Why you didn’t see Cynthia Erivo at the 2026 Met Gala

THE RUNDOWN

• Cynthia Erivo was absent from the 2026 Met Gala.
• The actress has built a reputation for bold silhouettes and highly conceptual fashion moments alongside stylist Jason Bolden.
• This year’s theme, “Fashion Is Art,” complements her focus on treating fashion as a crafted, sculptural medium.

Cynthia Erivo has long treated the red carpet as a stage—but tonight, she swapped the Met Gala for the literal stage as she missed fashion’s biggest night in New York. Although the actress has attended the star-studded event numerous times, including in 2024 and 2025, she was absent this year due to her performance schedule.

Erivo is currently starring in a one-woman show of Dracula on the West End through May 30. She told ELLE about the endeavor: “It is a big old mountain to climb every night, but more and more, I’m really finding the joy and finding the flow in it. The more I do it, the more comfortable and confident I feel.”

Over the past year, the Wicked star consistently leaned into bold, sculptural silhouettes and couture craftsmanship, often working with stylist Jason Bolden to build looks that prioritized narrative. Her 2025 Met Gala appearance, in particular, highlighted that approach: She collaborated with Givenchy’s Sarah Burton on a sharply tailored corset and tulle skirt ensemble that fused archival references with modern couture techniques.

Reflecting on the process, Erivo told Vogue, “Sarah and I sat together and looked at archive pieces and her most recent runway…we put her runway, the archive [looks by] McQueen, and Sarah’s Givenchy looks together and found something quite magical. Sarah’s brain is unlike any other.”

Erivo in a Rococo Dandy-Inspired lookat the 2025 Met Gala.

That same emphasis on storytelling has guided her broader fashion evolution. Speaking to People in August about her approach to dressing and working with Bolden, Erivo said, “That’s the way we always are…we’re very picky, selective about what we put on and what we’re wearing, and the story we’re telling.”

Her recent Wicked: For Good press tour appearances have underscored that philosophy, with looks spanning dramatic monochrome gowns, couture tailoring, and avant-garde silhouettes from houses like Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, and Schiaparelli.

Erivo during the Wicked: For Good press tour.

This year’s Met Gala dress code, “Fashion Is Art,” nods to the Costume Institute’s “Costume Art” exhibition, which explores the relationship between clothing and the body—an idea that aligns closely with Erivo’s emphasis on form, silhouette, and construction in her red carpet wardrobe.