Once a laughing stock on social media for her overfilled cheeks and ultra-plumped pout, Madonna stylishly silenced her critics and turned heads with a stunning transformation at the 2025 Met Gala.
The Queen of Pop embraced a softer, more natural look on fashion’s biggest night, seemingly ditching filters and fillers for a raw elegance that had her fans calling her “mother.”
Madonna strikes back at critics by debuting a natural face transformation at the Met Gala
The Hung Up singer, 66, wowed onlookers on Monday night, May 5, at the Met Gala with her rebranded face. Debuting an unfiltered look, Madonna graciously walked on the navy carpet of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a cream silk Tom Ford suit, designed by Haider Ackermann.
The pop diva was once mocked by online users over her overly puffy look, which was far from her natural face, prompting her fans to say she “doesn’t look like Madonna anymore.” However, she now seems ready to set the record straight.
The iconic singer was dressed in an androgynous Tom Ford look for the event
This year’s Met Gala theme was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, and the dress code was strictly Tailored for You. The concept was inspired by the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, which highlighted black dandyism.
Duly sticking to the Met’s dress code, the iconic artist stepped out in her androgynous take in a double-breasted jacket, white shirt, cummerbund, and bowtie.
The singer made her first red carpet appearance with her much younger boyfriend, Akeem Morris
The iconic pop singer paired her look with a bold makeup featuring a smoky eyeliner and a cigar to match her vibe. To add more to the mix, Madonna made her first red carpet appearance with her 30-year-younger boyfriend Akeem Morris, 29.
Although they possibly met much earlier, as they once posed for a Paper magazine cover in August 2022, the pair went public as a couple for the first time back in July 2024 when the singer posted photos of the two celebrating Independence Day in New York City. Previously married to Guy Ritchie, the singer has six children, including daughter Lourdes Leon.
Madonna’s Met Gala look got divided reactions on social media
The look received mixed reactions on social media. While some said they couldn’t recognize the singer, others praised the natural look. One wrote, “I didn’t know that was Madonna! She’s not looking so good.”
Another suggested, “She’s 66! I guess after a certain age cosmetic surgery won’t help and you have to cover up.”
And a third likened the singer’s look to a vampire, saying, “Reminds me of a Vampire from the older Vampire movies.”
Others gushed about her. One exclaimed, “She’s mother.”
Another agreed, “She looks fabulous for once I am so pleased to see how great she looks!”
Another praised the singer, saying, “Madonna never misses a moment to make a statement her, Met Gala entrance proves she’s still the queen of reinvention. Can’t wait to see the full red carpet magic unfold.”
Ok Madonna performed for the religious met gala, what other theme could we have for her to be the main performance of the night? pic.twitter.com/kOh4ooWcq5
— Cʜᴇʀʀʏ. 🫐 (@Milkdonna) May 6, 2025
A fourth added, “She looks fantastic. It appears she has had some filler removed.”
Meanwhile, one user was just happy that the pop diva was slowly going back to her original face, saying, “She looks great it looks like she has removed the fillers, and she starts looking like the beautiful Madonna she was.”
Madonna has been facing backlash from fans for her changing face for some time now
Madonna’s face has been the talk of the timeline in the last couple of years. After her noticeably puffy appearance at the 2023 Grammys sparked concern and speculation among her fans, the 66-year-old hit back on Instagram.
“Once again, I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in,” she wrote, calling out the double standards she faces. Then came the irony as she posted a new selfie with the caption, “Look how cute I am now that swelling from surgery has gone down. Lol.”
Fans said the singer looked “unrecognizable” after her puffy appearance went viral on social media
However, that didn’t stop fans from talking. In February 2024, unfiltered paparazzi shots from Chris Rock’s 60th birthday bash in New York City had fans doing a double take of the singer’s face. Dressed in black lace and fur, the 66-year-old was called “unrecognizable,” fueling plastic surgery rumors and snarky comments like, “She doesn’t look like Madonna anymore.”
Fast forward to March, at her glam Oscars after-party, when fans were floored by Madonna’s refreshed, slightly more natural look. “Whatever she’s had done—or undone—she looks incredible,” one fan said.
While her fans were upset that she was looking less and less like the singer they got used to seeing. One fan even claimed that the person in the photos was not Madonna, saying, “I wonder what they did with real Madonna… if there is even such a person.”
Netizens commented on the singer’s Met Gala appearance
