Sarah Paulson Wears Dollar Bill Blindfold at 2026 Met Gala, Draws Hypocrisy Charges

Sarah Paulson wore a dollar bill stretched across her eyes at the 2026 Met Gala on Monday. The Emmy-winning actress paired the blindfold with a dramatic cloud-like gray tulle ball gown featuring an oversized sculptural bow at the shoulders, white opera gloves and a diamond choker necklace.

The designer, Matières Fécales, named the design "The One Percent" and the mask "Blinded by Money." The brand wrote on Instagram that the collection reflected the greed and corruption that comes with extreme power.

Paulson's look sparked immediate backlash online at the exclusive event, where tickets cost up to $100,000. Observers noted the contrast with her reported $12 million net worth.

"This is the worst one at the Met Gala," one X commenter wrote. "Sarah Paulson’s dollar bill mask is some sort of protest against the 1% of which she is a part. If you want to protest the rich, don’t go to an event that costs $100k per ticket — and give your $12 million net worth away."

Others called it hypocrisy and virtue signaling. "The idea is cool but the hypocrisy is unbearable," another user posted. "She is a millionaire elite. Her hypocrisy is out of bounds."

Some drew comparisons to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2021 Met Gala gown with "Tax the Rich" printed on it, which also drew criticism over the event's high costs.

Defenders pushed back. "She is most definitely not part of the 1%," one commenter said. "Thinking that just shows how completely ignorant most people are as to what being in the 1% actually means."

Others noted the gala raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The invite-only event brought in a record $42 million this year, according to Town & Country. Individual tickets cost $100,000, with major funding from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos.

The theme was "Costume Art," with a "Fashion Is Art" dress code.