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Sarah Paulson covered her eyes with cash at the 2026 Met Gala — but many online critics say they see right through the message.
The Emmy-winning actress hit the carpet Monday wearing a dollar bill stretched across her eyes, a blunt visual swipe at the “one percent.”
Paulson opted for a dramatic, cloud-like gray tulle ball gown with an oversized sculptural bow at the shoulders. Paired with white opera gloves, a diamond choker necklace and a dollar-bill blindfold, the look appeared to display equal parts classic elegance and performance art.
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Sarah Paulson attends the 2026 Met Gala celebrating “Costume Art” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 4, 2026. (John Shearer/WireImage)
The designer, Matières Fécales, dubbed the design “The One Percent,” and the mask is called “Blinded by Money.” Matières Fécales wrote on Instagram that “The collection was a reflection of the greed and corruption that comes with extreme power.”
Her bold fashion statement appeared to spark immediate backlash at one of the most exclusive, high-dollar events in the world.
Sarah Paulson departs the 2026 Met Gala celebrating “Costume Art” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 4, 2026. (Cindy Ord/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
The Met Gala — often dubbed “fashion’s biggest night out” — carries a price tag of up to $100,000 per ticket, placing it firmly among the most elite social events of the year. Paulson herself reportedly holds a net worth of $12 million. For many observers, the juxtaposition of wealth and protest felt contradictory.
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Sarah Paulson poses on the red carpet at The Mark Hotel before the 2026 Met Gala on May 4, 2026, in New York City. (Masato Onada/WWD)
“This is the worst one at the Met Gala,” one commenter wrote on X. “Sarah Paulson’s dollar bill mask is some sort of protest against the 1% of which she is a part. If you want to protest the rich, don’t go to an event that costs $100k per ticket — and give your $12 million net worth away.”
Others echoed the sentiment, calling the gesture “hypocrisy” and “virtue signaling.”
“The idea is cool but the hypocrisy is unbearable,” another user posted. “She is a millionaire elite. Her hypocrisy is out of bounds.”
Comparisons were also drawn to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who made headlines in 2021 for wearing a white gown designed with the phrase “Tax the Rich” to the Met Gala at the time. That moment, too, sparked a divided response, with critics labeling it “out of touch” given the gala’s steep ticket prices.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a dress with the words “Tax the Rich” to the 2021 Met Gala in New York City. (Kevin Mazur/MG21/Getty Images For The Met Museum/Vogue)
However, not everyone was critical of Paulson’s fashion ensemble. Some social media users pushed back on the backlash itself, arguing that the definition of the “one percent” is often misunderstood.
“She is most definitely not part of the 1%,” one commenter noted. “Thinking that just shows how completely ignorant most people are as to what being in the 1% actually means.”
Others pointed out that the Met Gala serves as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, suggesting that the high ticket price functions as a charitable donation rather than mere extravagance.
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Still, skepticism remained among critics.
“Everyone in Hollywood is blinded by money,” another critic wrote. “She may think it’s about corporations or a political message, but it’s actually about power and money.”
Nicole Kidman, Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Anna Wintour attend the 2026 Met Gala celebrating “Costume Art” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 4, 2026. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
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Held annually at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, the invite-only gala is equal parts spectacle and fundraiser, drawing Hollywood’s biggest names under one roof. This year, the event didn’t just bring in A-listers — it brought in record money, reportedly raising $42 million, according to Town & Country.
That staggering figure comes with a hefty price of entry. Individual tickets reportedly cost $100,000, with the night largely funded by billionaire power couple Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez-Bezos.
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Inside, the theme was “Costume Art,” paired with the dress code “Fashion Is Art” — a prompt that encourages bold interpretation.
Anna Wintour famously hosts the event annually, but other co-chairs this year included Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams.