Cardi B Almost Transformed into an Old Lady for the 2024 Met Gala

Cardi B just revealed what could’ve been her 2024 Met Gala look.

The rapper, 31, shared a behind-the-scenes TikTok video of her prepping for the big day, and in one of the clips, she wears old-lady-like makeup. Turns out, she originally planned to debut the unrecognizable transformation on the carpet.

On May 8, makeup artist Erika La’ Pearl confirmed that the Grammy winner thought about cosplaying as an old lady with wrinkles, gray hair and, of course, with a full-beat. This seemed to be her interpretation of the “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” theme centered on making what is old new again. 

“This was the first idea we tested for Met Gala with facial and body prosthetics,” Pearl wrote in a May 8 Instagram post showing an aged Cardi B snapping a selfie. 

Although the mom of two ultimately decided to ditch the shtick, Alexis Stone, the master behind the hyper-realistic MFX makeup, broke down all the work that went into the concept.

The process involved getting a 3D scan of Cardi B from the neck up and 18 pieces of prosthetics on her face, neck, arms and hands. Stone flew to New York to test-run the “Sleeping Beauty” look on the Saturday before the event, but creative directions changed. 

Hairstylist Tokyo Stylez was in charge of styling the salt-and-pepper wig that turned Cardi B into Cardi G (the “G” standing for “granny” in the words of Tokyo Stylez). 

Although the extreme makeover never hit the carpet, it seemed like Cardi B always planned to wear the black gown she showed up in.

In the TikTok clip, she poses in the marvelous confection, which featured a sprawling train that required multiple escorts to carry it, while getting fitted with the gray wig on.

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While the creation was definitely applause-worthy, it did get Cardi B into a bit of trouble. She received flack after calling Chinese designer Sensen Lii, who made the gown, “Asian and everything” instead of saying his actual name in a Vogue interview.

Since then, Cardi B has explained why she blanked in the moment, writing in now-expired Instagram Stories that she was a.) thinking about how to pose in her dress after her original plan to stand on a podium was scrapped and b.) “forgot [how] to pronounce the designer’s name because his name is a little bit complicated.”