Lauren Sánchez Finds An Unlikely Ally In Nicole Kidman At 2026 Met Gala Weeks After Oscars Heist

In case you missed it, Nicole Kidman totally stole the thunder from Lauren Sánchez and her husband, Jeff Bezos, at the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscars Party. As she and the Amazon founder worked the red carpet, the actor swooped in and claimed the photographers' focus. Netizens reacted to this awkward celebrity moment with jokes and praise for Kidman. "Even billionaires lose the spotlight when real star power walks in," wrote one person on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Nicole Kidman just proved that presence can outshine wealth at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party."

Just a couple of months later, though, Kidman seemingly became an unlikely ally to Sánchez at the 2026 Met Gala, despite the involvement of Sánchez and Bezos prompting protests, not to mention boycotts from several celebrities. So, what happened?

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In a photo circulating on social media, the "Moulin Rouge" star can be seen posing for photos next to Sánchez and former Vogue Editor-In-Chief, Anna Wintour, who was the gala's lead chairperson. While they aren't speaking in this photo, Kidman's presence definitely boosts its viral factor. This undoubtedly helps Sánchez's image, too (even if Kidman's sequined red dress upstaged her). However, it may be too soon to assume that these two women are besties just yet.

There's no way to know for sure what Nicole Kidman thought about letting Lauren Sánchez share a little of her shine at the Met Gala, which has been the site of some wild celebrity looks over the years. The fact of the matter is, both women played a substantial role in this year's event. Kidman served as one of the gala's celebrity chairs, in addition to Venus Williams, Beyonce, and Anna Wintour. Meanwhile, Sánchez and Jeff Bezos, who is still one of the richest people in the world, unloaded a boatload of cash to become 2026's honorary co-chairs. So, if you think about it, a photo between Kidman and Sánchez was inevitable.

Whether Kidman intentionally embraced her moment with Sánchez isn't really the point, though. When it comes to the Met Gala, the only opinion that holds weight is Wintour's, given she's held full creative control of the guest list since the '90s. Apparently, she was totally on board. In comments to CNN, Wintour likened Bezos to a "great lover of costume and obviously of fashion." When discussing Bezos and Sánchez's hefty donation to the event, which supports the operation of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute, Wintour said, "We're very grateful for her incredible generosity so we're thrilled she's part of the night." So, as usual, money talks.