From Donald Trump to Rebecca Minkoff: Celebrities who got blacklisted from Met Gala and why

As fashion’s biggest night of the year draws closer, the buzz surrounding the Met Gala 2025 is reaching a fever pitch. In just a few hours, the steps of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art will be all about the world’s most glamorous runway, as celebrities from every corner of the globe show off jaw-dropping looks created by top designers. But while the celebrities on the list are all set to dazzle under the flash of cameras, a few famous faces are noticeably missing from the guest list. Here are some notable names who are missing from attending the Met Gala.

Before he became President of the United States, Donald Trump was a frequent attendee at the Met Gala, often arriving hand-in-hand with wife Melania. However, his relationship with the event reportedly soured after his 2016 election. According to widespread reports, Anna Wintour personally banned Trump from attending any future Met Galas. During a 2017 appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, when asked if there was anyone she would never invite back to the event, Wintour promptly replied, "Donald Trump." His last appearance at the gala was in 2012.

Former One Direction star Zayn Malik may have looked sharp when he attended the Met Gala with then-girlfriend Gigi Hadid, but the event left a lasting impression on him and just not a positive one. In an interview with GQ, Zayn admitted the high-fashion affair just isn't for him. “Now, it’s not something I would go to,” he said. “I’d rather be sitting at my house, doing something productive, than dressing up in really expensive clothes and being photographed on a red carpet. To do the self-indulgent ‘Look at me, I’m amazing’ thing on the red carpet, it’s not me.”

Comedian and actress Tina Fey shared her experience at the Met Gala. while she appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2010, Fey described the event as a "jerk parade" and vowed never to return. “I went and I dragged my husband along with me too, which I’m still in trouble for,” she told Letterman. “Everyone is there, everyone. If you had a million arms, all the people you would want to punch are there.” Given the brutal honesty of her comments, it’s no surprise she hasn’t been back since.

Riverdale star Lili Reinhart was once a recurring face at the Met Gala, having attended in 2018, 2019, and 2021. However, her criticism of Kim Kardashian for wearing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress in 2022 may have cost her future invites. In an interview with W Magazine, Reinhart admitted, “Was fun, but after going again this year, I don’t think I’ll be invited back ... I said a certain something about a certain person in a certain dress.”

Fashion consultant and TV personality Tim Gunn once made a comment that led to an ongoing feud with Anna Wintour and he hasn’t been welcome at the Met Gala since. In an interview with E! Entertainment, Gunn remembered being asked about the most unforgettable thing he’d seen in fashion. And to this, he answered, “It’s easy. It was watching Anna Wintour being carried down five flights of stairs by two bodyguards, two big hulking men, from a fashion show.” According to Gunn, “All hell broke loose. It was insane. We’ve had an open war ever since.”

Designer and Real Housewives of New York personality Rebecca Minkoff believes a long-standing elevator faux pas might be the reason she’s never received a Met Gala invite. On the Two Ts in a Pod podcast, she shared a memorable moment that may have left her blacklisted: “You’re not allowed in the elevator with Anna. … I’ve been told that if she gets in the elevator, you can’t get in with her. I’m still overthinking it 15 years later. Maybe that’s why I’ve never been invited to the Met Gala.”