If you follow celebrity couples, you probably noticed something missing at this year’s Met Gala. While supermodel Gigi Hadid looked stunning in her gold Miu Miu gown as she walked the famous steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, her boyfriend Bradley Cooper was nowhere to be seen. The couple has been dating since October 2023 and recently went Instagram official, so many fans expected them to make their red carpet debut at fashion’s biggest night. So what happened? Why didn’t Cooper join Hadid for the star-studded event? Let’s find out what Gigi herself has shared about her man’s absence.
The morning before the gala
Even though Bradley Cooper didn’t show up to the Met Gala, he was very much part of Gigi’s big day. In interviews after the event, Hadid revealed that she actually spent the morning of the Met Gala with Cooper before getting ready. “I woke up, I was with my man. We had a chill morning with some laughs,” she shared, giving fans a rare glimpse into their private life together. This sweet morning routine shows that despite his absence from the red carpet, Cooper was supportive of Hadid behind the scenes, helping her feel relaxed before stepping into the spotlight in her gorgeous gold dress.
For Hadid, having that quality time with Cooper helped ease her nerves before the big event. Getting ready for something as major as the Met Gala can be super stressful, even for a veteran model like Gigi. Having someone you trust to keep you grounded and make you laugh can make all the difference. After their chill morning together, Hadid continued her prep at home, working with her styling team to create the show-stopping look that would later turn heads at the gala. Many celebrities have pre-event rituals, and it seems that for Gigi, spending time with Bradley has become an important part of hers.
Keeping the relationship private
One of the main reasons Cooper likely skipped the Met Gala is the couple’s ongoing effort to keep their relationship somewhat private. Since they were first linked in October 2023, Hadid and Cooper have been careful about how much of their romance they share with the public. In fact, they only recently confirmed their relationship status in January 2024, and Hadid just went Instagram official with Cooper during her 30th birthday celebrations last month. This slow, careful approach to publicity suggests that they’re more focused on building their relationship away from cameras than creating photo opportunities together.
Many celebrity couples find that keeping some distance between their personal relationships and public appearances helps them maintain something real and special. Hadid has mentioned that they wanted to have a “normal experience of dating” without sharing everything publicly. This mindset is similar to other famous couples like Zendaya and Tom Holland, who also choose to keep their relationship mostly out of the spotlight. By not attending high-profile events as a couple, Cooper and Hadid can focus on their connection without the added pressure of being analyzed by millions of people. The choice seems to be working for them, as Hadid has described their relationship as “very romantic and happy.”
Focusing on individual careers
Another likely reason for Cooper’s absence is the couple’s shared philosophy of keeping the focus on their individual careers rather than their relationship status. Both Hadid and Cooper are hugely successful in their own fields – she as one of the world’s top models and he as an acclaimed actor and director. When they attend professional events, they seem to prefer keeping the attention on their work achievements rather than generating headlines about their romance. This approach allows each of them to shine in their respective industries without their accomplishments being overshadowed by their personal life.
For Hadid, the Met Gala is undoubtedly a work event – it’s one of the biggest nights in fashion, and as a model, it’s an important opportunity to showcase her style and connections in the industry. Having Cooper there might have shifted media attention away from her fashion moment and onto their relationship status. Similarly, when Cooper attends film premieres or award shows, he likely wants the focus to be on his projects rather than who he’s dating. This mutual understanding and respect for each other’s professional lives seems to be a cornerstone of their relationship, allowing both to thrive individually while still supporting each other from a distance.
A pattern of separate appearances
If you look at Hadid and Cooper’s relationship history, you’ll notice that skipping the Met Gala fits into a larger pattern of how they handle public events. Despite dating for over a year and a half, the couple has yet to walk a red carpet together. This isn’t a one-time decision but rather a consistent approach they’ve taken to managing their public image as a couple. Both have attended major events solo during their relationship, suggesting that they’ve made a deliberate choice to keep certain aspects of their lives separate from their romance.
This pattern stands in contrast to how both stars handled previous relationships. In the past, both Hadid and Cooper made red carpet debuts with former partners at the Met Gala. The fact that they’re approaching this relationship differently might indicate that they’ve learned from past experiences. Many celebrities find that keeping relationships more private can help them last longer, as public scrutiny can put enormous pressure on a couple. By consistently choosing not to make their relationship a red carpet spectacle, Cooper and Hadid are protecting what they have and defining the boundaries of their privacy on their own terms.
That mysterious gold ring
Adding another twist to the story is the gold ring that Hadid was spotted wearing on her left hand during her recent 30th birthday celebrations with Cooper. This sparked engagement rumors among fans and tabloids, creating even more interest in the couple’s relationship status. If these rumors have any truth to them, it might explain why the couple is being extra careful about their public appearances right now. A highly publicized red carpet debut at the Met Gala would put enormous attention on that ring and potentially force them to address engagement questions before they’re ready.
Many celebrity couples prefer to announce major relationship milestones on their own terms and timing. If Hadid and Cooper are indeed taking their relationship to the next level, they may want to control how and when that news becomes public. By avoiding joint red carpet appearances, they maintain their privacy and the ability to share their story when and how they choose. The decision for Cooper to skip the Met Gala might be part of a larger strategy to manage public interest in their relationship, especially during a potentially significant moment in their personal journey together.
Different comfort levels with publicity
Another factor might be the different ways Hadid and Cooper approach fame and publicity. At 30, Hadid has grown up in the modeling world and on social media, where sharing parts of her life is part of her career. Cooper, at 50, comes from a different generation of celebrities who often maintained more separation between their public and private lives. These different comfort levels with publicity could influence their decisions about which events to attend together. For someone like Cooper, who seems to prefer keeping his personal life relatively private, a high-profile event like the Met Gala might feel too exposed for a couple’s appearance.
This age difference and their different career paths might actually be a strength in their relationship, as they can learn from each other’s approaches to fame. Hadid has been gradually sharing more glimpses of their relationship, like her recent Instagram post with Cooper, while still respecting boundaries. Meanwhile, Cooper’s more reserved approach might help Hadid maintain some privacy in a world where everything is often shared online. By respecting each other’s comfort levels with publicity, they’re showing maturity in how they handle their high-profile relationship, even if it means attending some events separately.
At the end of the day, Hadid and Cooper are navigating their relationship in a way that works for them, not for the cameras or public opinion. The fact that Cooper skipped the Met Gala doesn’t mean there’s trouble in paradise – quite the opposite, based on Hadid’s glowing comments about their relationship. Their choice to keep certain aspects of their romance private while still supporting each other’s careers shows a thoughtful approach to dating in the spotlight. As fans, maybe the best thing we can do is respect their boundaries and appreciate the small glimpses they do choose to share.
