Hudson Williams Makes Met Gala Debut With 'Black Swan'-Inspired Makeup

New York City was feeling the heat when Hudson Williams made his Met Gala debut.

As he explained to Vogue red carpet livestream co-host La La Anthony, the Heated Rivalry star, 25, was telling two stories with his eye-catching ensemble at the 2026 Met Gala on Monday (May 4). His custom two-piece powder blue Balenciaga look, designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli and worn without a shirt, was inspired by Cristóbal Balenciaga and reminiscent of a traditional Spanish matador suit and included black crystal embroidery, tassels and trousers folded over at the waist as well as a black side train, per Vogue.

He completed the look with dramatic makeup featuring gray and red chrome eyeshadow with thick black wings that was inspired by the 2010 film Black Swan. The actor told Anthony that he and his groomer Aika Flores wanted to reference cinema, specifically the White Swan turning into the Black Swan.

Williams' Heated Rivalry costar Connor Storrie also made his Met Gala debut earlier in the night, opting for a bold black suit and sleeveless polka dot blouse with a large bow detailing on the back.

The theme for the 2026 Met Gala is "Costume Art," coinciding with the Costume Institute's spring 2026 exhibition, which "explores depictions of the dressed body across The Met's vast collection, pairing garments with artworks to reveal the inherent relationship between clothing and the body," according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Guests are invited to follow the dress code "Fashion is Art," which The Met stated allows them to "express their own relationship to fashion as an embodied art form and celebrate the countless depictions of the dressed body throughout art history."

This year's event, which is a charity event and fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, is co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. See more of the best looks from the garden-inspired red carpet.