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Katy Perry didn’t actually attend the Met Gala 2025—but if you were scrolling through social media, you might’ve been fooled into thinking otherwise. Once again, the pop icon has gone viral, thanks to some incredibly realistic AI-generated images that had fans convinced she walked the red carpet in style.
As the Met Gala buzz took over the internet on May 5, a series of photos showing Katy in a sleek black latex gown started spreading like wildfire on X (formerly Twitter). In the images, she appeared to be rocking a bold, form-fitting outfit with a sharp pinstripe blazer-style bodice, posing confidently on the famous Met Museum steps. It looked so real that thousands believed she was actually there.
People quickly started raving about her (fake) look, with many saying she outshined actual attendees like Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and Gigi Hadid. Some even declared Katy the “Queen of the Met Gala” and crowned her outfit the best of the night. But eagle-eyed fans began to notice telltale signs that the photos weren’t genuine—like how the latex dress seemed to awkwardly blend into her skin at the waist. That little glitch gave away the AI magic.
In reality, Katy Perry was nowhere near the Met Gala this year. She wasn’t on the leaked guest list, and fans guessed she skipped the event to focus on her Lifetimes Tour, which kicks off this week across North America, according to the Daily Mail.
Interestingly, this isn’t even the first time Katy has gone viral for not attending the Met. Last year, AI-generated photos of her in an elaborate floral dress made waves across platforms like Instagram and Reddit. Katy joined in on the fun, sharing the fakes herself with the hilarious caption:
“Couldn’t make it to the MET; had to work.”
She even posted a text from her mom, who thought the images were real! Her mom messaged her:
“Didn’t know you went to the Met. What a gorgeous gown. You look like the Rose Parade; you are your own float, lol.”
To which Katy replied,
“lol mom the AI got you too, BEWARE!”
While Katy and several other A-listers like Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, and Beyoncé were absent this year, the Met Gala still had plenty of star power. The theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, was inspired by Monica Miller’s book on Black dandyism and celebrated the artistry and cultural significance of Black menswear throughout history.
Co-chairs Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour—along with LeBron James as honorary chair—helped bring the theme to life, making the night unforgettable… even if some of the most viral “moments” didn’t actually happen!