Meryl Streep among celebs to ‘boycott’ Met Gala after Jeff Bezos takeover
Posters urging a boycott have popped up around New York’s Metropolitan Museum, which hosts the annual event
Celebrities are boycotting the Met Gala, considered fashion's biggest night of the year, after Jeff Bezos reportedly splashed an eight figure sum to co-host and sponsor the event.
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Prominent figures not attending Monday evening's ball include Meryl Streep and Zendaya, with Lady Gaga still unconfirmed.
Posters urging a boycott have popped up around New York’s Metropolitan Museum, which hosts the annual event, highlighting Amazon’s alleged breaches of employee rights and its work with the Trump administration.
Streep’s absence is perhaps most notable, with the gala taking place just days after the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 - in which she plays a fictionalised version of former vogue editor and Anna Wintour, who has presided over the event since 1995.
Wintour biographer Amy Odell suggested that Streep turned down the invitation over her opposition to Bezos’s involvement, with the actress known as an outspoken Democrat and critic of Donald Trump.
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Bezos and his new wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, have faced criticism over their involvement, with claims they bought their way into the event by spending at least $10m to sponsor it.
Posters featuring slogans like "Boycott the Bezos Met Gala” have appeared around New York - the work of activist group Everyone Hates Elon, referencing billionaire owner of Tesla and X, Elon Musk.
Reports also claim hundreds of bottles of yellow liquid were dropped around the Met Museum, likely a reference to reports that Amazon employees had to urinate in bottles to keep up with unrealistic workplace expectations.
The Bezos', who got married in an opulent star-studded bash in Venice last June, will be “honorary co-chairs” on Monday night.
Wintour attempted to downplay the backlash last autumn, saying Lauren will be "a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event" when asked about the their involvement.
Bezos is also under fire for his supposed attempts to curry favour with Mr Trump, with Amazon releasing a documentary of Melania Trump in January - after paying around $40m to the US first lady’s production company to secure the rights.
There are also rumours that executives are considering reviving The Apprentice, the reality TV show formerly hosted by Mr Trump, this time fronted by his son, Donald Trump Jr.
Although Meryl Streep won't be in attendance at the ball on Monday, her daughters Grace and Mamie Gummer will reportedly be present, alongside Streep's co-stars Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.
Others reported to be skipping the event include Challengers actress Zendaya, who - despite attending the ball for seven consecutive years - is expected to sit it out following an intense schedule of press appearances for recent projects.
Lady Gaga, who still has not been officially confirmed as attending, is also rumoured as shunning the gala this year.
Zohran Mamdani, New York’s socialist mayor, has confirmed that he will not be attending.