Every year, the Met Gala turns New York City into a glitter-covered battlefield of couture, cameras and carefully planned chaos.
Getting an invitation is basically Hollywood’s version of winning The Hunger Games – only with more sequins and fewer survival skills.
But while The Hunger Games – only with more sequins and fewer survival skills.
But while hundred of celebrities race to secure a seat inside Anna Wintour’s ultra-exclusive event, some major stars continue to skip it entirely. And yes, a few of these names are genuinely shocking.
Jennifer Aniston
Perhaps the most relatable Met Gala holdout of all time, Jennifer Aniston has openly admitted the event simply stresses her out.
“I’m a jeans and flip-flops and tank top kind of girl,” she once shared with Glamour. “I love dressing up too, but for me, it’s a mental game of…put on a fancy dress, makeup, get your hair all purdy and go sit in a big room with your peers. [And yes,] everyone’s there to celebrate each other and have some fun, but I get nervous.”
Honestly? Fair.
Meryl Streep
Believe it or not, Meryl Streep – arguably one of the most respected actresses alive – has never attended the Met Gala. She was actually set to co-chair the 2020 event before the pandemic shut everything down.
Ironically, she’s appeared at a fictional version of the Met Gala in The Devil Wears Prada 2 before ever attending the real thing.
Angelina Jolie
Despite dominating red carpets for decades and appearing on Vogue covers multiple times, Angelina Jolie has somehow never climbed the Met steps. Even more surprising? Brad Pitt also skipped the event throughout their entire relationship.
For two people who practically defined celebrity glamour in the 2000s, their absence still feels bizarre.
Adele
Adele has remained one of the Met Gala’s biggest “maybe next year” celebrities. Rumours regularly swirl that she will finally attend, especially whenever Beyoncé is involved.
Celebrity PR expert Kayley Cornelius previously told The Sun: “The so-called ‘Beyoncé effect’ is expected to be enough of a pull to draw a number of A-list attendees such as Rihanna, Jay-Z and Adele.”
Still, Adele remains fashion’s favourite missing guest.
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey and the Met Gala seem like a perfect match on paper: drama, diamonds, impossible gowns and enough diva energy to power Manhattan.
Yet somehow, the singer has never attended. Whether she declined invitations or simply never wanted the circus remains unclear – and honestly, that mystery feels very Mariah.
Tom Holland
Tom Holland skipping the Met Gala is not about fashion anxiety – it’s about Zendaya.
The actor has previously explained why he prefers letting his pretentious wife own the spotlight on red carpets. “It’s not my moment, it’s her moment,” he told Men’s Health. “And if we go together, it’s about us.”
Supportive king behavior.
Dolly Parton
Country music icon Dolly Parton has never attended either, despite being one of the most beloved entertainers in America.
Even more surprising? Her 9 to 5 co-stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are also missing from the Met Gala archives.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi
Considering Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi spent years running in Hollywood’s most elite social circles, fans are often shocked to learn they have never attended the Met Gala.
These days, though, the couple appears far more interested in quiet countryside life than couture staircases.
Jason Momoa
Jason Moma feels tailor-made for a dramatic Met Gala entrance, but the actor has never attended. His ex-wife Lisa Bonet has walked the carpet before, while his current partner Adria Arjona finally made her debut in 2025.
Maybe Momoa’s future Met era is still loading.
Until then, the Met Gala’s guest list continues to prove one thing: even in Hollywood, not everybody wants to play the fashion game.
