Nearly a decade ago, a truly iconic selfie took place in the decidedly unglamorous location of the bathroom at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The likes of A$AP Rocky, Kendall Jenner, Paris Jackson, Kim Kardashian, Lily Aldridge, and disgraced rapper P Diddy were gathered together by Kylie Jenner for the star-powered snap. Last night, at the 2026 Met Gala, it was replicated.
A New Generation of Stars
This time, Indian model Bhavitha Mandava stepped up and herded Margot Robbie, Ayo Edebiri, Rachel Sennott, and BlackPink’s Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa in for a photograph, among others. While it might seem to be just a casual group selfie, it has always come with an edge of danger. Event chair Anna Wintour, former Vogue editor, has strictly prohibited pictures once guests are past those famous stairs and inside the event.
Naturally, celebrities have always sought to bend those rules, retreating to the restroom for a quick solo snap or grabbing a friend, or several. There has been a dearth of such selfies in recent years, making it fun to see Bhavitha kickstart this trend again in 2026. ‘Felt cute, might delete later,’ she teased in the caption, alongside the hashtag #metgala. ‘Do not dare to delete this. I’ve been waiting to see a met gala restroom pic where I know at least few celebs,’ responded one of her followers, enjoying the sneaky glimpse behind very expensive closed doors.
The Diddy Shadow
However, it must be acknowledged that the legacy of the Met Gala bathroom selfie was compromised at its very height by the unfortunate inclusion of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs back in 2017. The music mogul, 56, was jailed last year after being charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty, but was eventually found guilty of two charges of transportation for prostitution. Combs was sentenced to four years and two months in jail at the low-security prison Fort Dix in New Jersey, and also received a $500,000 (£371k) fine.
The convicted criminal is centre stage in the 2017 Met Gala snap, grinning widely. While it is not a room he will likely ever find himself in again, rubbing elbows with some of the world’s biggest A-listers, it leaves an unpleasant aftertaste. So for this year, we can focus instead on Nicole Kidman’s kooky description of her red feathered garment, or Bad Bunny deciding to age himself 53 years with prosthetics.
Other Highlights
Or, of course, queen of dress-up Heidi Klum deciding to make herself over as a living statue to best reflect the 2026 dress code of Fashion is Art. The 2026 Met Gala also featured other memorable moments, including Britney Spears’ life after conservatorship and the fans questioning her freedom, all the infuriating tone-deaf moments from the ‘creepy’ Met Gala, and outrage as stars attended the controversial 2026 Met Gala.
