Tessa Thompson Reflects On Her Met Gala Glam
Tessa Thompson knows how to captivate an audience. And, if you saw her in the likes of Creed, Sylvie’s Love, and even the show His & Hers, you know she […] The post Tessa Thompson Reflects On Her Met Gala Glam appeared first on Essence.
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By Akili King ·Updated May 7, 2026 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Tessa Thompson knows how to captivate an audience. And, if you saw her in the likes of Creed, Sylvie’s Love, and even the show His & Hers, you know she has an undeniable range.
More recently making her debut on Broadway in Fear of 13, Thompson’s same ability to make your jaw drop also applies to her red carpet looks. Insert: when she rocked a neon green Christopher John Rogers number to the 2022 Venice Film Festival with a sleek braid, for example. And her Met Gala look, earlier this week, had us all equally as gagged. This time, to go with her stunning strapless Klein blue dress, trusted hairstylist (and one of my favorite people!) Lacy Redway opted for a sculpted and wet curly look. As she wrote in her Instagram caption, she, “took a few brush >Michael Anthony using all products from Valentino. On Instagram, he wrote, “I really love doing this kind of sultry, textured makeup,” he said. “It lives once and looks different as it wears on,” he continued. “I think of this as painting…because I work in layers that are different opacities and different placements…I find it ethereal yet so human and aspirational for anyone really!” And we love to see it.
Below, Thompson herself dives deeper into what getting ready for fashion’s biggest night out entailed.
ESSENCE: What excited you most about this year’s Met Gala?
Tessa Thompson: The chance to celebrate wonderful artistry with so many people I admire is always the thing most exciting about the Met. Seeing the imagination and creativity expressed in the garments, the conceptual nature of the event is such a delight.
What’s your typical getting ready vibe?
Thompson: Music, Palo santo, incense, and a good chat. I adore ordering lots of room service for everyone and snacking and making it a celebration.
How do you stay grounded and calm ahead of moments like these?
Thompson: Staying grounded and present in these moments is so important to me, because only when you really feel centered can you enjoy being in a room. So, I like to just have the carpet be an extension of the energy we cultivate when we get ready for it!
I see events like the MET as opportunities to be the avatar for all the incredible people who create these looks with their hands—from the seams to the skin. For me, it’s about stepping on to the carpet and celebrating all the geniuses I get to work with.
Describe the overall inspiration behind the look for the evening
Thompson: We were inspired by Klein blue, by the richness and historical significance of the color in art. And the idea of paint dripping on the body. So, we wanted the hair and makeup to reflect that—the Valentino products we used (down to the primer underneath the makeup, V-Lighter) really created this luminosity.
What’s next for you that you’re excited about?
Thompson: I have a film I produced called IS GOD IS that comes out May 15th in theaters everywhere. I’m so proud of it. And I’ll continue my run on Broadway in The Fear of 13—currently writing from my dressing room. That’s an exciting thing.
The post Tessa Thompson Reflects On Her Met Gala Glam appeared first on Essence.
