year's looks to be revealed, these five celebrities have shown that despite the Met Gala being a spectacle of fashion and creativity, it also brings to light the personal experiences and convictions of those who choose not to attend.