You Won't Be Seeing Any of These Stars at the 2023 Met Gala — They've Been Banned

You know what the first Monday in May means: Your Instagram feed is typically flooded with gowns, crowns, and red carpet photos of celebrities arriving at the steps of the Met Gala. But what many don't know is that several stars have actually been banned from the festivities.

The point of each year's elaborate affair is technically to support the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute, which dictates a specific theme. For 2023, the theme is "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," and we're excited to see what that means to each of the stars and their designers.

But who won't be dressing up to the nines this year? Here is a list of everyone who's been banned from attending the Met Gala.

Like we've mentioned, the highlights of the super exclusive event are the outfits and the drama. First off, the stakes are super high because invitations are extremely hard to come upon, and even if you magically manage to nab one (you won't), ticket prices range from $30,000 to $50,000. Which is why it's better to be invited directly by a reputable designer who's already splurged between $275,000 and upwards of $500,000 for a table. 

But even if you're BFFs with Donatella, every Met Gala guest has to be approved by Anna Wintour. And guess what? She won't hesitate to pass up, disinvite, or even straight-up ban people she doesn't like from attending. Because it's her party (it has been since 1995), and she can do what she wants.

Though you might assume that all of the most important names in fashion could put their differences aside to share the most anticipated party of the year, you obviously know better than that. Cattiness and pettiness reign the industry. Tim Gunn used to enjoy attending Met Galas until 2006, when his invitation got rescinded indefinitely.

"I was asked what is the most unforgettable thing I've ever seen in fashion," he dished to E!'s Fashion Police. "And I said, 'It's easy, it was watching Anna Wintour being carried down five flights of stairs by two bodyguards from a fashion show.'" After he disclosed his most "unforgettable" fashion memory to The Post, Vogue immediately asked for a retraction, which Tim refused.

As he tells it, that marked the moment when he officially became persona non grata in Anna's book. "All hell broke loose," he revealed, "We've had an open war ever since."

If you're wondering what happened to Josh Hartnett and why you haven't thought of him in all these years, well, let's say Anna Wintour can relate. Though he's attended Met Galas before, Anna doesn't find him relevant anymore. Fans of hers, or those fascinated with the Met Gala might have caught wind of this drama in the 2016 documentary The First Monday in May. 

Calvin Klein calls Vogue requesting to dress Josh Hartnett and have him sit at his table. "What has he done lately? Nothing. You guys are all set," was Vogue's thanks-but-no-thanks response.

You won't see celebrity stylist and fashion designer Rachel Zoe getting her own table at the gala any time soon. The former Bravo series star was once invited to Brian Atwood's table at the 2007 gala, but was disinvited shortly thereafter.

Awkward much? Although Anna doesn't need any kind of formal reason to cut guests from her party, we're thinking she didn't love it when Rachel told The New York Times that "Anna Wintour is one of my heroes, but they say I'm more influential." Hmmmm ...

Supermodel Coco Rocha was a staple on the Met Gala red carpet for years. But when Katy Perry was invited to co-chair the 2017 Comme des Garçons-themed gala, things got personal. Though Anna oversees the whole affair, she also bestows some of her power (and pettiness) to the VIPs who co-host with her each year.

Recall that back in 2013, Coco accused Katy of copying her style when the "Dark Horse" singer wore the exact same Emanual Ungaro gown Coco had donned at that year's Met Gala just a couple of months earlier. Flash forward four years, and Katy got her payback. 

But wait, it gets even more intense! Although Coco had attended the gala several times before not getting invited in 2017, she will likely never get to see that red carpet again. As one anonymous socialite who's attended the Met Gala several times told Page Six, "Once you [miss one year], you're not invited back unless you're triple A-list." 

When Anna Wintour went on The Late Late Show with James Corden a little over a year ago, the CBS host asked her "Who would you never invite back to the Met Gala?" After pausing for a beat, Anna simply answered, "Donald Trump."

The 45th president attended the flashy party many times, and even used the star-studded event to propose to Melania (then Knauss) in 2004. According to Newsweek, "Trump proposed with a 13-karat diamond ring worth almost $3 million — but he quickly informed people he got the ring for half-price."

Yeah, that kind of tackiness is not going to fly under Anna's watch ever again, she does have lots of rules for attending the gala, it seems.