Gigi Hadid-Zayn Malik to Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott, a history of Met Gala red carpet couple debuts followed by splits

The Met Gala, a dazzling spectacle of high fashion, often serves as a coveted platform for celebrity couples to officially announce their relationship to the world. However, a peculiar superstition has emerged, suggesting that this very public debut on the Met Gala red carpet might be a harbinger of doom for these budding romances. Dubbed the "Met Gala curse," this theory posits that couples who attend the glamorous event together are seemingly destined for a breakup shortly thereafter, often within the same year.

This alleged curse bears a resemblance to the Oscar "love" curse, a long-standing belief that actresses who win the Academy Award for Best Actress are statistically more likely to experience relationship troubles, often linked to infidelity. The Met Gala curse, however, specifically targets couples making their official debut or attending the high-profile event together.

Numerous instances in recent celebrity history appear to lend credence to this bizarre superstition. Phoebe Bridgers and Paul Mescal, a couple adored by many, had been together for over two years before making their red carpet debut at the 2022 Met Gala. Engagement rumors swirled, painting a picture of a solid relationship. Yet, by December of the same year, the couple had reportedly parted ways, with Bridgers' subsequent song seemingly referencing the split.

Selena Gomez and The Weeknd followed a similar trajectory. Their highly anticipated Met Gala debut occurred in 2017, only for their ten-month romance to conclude in October of the same year. Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson, who enjoyed a seemingly steady relationship for over a year, made their Met Gala appearance in May 2022 and called it quits just two months later. Even Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan, who were together for approximately a year before reportedly "taking a break" in December 2024, had graced the Met Gala red carpet together earlier that year.

The list of couples seemingly touched by this alleged curse extends further, including names like Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal, FKA Twigs and Robert Pattinson, Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez, Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott (during one of their on-again periods), Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse, Grimes and Elon Musk, and Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello.