(DIR) Home
Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Other Stars Who Skipped Met Gala
2024
(HTM) Source
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Met Gala is always about who turned up, what they were wearing —
and who didn't show. This year, there were a number of fashionistas
fans missed seeing on fashion's biggest night.
## Rihanna
_Surprise!_ Always one of, if not the most anticipated guest at the
Met Gala every year is RiRi. Though many had expected her to attend
this year, _The Hollywood Reporter_ has confirmed that she stayed home
due to an unexpected bout with the flu following an appearance in
Miami over the weekend for the Formula 1 race. The news, first
reported by _People_ , came as a shock and broke late in the night
while the carpet was full of stars and photographers. Rihanna had even
teased her strategy for this year's event, telling _Extra_ that she
had planned to keep it "real simple." The flu made it much more
complicated.
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna always turn heads with their fashionable
ensembles. Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images
## Taylor Swift
Though she's far from a ubiquitous presence at fashion's biggest night
— her last appearance there came way back in 2016 — there's always an
anticipation over whether the world's reigning No. 1 superstar will
turn up. The fever got even hotter this year with speculation that she
could attend on the arm of her Super Bowl-winning beau Travis Kelce.
There was a slew of headlines in recent days speculating whether she'd
turn up, but _People_ reported on April 29 that she would be sitting
this one out in favor of final prep and rehearsals ahead of the
European leg of her blockbuster Eras Tour, which kicks off Thursday in
Paris.
Taylor Swift in 2016 Larry Busacca/GEtty
## Jared Leto
The Oscar winning actor has put on many head-turning performances at
previous Met Galas. From turning up in a cat costume to honor Karl
Lagerfeld last year to posing with his own head back in 2019, the
veteran star never disappoints. However, this year Leto may have let
more than a few people down by skipping the 2024 Met Gala. During an
interview with E! News correspondent Will Marfuggi at the recent
iHeartRadio Music Awards, Leto revealed the reason. "Back on the
road," Leto said, referencing his current tour with his longtime band
30 Seconds to Mars. "It's been five years." The band kicks off a world
tour Thursday, May 9, with a show at Tauron Arena in Krakow, Poland.
The run continues through October, when they will wrap at Spectrum in
Oslo, Norway. "I will be there in spirit with my head and my cat," he
added. "Wishing everybody a beautiful night."
Jared Leto in 2019 Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris
## Beyoncé
Like Swift, this superstar has not attended the Met Gala since 2016,
when she turned up in a skintight, latex gown by Riccardo Tisci for
Givenchy. The year before that, she also donned a head-turning
ensemble by Givenchy. It is not expected that Queen Bey or husband
Jay-Z will be attending this year, though _Page Six_ reported about
rumors that the pair will host an afterparty.
Beyoncé in 2016 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
## Harry Styles
The Grammy Award-winning superstar has made a mark at the Met Gala in
years past (see his Gucci look below) but did not attend the big event
on Monday. It's not a huge surprise, considering Styles has kept a low
profile this entire year despite a rumored romance with Taylor
Russell, who attended her first Met Gala this year. _The Daily Mail_
published images of him from over the weekend riding a bicycle in
London.
Harry Styles in 2019 Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
## Ben Affleck
The Oscar winner's wife, Jennifer Lopez, served as a co-chair for this
year's Met Gala, and many expected him to come along for the ride.
However, Affleck was a no-show at Monday night's event, with a rep for
the actor confirming to _People_ that he stayed back in Los Angeles,
where he's currently filming _The Accountant 2_. He also had a busy
weekend, turning up Sunday night at the Kia Forum for Netflix's _The
Roast of Tom Brady._ If he would've been able to swing a cross-country
trek, Affleck would've had pals to hang out with, as his longtime
close friend Matt Damon attended the Met Gala with his wife, Luciana
Barroso, and told La La Anthony during the _Vogue_ livestream that he
was excited to catch up with friends inside the gala. Alas, not
Affleck.
Ben Affleck at a premiere in 2023 Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
## Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
The onetime co-chair, who turned up at the 2022 event in a dramatic
Atelier Versace gown that transformed into a second look live on the
red carpet, was a no-show on Monday night. Also absent was her A-list
husband, who is currently prepping for the release of his latest
blockbuster, _Deadpool & Wolverine. _No word yet on what pressing
engagement kept them away.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds attend the Met Gala celebrating "In
America: An Anthology of Fashion" at New York's Metropolitan Museum of
Art on May 2, 2022. Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images
## Anne Hathaway
The Oscar winner had a new movie out this past weekend, _The Idea of
You_ , so it would've been a good opportunity to take a victory lap.
But Hathaway was a no show on Monday, leaving fans with only the idea
of what she could've worn as a Versace ambassador. Her _Idea of You_
co-star Nicholas Galitzine made his Met Gala debut and told
_Entertainment Tonight_ on the carpet that the actress "gave me a pep
talk this morning. She said, 'Enjoy it.'"
Anne Hathaway in 2023. Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
See all the Met Gala red carpet arrivals here.
______________________________________________________________________
Served by Flask-Gopher/2.2.1