Jenifer Lewis and Taraji P. Henson are speaking out about celebrity attendance at the Met Gala, raising concerns about the event’s ties to Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, who were listed among its sponsors and honorary co-chairs this year.
The conversation gained traction after content creator Meredith Lynch posted a video warning celebrities against wearing “ICE Out” pins at a Met Gala she described as “Jeff Bezos-backed.” Lynch questioned the optics of the event’s association with Bezos, suggesting a connection to broader political issues tied to Donald Trump and policies she said impact arts funding.
Henson joined the discussion in the comments of the video, aligning herself with the criticism. She later reposted content calling attention to Bezos’ reported $500 million superyacht, contrasting it with claims about working conditions faced by Amazon warehouse employees. In her repost, she added a pointed remark: “Enjoy the MET.”
Around the same time, Jenifer Lewis shared her own response in a video posted to Instagram. The veteran actress addressed the situation directly, expressing frustration over what she described as a disconnect between the event and broader economic realities. “Okay, so I hadn’t seen any of it,” she began. “I had been running around all day, and my girlfriend called and said, ‘Jenifer, they showed up anyway.’”
Sitting at the piano, Lewis continued her remarks, referencing job losses and funding concerns. “They cut nearly 30,000 jobs and gutted the Washington Post. They showed up anyway? Postering and posing, hoping to be the most,” she said. She went on to mention reductions in funding for children’s nutrition programs, adding, “They cut $1 billion in funding for children’s nutrition. And there they all were, vying for the next position.”
Her message closed with a broader question about celebrity culture and priorities. “I said to my girlfriend, ‘Tell me you’re lying.’ How much fame do we need, y’all? How much more fame?”
Both actresses’ comments added to the ongoing conversation surrounding the 2026 Met Gala.
