unilad homepage
unilad homepage
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • World News
    • Crime
    • Health
    • Money
    • Sport
    • Travel
  • Music
  • Technology
  • Film and TV
    • News
    • DC Comics
    • Disney
    • Marvel
    • Netflix
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Met Gala curse explained and the history of how many times it's happened
Home>Celebrity
Published 13:00 2 May 2026 GMT+1

Met Gala curse explained and the history of how many times it's happened

Amid the glitz and glam of the Met Gala, there's a dreaded curse in the air which has affected a number of celebs over the years

Kiesha Dosanjh

Kiesha Dosanjh

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover
Featured Image Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Topics: Met Gala, Fashion, Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson

Kiesha Dosanjh
Kiesha Dosanjh

Advert

Advert

Advert

Met Gala season is upon us, but it may be bad news for some celebrities, as the dreaded Met Gala curse looms…

On the first Monday of May, a number of high profile A-List celebrities will once again put on their best gowns to attend the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York, this year adhering to the theme of 'Costume Art'.

Those expected to attend include the likes of Doja Cat, Jeff Bezos, Sabrina Carpenter and Zoë Kravitz, alongside dozens of other famous faces.

It's one of the most highly-anticipated events on the calendar for many attendees, but for those celebrities who are in a fairly new couple, or taking to the carpet for the very first time with their significant other, their outfit may be the least of their worries…

Advert

A number of celebrity couples have fallen victim to the so-called Met Gala curse (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Huffington Post)
A number of celebrity couples have fallen victim to the so-called Met Gala curse (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Huffington Post)

What is the Met Gala curse?

Of course, there’s no official ‘curse’ surrounding the event, but a lot of fans have noticed that many couples attending the May event together for the first time split up within the next 12 months.

As Met Gala guests have to be personally approved by Vogue chief Anna Wintour, it means plus ones are generally not allowed.

Therefore, the curse is exclusively for high profile celebrity couples - though we’re sure that’s one exclusive list they’d rather not be a part of.

Which couples has the Met Gala curse affected?

Despite looking out for the amazing fashion looks on the red carpet, people are also looking out for any interesting plus ones.

Many celebrities have made their public debut with the partner at the glitzy event, only for things to go downhill shortly after.

Many couples attending the May event together for the first time, including Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan, split up within the next 12 months (Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Many couples attending the May event together for the first time, including Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan, split up within the next 12 months (Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Most notably, Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson marked their second red carpet appearance at the 2022 Met, just a week after the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

The moment was so huge, it was even broadcast on the family reality TV show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians. (We’re sure everyone remembers the shower scene).

However, despite looking happier than ever on the red carpet, the two went their separate ways just three months later due to long distance and work schedules.

Let’s just hope Kim K doesn’t bring Lewis Hamilton this year…

But it hasn’t just happened to one or two couples, there’s a whole list! In fact, some unlucky celebs, such as Shawn Mendes and The Weeknd, have fallen victim to the curse twice.

Kim and Pete split up months after their Met Gala debut in 2022
Kim and Pete split up months after their Met Gala debut in 2022

Below are a list of some of the most notable names to be affected by the curse, from most recent, as per Cosmopolitan:

  • Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keogan - 2024
  • Phoebe Bridges and Paul Mescal - 2022
  • Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello - 2021
  • Chris Rock and Megalyn Echikunwoke - (attended 2019, split March 2020)
  • Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth - 2019
  • Jamie Foxx and Katie Holmes - 2019
  • Shawn Mendes (again) and Hailey Bieber - 2018
  • Selena Gomez and The Weeknd - 2017
  • Amanda Seyfried and Justin Long - 2015
  • Bella Hadid and The Weeknd (again) - 2016
  • A$AP Rocky and Chanel Iman - 2014
  • Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower - 2013

It doesn’t seem as if the curse affected anyone in 2025, so let's hope it’s been lifted once and for all!

We all know that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's marriage didn't end well (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic)
We all know that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's marriage didn't end well (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic)

How much does it cost to go to the Met Gala?

As you’d expect, a ticket to the most exclusive fashion event in the calendar doesn’t come cheap.

If you’re lucky enough to be approved for the guest list by former Vogue editor Anna Wintour, individual tickets are priced around $75,000 - up by 50 percent from 2023.

But the silver lining for A-listers is that the tens of thousands required to attend the high-profile shindig won’t be coming out of their own pockets.

Instead, fashion designers and brands will buy a table - which goes for $350,000 - and invite celebs to sit at it wearing their finest threads.

The Met Gala is actually a charity fundraiser for the Costume Institute at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, so the millions raised from ticket sales go towards the museum’s fashion department putting on exhibitions, making acquisitions, and its general running costs.

Choose your content:

5 hours ago
6 hours ago
7 hours ago
  • Taylor Hill/WireImage
    5 hours ago

    Scientists issue surprising response to Steven Spielberg claiming aliens have already visited Earth

    Steven Spielberg made the claim while promoting his latest movie, Disclosure Day

    Celebrity
  • John Shearer/Getty Images
    6 hours ago

    Jelly Roll has shared ‘worst moments’ of cheating on Bunnie Xo before divorce filing

    Jelly said the couple both put in 'a lot of work to repair' the relationship

    Celebrity
  • (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
    6 hours ago

    Jennifer Lopez shares candid advice she told herself after Ben Affleck divorce

    The singer said she's now a 'completely different person' than she was two years ago when she filed for divorce

    Celebrity
  • Frazer Harrison/WireImage
    7 hours ago

    Emily Ratajkowski lists all the ‘disturbed’ men she has dated since her divorce

    The model and author has spilled all about the men she's experienced post-divorce including 'a walking, talking Myspace page'

    Celebrity
  • Met Gala menu explained and the four foods you'll never see on there
  • Met Gala curse explained and the history of how many times it happened
  • 5 celebrities who hated attending the Met Gala and their reasons why
  • Met Gala's 'girl with the golden legs' explained how a tampon almost killed her in terrifying warning