All the celebrity exes who could have run into each other at the Met Gala
From Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner, to Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian, to Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk.
The 2024 Met Gala is a big night for couples, but it’s an even bigger night for exes. While most eyes are on fashion—this year’s theme is “The Garden of Time,” inspired by the JG Ballard short story of the same name—there’s a good chance a former couple could have run into each other inside the museum exhibit, despite a careful arrival schedule and painstakingly thought-out seating chart.
Celebrities have already started to pile into New York City in anticipation of the Met Gala, including Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Rihanna. While none of their famous exes have been spotted yet, there’s quite a few A-listers who risk an awkward run-in this Monday.
Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny
Kendall Jenner will undoubtedly be turning heads at the event, but she may also be rubbing elbows with ex Bad Bunny, who is one of this year’s Met Gala co-chairs. The model dated the Puerto Rican artist for less than a year, and the couple allegedly split up this past December. Thanks to their respective security teams (and a small language barrier) their link-up will likely be on the shorter side.
Rosalía and Hunter Schafer
Earlier this year, Hunter Schafer revealed she and Spanish music sensation Rosalía had dated for several months in 2019. The two have proven there’s no bad blood between them though, consistently hanging out as friends. “She’s family no matter what,” Schafer shared in her revelation.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk
After splitting from model Irina Shayk, actor Bradley Cooper coupled up with another famed model, Gigi Hadid. While the duo has kept things casual so far, they may be hard-launching their relationship on the museum steps. And should they run into Shayk, don’t expect any drama. According to sources close to the family, Shayk has “no issue with Bradley dating others,” and she even allegedly set her ex up with his new girlfriend!
Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro
Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro may bump into each other this Monday, a little under a year after they broke up. The exes, who dated for three years, were previously engaged and had a publicly passionate romance. The “Motomami” singer even revealed she'd gotten RR—her and Rauw's shared initials—tattooed on her foot. Both have moved on since the split, but a run-in between the two would surely be painful.
Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber
One of the most infamous celebrity couples of all time, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber dated on and off from 2010 to 2018. Should they cross paths on the museum steps, it may be uncomfortable—not necessarily because of the duo’s dating history, but because of the fan-led social media war between Gomez and Bieber’s wife, Hailey. (Hailey Bieber and Gomez have shut down any rumors of a real feud between them.)
Pete Davidson, and well, everyone
Despite Pete Davidson’s reputation—or perhaps because of it—he’s dated plenty of high-profile women. Many will be attending the Met Gala, potentially including Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande, Kaia Gerber, Emily Ratajkowski, and Margaret Qualley. Question is, will Davidson even be there? Only time will tell…
Dua Lipa and Anwar Hadid
Pop icon Dua Lipa dated the youngest of the Hadids, Anwar, from 2019 to 2021. Although he undoubtedly inspired some of her hit songs, it’s unlikely the two would reconcile at the Met Gala, save for a polite “hello.”
Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons
Kendall Jenner and NBA player Ben Simmons dated on-and-off between 2018 and 2020, attributing their many splits (and subsequent reunions) to scheduling conflicts. It'll be interesting to see how they react on Monday when they're finally at the same place at the same time.
Zendaya and Jacob Elordi
Euphoria co-stars Zendaya and Jacob Elordi dated briefly between 2019 and 2020, and have since worked together on set. With their relationship downgraded from romantic to operational, a run-in at the Met Gala should be a cakewalk.
Robert Pattinson and FKA Twigs
Though Robert Pattison recently welcomed a baby with partner Suki Waterhouse, he risks running into multiple exes at the Met Gala—that is, if his parenting schedule allows him to attend. When the actor stepped out last year, he bumped into ex and Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart, while his other ex FKA Twigs also graced the gala red carpet.
This article originally appeared in harpersbazaar.com in May 2024.
Also Read: Indian designers who are at the forefront of international red carpets
Also Read: Sabyasachi becomes the first Indian designer to walk the red carpet at the Met Gala