Jeff Bezos sponsors 2026 Met Gala, Al Sharpton and Taraji P. Henson react strongly

Protests took center stage at New York’s 2026 Met Gala, with civil rights leader Al Sharpton defending a high-profile boycott tied to Jeff Bezos’ sponsorship and Taraji P. Henson slamming those who attended the lavish event.

Protests and political tensions cast a shadow over New York’s 2026 Met Gala, with civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton defending a high-profile boycott tied to a sponsorship of Jeff Bezos and critics blasting the billionaire’s growing influence on culture’s most exclusive stage.

Sharpton, who wore a gold pinstriped suit that matched the evening’s “Art of Costume” theme, made it clear he would not follow New York Mayor Mamdani’s lead and skip fashion’s biggest night. Instead, he sees his presence as part of a longer fight for representation.

“It was his decision,” Sharpton said of Mamdani’s choice to withdraw.

“I want to — I want to be here, and we’ve fought for so many years and you’ve covered it better than anyone else — for diversity. So how could I not be here to support Beyoncé and Venus Williams? So, I don’t care how much money billionaires have; they can’t buy my seat,” he told New York’s local Spectrum News.

The comments underscore a wider cultural clash surrounding the event, which this year is co-hosted by Beyoncé and Venus Williams as well as Nicole Kidman and Anna Wintour. While the event celebrates fashion as art, criticism of Bezos’s involvement has sparked stark divisions among public figures. For example, Donald Trump was permanently banned from the event.

Actress Taraji P. Henson wrote in comments to attendees, “I’m so confused by some of the people who are going to be attending. I’m like what are we doing!?!?!?!”

She also retweeted an image highlighting the wealth gap between Bezos and Amazon warehouse workers, fueling concerns beyond the red carpet.

Despite the backlash, Sharpton viewed his presence as symbolic. The activist, who made his Met Gala debut in 2025 under the theme “Hyperfine: Bespoke Black Style,” has tended to use the event as a platform to raise awareness amid the ongoing debate over diversity in elite spaces.

“It’s great to be celebrated at the Met Gala, the premier event in fashion,” Sharpton said in 2025. “It shows that even when we’re under attack, we can be dudes and celebrate ourselves. We won’t be defeated. We won’t look back. Look at the stars and all of us who showed up tonight. I think André Talley would be proud. André Leon Talley would be proud to see us walk this carpet in a diverse environment.”

Meanwhile, other prominent figures did not publicly join in the criticism and instead skipped the event. Zendaya will reportedly miss this year’s gala, while Meryl Streep will also not attend, despite speculation surrounding her upcoming movie.

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