Keke Palmer Shows Off Jaw-Dropping Million-Dollar Necklace at Met Gala

Baby, this is Keke Palmer.

Keke Palmer, star of Nope, definitely embraced the “Costume Art” theme at the 2026 Met Gala in New York City on May 4th. She arrived wearing a striking short red dress with a dramatic, flowing train. (You can see photos of all the celebrities who attended the event here.)

She completed her look with a stunning necklace from Wempe, worth over a million dollars and adorned with more than 1,200 diamonds.

Keke was joined at the event by co-chairs Anna Wintour, Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams. The “Hustlers” actress is well-known for making a statement at the annual Met Gala, held on the first Monday in May.

Okay, seriously, the Met Gala 2025 theme – ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ – was made for Keke Palmer, and with Vera Wang helping her, she absolutely nailed it! It wasn’t just a look, it was a tribute! She completely honored the incredible Dorothy Dandridge, and it was breathtaking. I honestly think Keke became her for a moment. It was everything!

Keke, age 32, explained to Vogue in 2025 that the style was heavily influenced by the impact and power of Black dandyism and its ability to change how stories are told. She specifically wanted to draw inspiration from Dorothy Dandridge, who she felt pioneered this approach in media from the very beginning.

Even for Vera, Dorothy—a trailblazing actress who earned a Best Actress Academy Award nomination in 1954 as the first African American to do so—was a huge inspiration.

Vera shared that after watching Keke Palmer in Carmen Jones, she understood why Keke felt so connected to the character. She explained that Dorothy in the film symbolized a genuine breakthrough for African American artists in Hollywood, and that idea resonated deeply with both of them.

The fashion designer said working with the actor from One of Them Days on the outfit was a great creative partnership.

I just have to tell you, the outfit is incredible! Vera described how she layered a gorgeous, flowing ball skirt – it has this amazing bubble hem and is covered in Swarovski crystals and pearls! And to top it all off, she added a black ostrich feather headband – it really gives the whole look that extra bit of drama I love.

And for Keke, it was more about than just fashion.

She explained to Vogue that the story centers on a Black woman who leveraged her beauty and style to create opportunities for herself.

For a closer look at every star at the 2026 Met Gala, keep reading…