Emmy-winning actress Sarah Paulson was among the celebrities who graced the Metropolitan Museum of Art's red carpet for the 2026 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 a fierce public backlash, with critics branding the fashion statement hypocritical and deeply out of touch.
Sarah Paulson's Met Gala 'Dollar Mask' Meaning
The 51-year-old American Horror Story actress 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 on Instagram, 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 by Cosmopolitan.
Sarah Paulson Slammed for 'Tone Deaf' Protest Look
For many, the Paulsons' stunt was less about genuine activism and more about 'champagne socialism' from a position of privilege. As reported by Fox 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.’
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) May 5, 2026
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
Nevertheless, some supporters rushed to Paulson's defence, arguing that Hollywood actors do not represent the systemic issues of the true ultra-wealthy. 'She is most definitely not part of the 1%,' noted one online commenter, arguing that critics fail to understand the vast mathematical difference between a millionaire actress and billionaire tech moguls.
However, many critics argued that the event itself was heavily patronised by the world's wealthiest individuals, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, who served as honorary co-chairs.
According to The New Republic, the couple's major backing of the event cost them an estimated £8 million to £16 million ($10 million to $20 million). With this, critics argued that choosing to attend such an event alongside ultra-billionaires defeats the purpose of the protest.
