Sydney Sweeney at the 2025 Met Gala. Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty
Sydney Sweeney faced backlash after a viral video showed her introducing her puppy to fans following her appearance on the Met Gala red carpet.
Sydney Sweeney, 27, stunned at the 2025 Met Gala, where she showcased a custom black sequined gown by Miu Miu on the blue carpet outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Her floor-length dress featured a short train, fringe-adorned sleeves, and a chest cutout secured with a golden flower. She styled her hair in a sleek bun with curled tendrils framing her face and completed the look with smoky eye makeup.
Sweeney explained her gown paid homage to old Hollywood icon Kim Novak, sharing a still from Novak’s 1967 film The Legend of Lylah Clare on Instagram before the event. Fans also saw echoes of Novak’s role in Vertigo in her sultry appearance.
Despite the tribute to Kim Novak, Sydney Sweeney’s look at the 2025 Met Gala received backlash for not aligning with the evening’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”
The theme, which focused on Black dandyism and its evolution from the 18th century to the Harlem Renaissance, encouraged guests to embrace suiting and menswear tailored to their own identities.
On X, users questioned Sweeney’s choice, with one writing: “Sydney Sweeney referencing Kim Novak, a white lady, for superfine tailoring black style… ok?” Another commenter added: “Sweeney looks like she’s going to a White House Correspondents Dinner, not the Met Gala based on the theme.”
The controversy escalated when Sweeney brought her puppy, Sully Bear, to the Met Gala after-party, sparking even more criticism.
In a video shared online, Sydney Sweeney was seen leaving The Carlyle Hotel with her puppy, Sully Bear, amid flashing lights and a crowd of fans and photographers.
While some viewers found the moment heartwarming, others criticized the actress for putting her pet in such a stressful situation. “This is so stressful for the dog,” one person remarked, while another called it “a stupid thing to do to your pet. It’s overwhelmed and scared.”
Others were even harsher, with one user claiming, “This is bordering on abuse,” and another adding, “A dog is not a prop to use for attention. It is a living, breathing soul.”
A further comment noted, “It’s cool that she wants him to be calm in various situations, but you don’t throw a dog into this chaos. Even trained dogs would struggle in that mess, especially with the flashes.”
Sydney Sweeney’s appearance at the 2025 Met Gala came just after a significant personal change. The actress recently ended her seven-year relationship with ex-fiancé Jonathan Davino, calling off their wedding.
Although the breakup occurred quietly in January, it wasn’t publicly revealed until March. The former couple briefly reunited in April at their shared Florida property, but there was no visible affection between them, and Sweeney’s engagement ring was noticeably missing.
