Emmy-winning actressSarah Paulsonwas among the celebrities who graced the Metropolitan Museum of Art's red carpet for the2026 Met Gala, wearing a dollar bill across her eyes. Attempting to deliver a sharp critique of wealth inequality, with her look dubbed 'The One Percent,' the star instead found herself at the centre of afierce public backlash, with critics branding the fashion statement hypocritical and deeply out of touch.
The 51-year-oldAmerican Horror Storyactress climbed the famous steps in a dramatic, cloud-like grey tulle ball gown called 'Destroyed Tulle Debutante Ballgown' created by avant-garde design duo Matières Fécales' A/W 2026 collection. Dubbed 'The One Percent,' the ensemble featured white opera gloves, a sparkling diamond choker by Boucheron, and a leather mask designed to look like a US one-dollar bill acting as a blindfold.
Writing onInstagram, the designers said, 'Fashion is Art and at its most daring, Political.' They further explained that the collection served as 'a reflection of the greed and corruption that comes with extreme power.'
The 'Blinded by Money' dollar mask was meant to highlight how the global elite ignore societal struggles. When asked about her look on the red carpet, Paulson simply replied, 'The One Percent.' The term refers to the world's wealthiest tier—specifically the top 1.5% of people who reportedly own nearly half of the globe's total wealth.
However, the message fell flat with onlookers, who pointed out the glaring irony of staging an anti-wealth protest at an £80,000 ($100,000)-per-ticket event. Although the actress received an exclusive invitation and did not pay for her ticket, her personal multi-million-pound fortune has still stirred fury, as reported byCosmopolitan.
For many, the Paulsons' stunt was less about genuine activism and more about 'champagne socialism' from a position of privilege. As reported byFox News, the stark contrast between her message and her wealth quickly drew ridicule online.
With an estimated net worth of $12 million (approximately £9.6 million), Paulson is comfortably situated within the upper ranks of global wealth, even if she sits beneath the billionaires she aimed to target.
Critics also drew comparisons to past Met Gala political statements, most notably politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 'Tax the Rich' gown in 2021. However, the backlash to Paulson's look has been notably harsher, with many accusing her of performative activism.
'This is the worst one at the Met Gala,' one critic wrote on X. Another wrote, The actress, who is worth an estimated $12 million, used her outfit to call out the world's elite while attending the $100,000 per person Met Gala.'
Sarah Paulson wears dollar bill over her eyes to call out the ‘One Percent.’The actress, who is worth an estimated $12 million, used her outfit to call out the world’s elite while attending the $100,000 per person Met Gala.pic.twitter.com/jWfIPdtWTn
Source: International Business Times UK
