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Jeff Bezos sponsors fashion’s biggest night, but major celebrities are skipping the event in protest. The $10 million Bezos donation to the 2026 Met Gala triggered a firestorm tonight, with Zendaya, Meryl Streep, and Bella Hadid all absent. Activists beamed boycott messages onto buildings as the red carpet kicked off in New York City.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Sponsorship Amount: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez donated at least $10 million as lead sponsors
- Celebrity Boycotts: Zendaya, Meryl Streep, and Bella Hadid confirmed to skip the event
- Protest Campaign: Activist group Everyone Hates Elon projected boycott messages onto Bezos’ penthouse
- Red Carpet Times: Arrivals began at 5:30 PM ET on Monday, May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The $10 Million Gamble That Backfired
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos made their first major splash as honorary co-chairs of the annual Met Gala, committing at least $10 million to headline the prestigious fundraiser. The couple’s sponsorship marked a significant moment in fashion, cementing their role in high society. However, the Amazon founder’s involvement ignited fierce backlash within days of the announcement.
Bezos, worth around $277 billion, has faced increasing scrutiny over Amazon worker treatment and his political leanings. The timing felt provocative to many, arriving as debates swirled about wealth inequality and corporate influence on cultural institutions.
Jeff Bezos sponsors Met Gala in New York as celebrities boycott event, Zendaya and Meryl Streep skip
Luke Evans rocks custom leather at 2026 Met Gala in New York, inspired by Tom of Finland
Zendaya, Meryl Streep, and Bella Hadid Sit Out
Three major celebrities dealt decisive blows to Bezos’ Met Gala debut by confirming their absence. Zendaya, a seven-time Met Gala attendee and former 2024 co-chair, reportedly skipped due to needing a break from the spotlight after press tours for The Drama and Euphoria season three. Meryl Streep‘s rep stated the Oscar-winning legend has attended the Met Gala zero times despite decades of invitations, dismissing conspiracy theories about her absence being Bezos-related.
Bella Hadid, who has walked the Met Gala five times, made her position explicit by liking an Instagram post criticizing celebrities attending. The 29-year-old model signaled solidarity with anti-Bezos messaging that referenced his Trump ties and attacks on workers’ rights.
How Activists Staged a Guerrilla Campaign
| Protest Method | Details |
| Projection Campaigns | Messages beamed onto buildings near Bezos’ penthouse, including videos featuring warehouse worker Mary Hill |
| Poster Blitz | Approximately 300 posters posted across New York calling to boycott the Bezos Met Gala |
| Museum Installation | Activist group placed 300 bottles of fake urine inside the Metropolitan Museum referencing Amazon worker complaints |
| Social Media Surge | Everyone Hates Elon group reached 230,000+ Instagram followers with critical content |
The activist group Everyone Hates Elon orchestrated a coordinated campaign against Bezos’ sponsorship, drawing parallels between the billionaire’s wealth and Amazon worker hardships. One projection featured 72-year-old warehouse worker Mary Hill reminding Bezos that without every Amazon associate, he wouldn’t have those zeros behind his name. Influencer Meredith Lynch amplified the message, urging celebrities to reject sponsorships tied to Trump-backed billionaires who undermine arts funding.
Lauren Sánchez Walks Red Carpet Solo
Lauren Sánchez Bezos made a striking entrance in a custom midnight-blue Schiaparelli gown, stepping onto the red carpet as an honorary co-chair without her husband Jeff Bezos. The former television journalist channeled the scandal of Sargent’s Madame X painting with an off-the-shoulder, pearl-and-crystal-adorned corset design. Styled by renowned fashion architect Law Roach, Sánchez Bezos projected confidence despite the controversy swirling around her husband’s involvement in the Costume Art themed event.
Vogue featured Sánchez Bezos in an exclusive interview discussing her couture gown and her role as a champion of fashion. Anna Wintour, Vogue’s chief content officer and the event’s longtime curator, defended the couple, calling them a wonderful asset and praising Sánchez Bezos as a great lover of costume.
Will This Controversy Change the Met Gala Forever?
The 2026 Met Gala represents a turning point in how celebrity institutions interact with billionaire patronage. With individual tickets priced at a shocking $100,000 and tables at $350,000, questions about corporate influence on culture feel more urgent than ever. Taraji P. Henson, who attended last year’s gala, posted on Instagram expressing confusion at attendees who would show up despite Bezos involvement, writing, I am so confused by some people going. WTF ARE WE DOING?
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also declined to attend, citing priorities around affordability in America’s most expensive city. Whether Bezos’ sponsorship will become a permanent fixture or a one-time gamble depends on whether the backlash shifts how Vogue and the Costume Institute evaluate future billionaire benefactors. The night revealed that even fashion’s biggest night cannot escape conversations about inequality.
“If it weren’t for every associate in every Amazon facility, he wouldn’t have all those zeros behind his name.”
— Mary Hill, Amazon warehouse worker
Sources
- Page Six: Detailed coverage of Bella Hadid, Zendaya, and Meryl Streep boycott decisions
- Forbes: Comprehensive analysis of critic responses and activism surrounding the 2026 Met Gala
- Vogue: Official updates on Lauren Sánchez Bezos outfit and exclusive interviews from the red carpet
