Body language expert explains Gayle King's awkward Met Gala 2025 appearance after Blue Origin controversy
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Gayle King stepped onto the 2025 Met Gala red carpet Monday night, but it wasn’t just her custom gown that caught attention — it was her awkward body language.
According to an expert, the CBS host appeared to show signs of low confidence, likely tied to the intense backlash surrounding her recent Blue Origin space flight.
The high-profile mission, which included Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez among others, was widely mocked online and labeled tone-deaf. King, however, has defended the trip as meaningful and pushed back against critics who dismissed it as frivolous.
Gayle King’s appearance at Met Gala 2025 sparks concern from an expert
Journalist Gayle King, 70, walked the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a custom purple gown by designer Chuk Collins, featuring a plaid peplum-style jacket, as per DailyMail.
She joined a host of celebrities for fashion’s biggest night, which this year centered around the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” a celebration of Black identity through fashion.
While her outfit was on-theme, an expert couldn’t help but notice that King seemed less confident than usual. Her demeanor, they speculated, may have been influenced by the intense public scrutiny she faced after her space mission alongside Jeff Bezos’s fiancee Lauren Sanchez and pop star Katy Perry.
According to a body language expert, King, who made an appearance at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday night, may still be dealing with a "confidence drain" following the backlash from her recent Blue Origin space flight.
Body language expert Judi James observed that King’s stance suggested a desire to shield herself. "The peplum dress looks rather bulky and the way she holds her bag hand in front of her torso suggests a desire to use it as a barrier,” James explained.
“Bringing an arm around in front of the body like this hints at a subliminal urge to self-protect.”
Body language expert notes Gayle King’s lack of confidence at Met Gala
Body language expert Judi James noted that Gayle King's subtle expressions on the Met Gala red carpet hinted at underlying discomfort.
Her smile, James said, lacked the confident balance typically seen among the high-profile attendees. Instead, the raised eyebrows and slightly hesitant demeanor suggested someone seeking approval rather than owning the spotlight.
James claimed, "Her smile lacks the assured symmetry to suggest the kind of all-out confidence and arrogance most of the other celebrities were sporting on the staircase, but it's the raised brows that really hint at a less assured approach."
“It's a friendly gesture that suggests a desire to be liked or approved of. Gayle's body language looks slightly shy here,” James explained.
King’s return to a major public event comes shortly after her controversial space flight with Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin on April 15 — her first such appearance since the journey.
The all-female crew included pop star Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, filmmaker Kieranne Flynn, NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, and activist Amanda Nguyen. The mission, which offered just three minutes of weightlessness during its 11-minute duration, was hailed by the participants as a “feminist triumph.” However, public reaction was far from celebratory.
