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The 2025 Met Gala is here, and while it’s consistently known as fashion’s biggest night, it’s also an important night for celebrity couples.
It’s highly likely that at least one new pairing will make their red carpet debut on the stairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday night, like so many have done before. Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen once reigned supreme. It’s where Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez, Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott, and Elon Musk and Grimes all posed together for the first time. But what do these power couples all have in common? They are no longer together.
It’s been speculated online that there is a “Met Gala curse” should A-list couples choose this particular star-studded event to make their debut. (Just ask Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson or Selena Gomez and the Weeknd.)
But is it really the Met Gala that dooms these relationships? We investigate.
The Met Gala is the crème de la crème of events to make a red carpet debut. Don’t believe me … or the internet? How about a public relations expert?
“The Met Gala is the pinnacle of high society for celebrities. The entire world's media is captivated by it, utterly, and there’s no bigger way to ‘present yourselves’ as a couple,” Jane Owen, the founder of Jane Owen Public Relations, tells Yahoo Entertainment.
“There’s no awards involved or movie critics to please, so it’s also not extremely stressful once [stars] get past the media,” Owen says. “You can’t step onto that red carpet and not get noticed, so you know once it’s done, it’s done, and the whole world knows you are a couple.”
Celebrity matchmaker and relationship expert Carmelia Ray agrees, telling Yahoo, “If you want to make a splash as a couple, there’s no bigger stage.”
“It’s glamorous, exclusive and everyone in fashion, entertainment and media is watching,” she says. “For many couples, it’s a way to say, ‘Yes, we’re together!’ in an unforgettable way. Plus, the outfits are over-the-top, so it’s a chance to coordinate and show off your chemistry and style.”
But could the pressure be too much?
It may be less about a curse and more about the couple as to why a pair ends up splitting not too long after the event.
“I think the ‘Met Gala curse’ is more about coincidental timing and makes for great tabloid fodder,” Ray, who is also a red carpet host, says. “Relationships don’t break up because of a red carpet appearance; they break up because of what’s happening behind the scenes. If a couple is already struggling, the spotlight and scrutiny can add pressure, but it’s rarely the root cause. ... Celebrity relationships are already under a microscope, and the extra attention post-Met Gala can add fuel to the fire, but it’s not the main reason for a breakup.”
In the instance of Davidson and Kardashian, the two had only been talking for about six months before deciding to hit the 2022 Met Gala red carpet together. They split three months later. Phoebe Bridgers and Paul Mescal debuted that same year, and their relationship met the same fate.
The Weeknd and Gomez surprised fans when they stepped out together at the 2017 gala, just four months after they started dating. They split in October of the same year — and Justin Bieber may or may not have been the reason. So is this really the Met Gala’s fault?
“If couples are having any issues or doubts, [don’t debut at the Met],” Owen adds. “This is not something a publicist can ‘make go away.’”
Plenty of couples have walked the Met Gala red carpet more than once and still broke up. Lopez and Rodriguez, Musk and Grimes, Scott and Jenner are all examples of that.
Zendaya and Tom Holland are Hollywood’s “it” power couple, and while she is one who usually shuts down the red carpet on the first Monday in May, he has never been. So does this support the theory of the Met Gala curse?
“I think it’s smart and strategic when couples like Zendaya and Tom Holland keep things low-key,” Ray explains. “It shows respect for each other’s individuality and brands, and sometimes it’s just about scheduling — they’re both busy with their projects. Not sharing every moment with the world is a healthy choice, and it could even be an agreement between them to keep their personal life private.”
In January, Holland said he usually won’t do red carpets with Zendaya at certain events “because it's not my moment … it’s her moment, and if we go together, it’s about us.”
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner have yet to walk a red carpet together, although she was a fixture on the awards show circuit earlier this year. He skipped the Met Gala last May when she attended.
Ray says skipping a Met moment doesn’t mean these couples are any less committed.
“If anything, it shows confidence and security in their relationship,” she adds. “Privacy can be a real superpower, especially for celebrity couples!”
There are plenty of couples who opted not to walk the Met Gala red carpet but attended together — like Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck — who ended up going their separate ways.
Couples shouldn’t be afraid to walk the red carpet together, as this is not the event that will doom you, but they should be ready for the moment.
“They would have to be extremely serious and secure,” Owen says of instances she’d advise her clients to take the leap. “There’s a great deal of pressure that comes with such a widely recognized announcement. There can be no wishy-washy about it. If you come out as a couple at the Met Gala, you better be sure you are a couple because it’s the least subtle debut ever.”
Ray adds, “At the end of the day, whether you’re a celebrity or not, relationships are built on respect, connection, trust and communication. Red carpet moments are fun, but they’re just one small part of the bigger picture. My advice? Focus on building a strong foundation, respect each other’s boundaries and remember your partner has their brand. Don’t worry about what the world says; the best relationships are the ones where you’re each other’s biggest fans, on and off the carpet!”
