The Met Gala has arrived in full gilded glam, but some of our favorite fashion icons sadly aren't in attendance. Wondering why Zendaya isn't attending Met Gala 2022? Or Dua Lipa? You're not alone. (For Met Gala 2022 live updates, including how to live stream, tune in here.)
Some A-listers are just inextricably tied with iconic Met Gala moments, including the one and only Zendaya, who once took the carpet in a magical luminous Cinderella gown complete with fairy godmother. Zendaya has already said she won't be attending, and it seems like another Met Gala mainstay, Rihanna, likely won't be there either. Still, our fingers are crossed for some last minute surprises!
Below, find out which celebs aren't going to the Met Gala, and why.
Zendaya
“I'm gonna disappoint my fans here, but I will be working. Your girl's gotta work and make some movies," she told Extra during an FYC Euphoria event a couple weeks ago. “I wish everyone the best. I will be playing tennis.”
She will indeed be playing tennis, as part of her next big movie role: Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino. She'll play Tashi, a former player and now a tennis coach who helped her husband become a champion. But Zendaya will “be back eventually," so get ready for future Met Galas!
Taylor Swift
It's not totally surprising that we didn't see Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn at the Met Gala this year, as they haven't attended since 2016 (when, coincidentally, they likely met for the first time). Perhaps she's busy writing her NYU commencement speech, which she'll give on May 18, or preparing to give a talk at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11 about her “All Too Well” short film. Joe, meanwhile, is busy promoting his forthcoming Hulu series, Conversations With Friends. Maybe we'll see them next year, with matching rings on their fingers.
Halle Bailey
Halle Bailey won't be going to the Met Gala for the same reason as Zendaya, work is calling. When asked about Met Gala 2022 on Twitter, Halle tweeted, “i'm not lovelies..i have to work lol,” with a camera emoji. It's likely she's filming The Color Purple in Macon, Georgia; Halle will play the role of Nettie in the remake of the 1985 film.
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BTS
Another year with no BTS at the Met Gala, even though we know they'd bring absolutely stunning, on-theme looks to the red carpet. The septet are back in Korea following a stellar four-day concert residency in Las Vegas in April, and are presumably very busy preparing for their next album release, out June 10th. Meanwhile, Psy and Suga are promoting their already legendary collaboration “That That,” and Jimin has just released the solo OST “With You." We'll just have to keep manifesting a future Met Gala x BTS moment.
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Dua Lipa
Last year, Dua Lipa missed the Met Gala because of work, and the same holds true this year. The musician is performing at London's O2 Arena tonight, May 2, as part of her Future Nostalgia tour, so we can bet she's having fun despite not being able to attend fashion's big night out.
Lil Nas X
We'll be honest, we don't really know why Lil Nas X wasn't at Met Gala 2022, though he was sorely missed. Hopefully he's working on his next studio album, which he previously teased will be “something fun, something for the summertime, something for the girls to get ready and party to." Plus, he's still likely basking in the glow of his epic September Met Gala outfit, which ended up in the hands of a pair of roommates in New York.
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Rihanna
Rihanna is the shining star, the person worth waiting for, at every Met Gala. But this one was a miss, considering the musician and beauty mogul is expecting a baby any day now. She recently threw a rave-themed baby shower with ASAP Rocky, and also attended his concert in West Hollywood this weekend. Airlines generally want pregnant people not to fly after 36 weeks, and while Rihanna's exact timeline is unknown, she's likely pretty close to that. It makes sense she wasn't able to attend this year, though the Met Gala did make a special tribute for her.
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