Sure, the Met Gala is mostly about jaw-dropping fashion, but there is so much that goes on behind-the-scenes.
Some of the most memorable moments from the annual charity event this year came from the unexpected awkwardness on the red carpet.
From the tension between ex-couple Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan to the drama surrounding Naomi Campbell and Anna Wintour, this year's Met Gala had plenty of awkward exchanges.
Kim Kardashian’s glare of doom at her security guard deserves a special mention, too.
Here’s a rundown of all the cringy, awkward, and eyebrow-raising moments from the 2025 Met Gala.
#1 Halle Berry revealed “far too much” by wearing far too little
Halle Berry, 58, made her Met Gala comeback this year, wearing one of the most risque outfits of the night.
Designer LaQuan Smith told Vogue that the look gave off “a mix of s*xy Bond girl meets Harlem Renaissance.”
As she left her underwear at home, netizens were left asking, “Why is her punani out omg.”
“I’m seeing far too much,” one said, while others called it “straight up trashy” and “wrong in so many ways.”
“No, Halle, you’re better than this!” one said.
Image credits: Cindy Ord/MG25/Getty Images
#2 Blackpink's Lisa had tiny human faces covering her privates
Not only did Lisa Manobal go pantless, but she also seemed to have another astonishing detail covering up her privates—human faces.
The Blackpink singer wore a shiny, form-fitting black blazer with sheer panels, paired with black tights that were emblazoned with the luxury fashion brand’s logo.
But what truly caught people’s attention were the faces on her panties. Some claimed the faces resembled civil rights activist Rosa Parks.
Many questioned why she was wearing the undergarment just weeks after a controversial video resurfaced, featuring her and fellow Blackpink members Rosé and Jennie using the n-word in their lyrics.
“Who the hell decided it was a good idea to put the faces of influential black women on a pair of PANTIES,” asked one unimpressed netizen.
“Rosa parks on your underwear less than 3 months after a compilation of you saying the n word goes viral is kinda crazy but maybe thats just me!” wrote another.
It was later revealed that artist Henry Taylor was the man behind the faces. Henry was the artist behind a Vogue cover painting of Pharrell Williams. The Happy singer even collaborated with Henry for his Louis Vuitton, spring 2024 collection as well.
A representative explained to The Cut that the faces on the fabric were “portraits of figures who have been a part of the artist’s life,” but names of these “figures” were not disclosed.
Image credits: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
#3 Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan went from red carpet lovers to red carpet strangers
Last year, they were the red carpet darlings. This year, not so much,
A year after Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan made their red carpet debut on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of art last year, they attended the 2025 Met Gala separately on Monday, May 5.
It was their first time walking the same red carpet since their split in 2024 after about a year of dating.
“Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan in the same place???” the internet exclaimed as they attended the event separately.
Image credits: mtvuk/
#4 Aimee Lou Wood couldn't wait to spend more time with Walton Goggins amid feud rumors
Fans wondered whether there would be tension on the red carpet between Aimee Lou Wood and her The White Lotus co-star, Walton Goggins, amid rumors of a feud between them.
Aimee indirectly addressed the elephant in the room and said she met him a couple of days prior and was also happy to catch him at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual charity event.
“I actually saw him two days ago. And that felt like the…we haven’t had that much time to debrief about everything,” she said during a red carpet chat with Access Hollywood.
The actress said there is “never enough time” when they meet each other.
“So it’ll be good to see him again tonight because we saw each other briefly a couple days ago and we were just kind of trying to download everything and the episodes and Rick and Chelsea’s whole story now that we’ve seen it in full, and there’s just never enough time,” she added.
Image credits: britishvogue
#5 Kim Kardashian may have given her security guard an existential crisis
@nicolecerratob #kimkardashian #northwest #metgala #met #redcarpet #fyp #outfit ♬ original sound - Nicole
#6 Zendaya was captured “fangirling” over Diana Ross
#7 James Corden’s appearance came with a viewer discretion warning
#8 Vogue’s livestream left fans hanging
Fans were left sorely disappointed when Vogue’s livestream of the glitzy event abruptly ended.
Viewers missed catching Met Gala staples Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and other stars who were fashionably late.
Many groaned online, with one saying they “stayed up until nearly 2am to see Charli XCX walk the Met Gala carpet and they finished the livestream before she arrived.”
A Cardi B fan said, “MET GALA LIVESTREAM JUST ENDED & CARDI STILL NOT HERE.. WHAT IS GOING ON YALL.”
Image credits: Vogue
#9 Charli XCX and her underwear both made a grand entrance
As for her third time cruising up the Met Gala steps, Charli XCX ditched subtlety and most of her skirt.
The singer brought some goth glam, wearing Ann Demeulemeester by Stefano Gallici, and she flashed her underwear for the camera.
Some felt she was “not even remotely on theme.”
“Looking like she’s in the Adam’s family,” one commented online.
Image credits: Craig Barritt/Getty Images
#10 Christian Siriano brought back “fashion police criticism”
Christian Siriano kept it “real” and didn’t hesitate to dissect the looks he didn’t like on the E! red carpet show.
“Christian Siriano bringing back Fashion Police criticism thank god,” an X user said on Twitter.
“Christian Siriano is the only one keeping it real tonight,” read a second comment.
Another wrote, “Shout out to Christian Siriano for keeping it REAL and not saying everyone looks good when they don’t! The others on the panel are afraid to say the truth! We need him to revive Fashion Police. #MetGala2025.”
Image credits: Scott Gries/E! ENTERTAINMENT
#11 Gayle King might still be “suffering from a confidence drain”
“I’m a little worried,” Gayle King told Extra TV ahead of her 2025 Met Gala appearance.
And, apparently, it showed when she stepped on the red carpet in a custom purple gown by Chuk Collins. Her appearance came as she still reels from the backlash of her all-female mission to space.
A body language expert said her red carpet poses suggested she might still be “suffering from a confidence drain” after the backlash from her space mission.
“The peplum dress looks rather bulky and the way she holds her bag hand in front of her torso suggests a desire to use it as a barrier,” body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail.
“Bringing an arm around in front of the body like this hints at a subliminal urge to self-protect,” she added.
The expert went on to say that her smile lacked the “assured symmetry” seen in other celebrities, suggesting they had an “all-out confidence and arrogance” in front of the cameras.
Image credits: John Shearer/WireImage
#12 Lebron James sat this one out
Just hours before game-time, or red carpet-time, LeBron James left fans heartbroken by pulling out of the 2025 Met Gala.
Because of a knee injury, he said he wouldn’t be able to attend the event that “so many people have been asking and congratulating me on.”
His absence meant his wife and “beautiful powerful Queen,” Savannah James, held the “castle down” on the red carpet without him.
Image credits: Harry How/Getty Images
