Jennifer Aniston has never attended the Met Gala, despite receiving invitations to the annual event. The Friends star explained in a recent interview why the glamorous occasion doesn’t appeal to her, revealing how the experience feels overwhelming and mentally taxing.
Jennifer Aniston‘s Reluctance Toward the Met Gala
Aniston shared with Glamour on September 2 that the preparation and atmosphere of the Met Gala are not something she enjoys. She described herself as someone who prefers simple clothing, saying,
“It’s the getting ready, the putting on the dress. I’m a ‘jeans and flip-flops and tank top’ kind of girl.”
The process of dressing up for such a high-profile event feels like a “mental game” for her, where she must
“get dressed up, put on a fancy dress, makeup, get your hair all ‘purdy’ and go sit in a big room with your peers.”
She added that although guests celebrate one another, the environment makes her nervous.
This unease extends beyond the event itself. Aniston also revealed she deals with anxiety about speaking publicly, especially given how her words have been misconstrued over the years. She described an ongoing effort to monitor her public behavior, reflecting a sense of vigilance in her interactions outside of formal events.
Other Celebrities Who Avoid the Met Gala
Jennifer Aniston is not alone in her hesitation or refusal to attend the Met Gala. Various other well-known figures have chosen to steer clear of its distinctive spotlight for different reasons.
Zendaya’s fiancé, Tom Holland, expressed a similar mindset. In a January interview with Men’s Health, he said,
“It’s not my moment, it’s her moment, and if we go together, it’s about us,”
implying a preference to support rather than take center stage at the event.
Similarly, Zayn Malik, who attended the gala only once in 2016 with Gigi Hadid, stated in a 2018 GQ interview,
“It’s not something I would go to. 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.”
He dismissed the red carpet scene as
“the self-indulgent ‘Look at me, I’m amazing’ thing,”
which doesn’t align with his personality.
Jennifer Garner also shares some reservations about the gala. She recalled attending it only once, in 2007, and described feeling intimidated by the event, explaining to Vogue in 2023,
“I found it a little scary, so I haven’t been back,”
though she called the experience “really majestic and special.”
Other Well-Known Figures Without Met Gala Appearances
The list of celebrities who have never made an appearance on the Met Gala’s red carpet is extensive. It includes industry veterans and modern stars alike, such as Jane Fonda, Chris Pratt, Adele, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and Prince William, Brad Pitt, Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, Meryl Streep, Drake, Leonardo DiCaprio, Carrie Underwood, Julie Andrews, Angelina Jolie, Mariah Carey, Dwayne Johnson, Busy Philipps, Dolly Parton, Kesha, Reba McEntire, Ashley Tisdale, Ellen DeGeneres, Jason Momoa, Lisa Kudrow, Helena Bonham Carter, Maren Morris, Courteney Cox, and Christina Aguilera.
A Broader View of Met Gala Participation
The reasons for avoiding the Met Gala vary widely, from personal comfort and anxiety to simple disinterest in the highly publicized fashion spectacle. For some celebrities, the gala represents a stressful social and media environment that conflicts with their own values or lifestyles.
For Jennifer Aniston, the gala’s intensity and formality are at odds with her preference for more casual living and her discomfort with high-pressure social settings. The event’s focus on appearance and public scrutiny appears to amplify her anxiety, making the event more stressful than celebratory.
As the Met Gala remains one of the most watched and talked-about events in the entertainment and fashion worlds, the absence of stars like Aniston highlights that not everyone finds this glamorous night appealing. Their choices offer a glimpse into the varying ways public figures experience fame and public attention, reminding fans that beneath the glitz, personal comfort often takes precedence.
