Met Rumors Swirl Around Orlando Bloom
The 2026 Met Gala once again proved that the biggest headlines often happen long after celebrities leave the red carpet.
As afterparties stretched into the early morning hours across Manhattan, Orlando Bloom became the focus of intense online speculation after photographers captured him arriving near beauty influencer Meredith Duxbury outside a popular NoHo venue.
Social media quickly erupted with rumors of a possible romance between the two, fueled by their noticeable 22-year age difference and online comparisons between Duxbury and Bloom’s former fiancée, Katy Perry. Duxbury, who has built a massive following through her bold beauty tutorials and dramatic makeup style, wore a sheer black lace outfit that many commenters claimed resembled Perry’s signature aesthetic.
The timing only intensified the speculation. Duxbury is reportedly newly single following her split from Australian model Douglas Joseph, while Bloom’s dating life has remained under public scrutiny since his breakup with Perry in 2025.
However, reports later suggested the viral narrative may have been exaggerated. According to sources cited by TMZ, Bloom and Duxbury were not attending the party together and are believed to be little more than acquaintances who happened to arrive at the venue around the same time.
Instead, insiders say Bloom was actually accompanied by Luisa Laemmel, a model he has reportedly been linked to since the pair were seen together during festivities surrounding Super Bowl LX earlier this year.
Bloom’s personal life continues to attract attention partly because of Perry’s own headline-making relationship. Following the end of their nearly decade-long on-and-off romance — which included an engagement and the birth of their daughter Daisy — Perry has reportedly moved on with Justin Trudeau.
Despite the gossip surrounding his afterparty appearance, Bloom appears focused on a new phase in his career. Alongside brand partnerships and fashion campaigns, the actor is returning to more dramatic film work.
He is expected to appear at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Werner Herzog’s new drama Bucking Fastard, where Bloom stars alongside Kate Mara, Rooney Mara, and Domhnall Gleeson.
He has also reportedly joined Ethan Hawke in the upcoming thriller The Last of the Tribe, directed by Claudio Borrelli.
For now, the viral Met Gala moment appears to be less about a surprise romance and more about how quickly celebrity sightings can spiral into internet speculation. In the world of post-Met afterparties, a shared entrance is sometimes all it takes to create a global headline
