Yahoo News Anna Wintour and Bill Nighy Walk Arm-in-Arm on Met Gala Red Carpet
Anna Wintour has organized and presided over the Met Gala since 1995, but this year’s edition must be pretty special for the Vogue guru, as she turned up to the event arm-in-arm with Oscar nominee Bill Nighy.
While some saw it as confirmation of a romance, Nighy’s rep shot down such talk in a brief statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “Bill and Anna have simply been friends for two decades. They are not in a relationship.”
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There has been buzz of a potential coupling since last December, when The Telegraph reported that the 73-year-olds were getting close and had been spotted together over the years, though neither confirmed their relationship status. That month, they were photographed together alongside Hugh Jackman during a screening of Living held at the Crosby Street Hotel in New York. Nighy earned an Oscar nomination for his work in that film.
A quick search reveals that they’ve known each other for years. They sat next to one another in the front row at the Mulberry autumn/winter 2012 show in London on Feb. 19, 2012. Wintour was once married to David Shaffer before they divorced in 1999. They share son Charles and daughter Bee Shaffer Carrozzini. She also had a long-term relationship with Shelby Bryan. Nighy was previously married to Diana Quick from 1980-2008.
The Met Gala serves as the annual fundraiser for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. It is timed to coincide with the unveiling of the museum’s annual fashion exhibition and this year’s is focused on Karl Lagerfeld. Titled “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” the collection honors the life and legendary career of the late designer who died Feb. 19, 2019, and features more than 150 pieces including sketches.
The dress code simply reads “In honor of Karl,” leaving it mostly up for interpretation for the celebrities attending — and their stylists. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton says he hopes guests will celebrate “the spirit of Karl, and hopefully, everyone will come out in vintage Chanel, vintage Fendi, vintage Chloé.” Lagerfeld also designed for houses including his brand, Patou and Balmain.
The Met Gala program features Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, and Vogue’s Wintour as the night’s co-chairs. See all the best looks from the Met Gala here.
Tuesday, May 2, 8:51 a.m.: Updated to correct the nature of their relationship, and to add a statement from Nighy’s rep.
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