Why Zendaya Missed Met Gala 2026

The Met Gala 2026 just isn’t as euphoric without Zendaya.

The first Monday in May marked the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art fundraiser, and many famous faces were expected to attend, including the star of Euphoria. However, fans were surprised to see the 29-year-old actress was absent from the May 4th event, which had a ‘Costume Art’ theme.

So, why did Zendaya—a usual mainstay at the event—decide to skip this year’s Met Gala?

Law Roach, the stylist for the actress known as ‘The Drama,’ explained her absence from the Life From TopMob: Met Gala 2026 to Zuri Hall with a simple statement: ‘She’s busy.’

Although Law didn’t share details about any upcoming TV or movie roles, he did discuss his client’s significant influence on fashion at the Met Gala in a recent interview.

He noted that while many outfits stood out, he kept thinking of Zendaya’s 2019 look, which he described as a ‘Cinderella’ moment. It was his first Met Gala, and he remembered it as a pivotal moment for Zendaya, marking her transition from a Disney star to a more mature image, something he found particularly memorable.

Although Law had more free time leading up to this year’s gala, getting ready for his clients typically takes almost six months.

The process begins when the designer confirms the client’s choice. After that, we discuss ideas and inspiration, and then I share those details with my team to get started.

He explains his team’s ideas to the fashion brand, and they use those ideas – along with the brand’s established style and the client’s preferences – to create a design.

“Then we bring the client in,” Law said. “I always like to start with the client, right? Because they’re the person who, at the end of it, wears the look, so always get feedback from your client.”

Zendaya is known for her stunning Met Gala looks, and recently her style choices have been particularly interesting. While promoting her new movie, The Drama, with Robert Pattinson, she playfully incorporated the traditional wedding rhyme ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue’ into her outfits.

She recently got married in real life, as Zendaya shared in March that she and Tom Holland had a private wedding.

Tom Holland and Zendaya have received nothing but support from their families, including a quiet show of approval from Tom’s mother, Nikki Holland, last month.

A photographer liked an Instagram Reel that complimented Zendaya and Robert’s poise and professionalism during the promotional events for their movie, The Drama.

A recent social media post pointed out that many actors promoting romantic films seem to be exaggerating their single status. The post then contrasted this with Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, showing clips of them having fun together and playfully teasing each other, with the caption highlighting that they demonstrate a healthy dynamic where you can maintain a connection with someone without being disrespectful.

Zendaya often finds sweet ways to show her love for Tom Holland. For example, at the Los Angeles premiere of Euphoria on April 7th, she intentionally showed off the tattoo of his initial, “T.”

Tom and Zendaya, who announced their engagement in January 2025, have shared countless sweet moments together, particularly after Zendaya knew Tom was the person she wanted to be with.

I’ve definitely noticed something interesting in my own life, and it’s something I talked about on the New York Times’ Modern Love podcast recently. It’s like, people can often feel awkward or anxious around others, but when you meet your person, it’s different. I just didn’t feel that nervousness at all – it was a really unique and comforting feeling.

She explained that she wasn’t anxious at all, but actually felt peaceful and calm. She realized she felt more nervous when she wasn’t with the person she was talking about, and that made her realize she was trusting her gut feeling.

Zendaya quickly realized Tom had a soothing presence. She remembers their first chemistry read for Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017, where he simply being kind helped her relax and feel more at ease.

She explained that auditioning with another actor for a major film is stressful because you really hope to get the part. She also added that he was very kind during that time.

For a look at more stars at the 2026 Met Gala, read on.