5 Celebrities Who Had to Miss the Met Gala Over the Years

The Met Gala is always one of the most exclusive events of the year. And once the first Monday in May comes, we finally get to see which celebrities received an invite and end up attending the prestigious party. They dress up in their best designer wear, doing their best to adhere to the theme (this year's is "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination") while achieving a look that is both memorable and chic.

And while getting an invite to the Met Gala is quite the prestigious honor, unfortunately not all on the guest list are able to make it every year. Sometimes there are schedule conflicts with their work life, such as being stuck filming overseas. In certain situations, there are personal matters to tend to at home. We compiled a list of five celebrities who have been regulars at the Met Gala over the years but had to skip out at one point or another.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga, lover of extravagant costumes, is a match made in heaven for the Met Gala aesthetic (remember that iconic circuit-board bodysuit from the 2016 ball?), but even Mother Monster had to RSVP with a "no" to one of fashion's biggest nights in recent memory. In 2017, she had to miss the Met Gala (theme: "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between") and lamented not being able to be there to support the brand. She tweeted afterward about the party, saying that Rihanna was best-dressed (RiRi wore a layered, floral-inspired Comme des Garçons masterpiece). When fans asked her why didn't attend, she said it was due to her filming schedule. We now know she's been working on A Star Is Born with Bradley Cooper, which is the project she was possibly busy with. The film debuts on October 5, 2018.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively, who has attended the event eight times, always takes the Met Gala very seriously: Vogue reported that her dress for the 2018 event has taken more than 600 hours to make. “This year’s may be my favorite dress ever,” she told Vogue. But in 2015, she actually wasn't able to attend the Met Gala because, like Lady Gaga, she had a stringent filming schedule. That year, the theme was "China: Through the Looking Glass," and ironically, Blake was in actual China (and Bangkok) filming at the time.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé and Jay Z also missed the 2017 event, probably because Bey was very pregnant with her twins, Sir and Rumi. That year, if you remember, Bey also canceled her appearances at Coachella due to doctor's orders. In 2013, Bey was an honorary host of the Met Gala, so rest assured she tries to make the event when she's able — and her stunning nude dress from 2015 has gone down in Met Gala outfit history.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker, another storied Met Gala dresser, missed the big event for the first time in 7 years when she RSVP'd no in 2017. She reportedly missed the party due to work commitments, as she filmed season 2 of her hit HBO show Divorce. In the past, SJP has taken the theme and her attendance at the Met Gala very seriously. In 2016, SJP was criticized by a fashion blogger in an Instagram post for not getting "the memo" about the theme: "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology." (She attended the event wearing a 1776-era waistcoat.) But SJP fired back at the blogger, commenting on the Instagram post, "Got the memo. Always welcome thoughts but I'm a stickler for the theme and pay close attention to what it means. Every year with great consideration, research and conviction. The understanding of man and machine, how they intersect, when and why is what we considered. Perhaps you weren't aware of the technology used in the details and embellishments of the design. Or perhaps you simply didn't like what I wore which is completely fine but you can't accuse me of not paying close attention and adhering to the theme."

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift sat out the 2017 Met Gala, which makes sense since it occurred during her lengthy self-imposed hiatus from social media and the public eye in general. She kept a pretty low profile throughout the first half of 2017, up until the Reputation promotion cycle began in August. Attending the Met Ball that year would have kicked up even more media buzz than usual since the year prior is when the infamous dance with Tom Hiddleston went down.

Get the Teen Vogue Take. Sign up for the Teen Vogue weekly email.

Related: Met Gala 2018: 20 Fast Facts to Know

Check this out: