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Met Gala 2026: Bezos boycott, Zendaya and Meryl Streep snubs, and worker protests
The 2026 Met Gala takes place on Monday, 4 May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and it has already generated more controversy than almost any edition in recent memory, before a single guest has arrived on the steps. At the centre of the storm are Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez, who are serving as this year’s honorary chairs and primary benefactors.
Their involvement has triggered boycott campaigns, high-profile absences, activist counter-programming, and a public debate about wealth, power, and the role of philanthropy in cultural institutions.
The A-list absences
Two of the most significant names will not be attending. Zendaya, who has attended the gala seven times and served as a co-chair as recently as 2024, will skip this year’s event entirely, with reports suggesting she is taking a step back from public appearances following an exceptionally busy period that included press tours for multiple major projects.
More pointed is the reported absence of Meryl Streep. The Oscar-winning actress, who has never attended the gala despite longstanding invitations, reportedly turned down a co-chair invitation this year specifically because of Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez, being involved.
The timing is particularly charged: Meryl Streep has just premiered The Devil Wears Prada 2, in which she reprises her role as the Anna Wintour-coded fashion editor Miranda Priestly, making her absence from fashion’s biggest night both ironic and unmistakably deliberate. Her co-stars Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are expected to attend.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has also announced he will not be present, citing his focus on housing affordability in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
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The Boycott and the Protests
Opposition to the Bezos-backed gala has been building for weeks. Activist groups have plastered New York City with posters framing the event as a celebration of worker exploitation, drawing direct attention to longstanding allegations of labour violations at Amazon’s warehouse facilities.
On the morning of the Met Gala, a coalition including major trade unions and the Amazon Labor Union will stage an alternative event in downtown New York: a fashion show in which workers from Amazon, Whole Foods, The Washington Post, Starbucks, and Uber will model clothing from ethically minded designers. The event has been branded as a direct counterpoint to the official gala.
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An Amazon warehouse worker who will participate in the protest described conditions in which employees face increasing pressure to meet faster picking and packing targets, with performance monitoring that can lead to termination. Amazon has maintained that its processes are based on safe and achievable expectations.
What the Met says
The Metropolitan Museum’s director has defended the Bezoses’ Met Gala involvement, drawing a firm distinction between donor funding and editorial or curatorial influence. He emphasised that gala proceeds support the Costume Institute’s collections, conservation, reference library, and staff, not any donor’s personal interests or agenda.
Last year’s gala raised a record $31 million. Individual tickets for 2026 are priced at $100,000, with tables at $350,000.
Co-chairs Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour remain the official hosts. The event is expected to proceed as planned.
