As we know, yesterday was supposed to be the Met Gala. So last night, all kinds of celebrities and civilians were sharing their Met Gala memories or giving us some insight into what they might have worn if there was a Met Gala this year. Maria covered some of that in Celebrity Social Media earlier.

 

So … who won the “virtual” Met Gala? You’d expect the Katy Perrys and the Kardashian-Jenners and etc to be the first ones to get in on the Met Gala nostalgia. You wouldn’t expect, though, for it to come from Julia Roberts. 

It’s not that I’m excited about her dress. Her dress is whatever. What makes this a surprise is that she participated at all. But that’s why this is so good – because Julia Roberts is a Movie Star. She understands the power of coming into something, showing up to something, and making an entrance, so to speak. This was a virtual entrance, but it worked. 

As for the dress – I’m not sure I buy that this would have been what she would have worn to the Met Gala. I don’t know that she was ever intending to go to the Met Gala at all. Julia, as far as I can tell, hasn’t been to the Met Gala since 2008. And that may have actually been her first and only time. She doesn’t bother with that kind of event, especially now that she’s a mother. Remember, Julia’s always telling us that something has to be worthwhile for her to leave her kids. And as powerful as Anna Wintour is, she has zero say over Julia. 

Julia went in 2008 out of respect for Giorgio Armani. That was the year that the theme was Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy. Mr Armani was the designer co-chair. Julia and George Clooney were the celebrity co-chairs. So she was there both as a longtime favourite of the designer and at the highest rank at the event as one of the lead members of the event committee. Look at her, being flanked by Mr Armani and George, the Chairman of Hollywood. It’s where she belongs:

Actor George Clooney, actress Julia Roberts, and designer Giorgio Armani arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2008 in New York City
 

Looking back at the guest list that year, there was a LOT of classic gossip on display. Here, just check out this photo:

Roberta Armani, Giorgio Armani, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Julia Roberts and George Clooney attend THE COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA: "SUPERHEROES" with honarary chair GIORGIO ARMANI at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2008 in New York City

Can you even?! 

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were still together. And Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were still friends with David and Victoria Beckham! This picture kills me. There are a thousand interpretations:

 Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Victoria Beckham and David Beckham attend THE COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA: "SUPERHEROES" with honorary chair GIORGIO ARMANI at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2008 in New York City

Anyway, back to Julia – this is why I don’t think she was actually planning to show up to the Met Gala this year. She wasn’t one of the co-chairs, for starters. Emma Stone and Lin-Manuel Miranda were the celebrity co-chairs and Nicolas Ghesquire was the designer co-chair and why would Julia show up to a party without status, you know? 

This dress then was probably for a photo shoot at some point and she had it on her phone and it worked for the post. And it also works in another way:

 

The black and white of it invokes another black and white dress she wore, the most famous black and white dress she’s ever worn. It was vintage Valentino. And it was at the Oscars. The year she won, OBVIOUSLY.

Julia Roberts during The 73rd Annual Academy Awards - Press Room at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, United States, March 25, 2001
Julia Roberts during The 73rd Annual Academy Awards - Press Room at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, United States, March 25, 2001

That was 2001, but Erin Brockovich, for which she won the Oscar, came out 20 years ago this year. In fact, the movie just turned 20 in March.