Gabrielle Union is a red carpet pro, but even media training could not mask her frustrations during the 2026 Met Gala.
A clip circulating on social media feels familiar, reminding fans of the disrespect another Black entertainer experienced during a coveted awards ceremony last year.
On fashion and art’s big night, fans dubbed Union and Dwyane Wade the best-dressed couple at the costume extravaganza, which also boasted appearances from Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and their daughter, Blue Ivy. Union wore a custom Michael Kors dress for the occasion.
The fashion house described her as wearing “a cocoa cutout gown with scattered crystals.” The delicate ensemble was semi-sheer, revealing her legs beneath a flowing train.
“The Perfect Find” star accented the dazzling look with a shimmering diamond Tiffany & Co.statement necklace and dramatic eye makeup. Her hair was styled in an updo with a crown of oversized buns.
Union was speaking with E! News about her jaw-dropping take on the Met’s “Fashion is Art” theme when the viral upset unfolded. An eager Variety reporter yelled out, “Troye, are you making new music? When is it coming out?” as Australian singer Troye Sivan passed behind the actress. He appeared to nod yes and suggest that music would be delivered soon.
A reporter shouts during Gabrielle Union’s interview to ask Troye Sivan if he’s making new music at the #MetGala. pic.twitter.com/9uTGoDshHM
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 4, 2026
The veteran superstar was in the middle of explaining that her gown had 170,000 crystals and took “500 man-hours” to complete.
Variety’s photographer was locked on Union during the interview but quickly shifted gears to capture Sivan’s response — it also caught the actress trying to maintain her composure; she turned her lip up and clenched her teeth, presumably annoyed by the outburst, as she continued to speak.
Several viewers were angered by the interruption and vented that the journalist lacked professionalism. They commented reactions such as, “This is incredibly embarrassing on the reporter’s part.”
Another person suggested it was a “classic chaotic Met carpet moment — interviews always turn into cross-fire pop culture energy when multiple stars are in the mix.”
Rotten Tomatoes film critic Peter Gray tweeted, “We all know there’s an issue with who is getting access, so something CAN be done to curb this disrespect. Also, as someone who has interviewed Gabrielle Union on a carpet, she’s so captivating to talk to your attention should be nowhere else. Do better!”
However, a second conversation focused on the recurrence of certain celebrities caught in botched red carpet interviews. “This is rude and anti black btw,” an X user tweeted.
Someone else remarked, “Yall saw how much attention this got when it happened to babyface last year and decided for a chance at a viral moment, huh.”
Singer Babyface was speaking with The Associated Press reporters Krysta Fauria and Leslie Ambriz at the 2025 Grammys when they sidelined the conversation to gain pop star Chappell Roan’s attention.
Babyface acknowledged the slight and told the reporters, “You guys want to go do that? Do that,” handed them the microphone, and walked away.
