Olivia Rodrigo skips Met Gala but attends Saint Laurent afterparty after liking anti-Jeff Bezos post

Olivia Rodrigo did not attend the Met Gala this year, but she appeared at Saint Laurent’s Met Gala afterparty and liked an anti-Jeff Bezos Instagram post that criticised the Amazon founder.

The popstar was among several public figures who stayed away from the gala amid controversy over the involvement of Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez. Meryl Streep is rumoured to have turned down a co-hosting role because of their presence. Zendaya and New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, who broke a decades-long tradition of mayors attending, also did not attend the main event.

Rodrigo last attended the Met Gala in 2023. This year she was not on the red carpet but was photographed at the Saint Laurent afterparty, and users on social media noted that she had liked an Instagram video featuring a 72-year-old Amazon warehouse worker named Mary Hill.

“When we struggle from paycheck to paycheck, from week to week, it really angers me because if it weren’t for every associate in every Amazon facility, he wouldn’t have all those zeros behind his name. Shame on you, Jeff Bezos. The people that need to be celebrated at the Met Gala are the workers. People like me. We deserve that celebration. We deserve so much more than we’re getting.”

Rodrigo has a recent history of public political stands. In November she criticised the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for using her music in an ICE advertisement, writing on social media, “Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.”

A spokesperson for the Department then responded, saying that “Ms. Rodrigo thank them for their service, not belittle their sacrifice.”

She joined anti-ICE protests last June and posted a statement on social media:

“I’ve lived in LA my whole life, and I’m deeply upset about these violent deportations of my neighbors under the current administration. LA simply wouldn’t exist without immigrants. Treating hardworking community members with such little respect, empathy, and due process is awful. I stand with the beautiful, diverse community of Los Angeles and with immigrants all across America. I stand for our right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest.”

Outside of activism, Rodrigo launched the reproductive rights initiative Fund 4 Good in 2024 and donated $2 million in ticket sales to global women’s charities. She also contributed a song to the Help(2) charity album, which raised money for War Child.

Rodrigo is set to release her new album, You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love, via Geffen on June 12. Pre-order and pre-save here.