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Sarah Paulson made a statement about money and power at fashion's most exclusive night — but some critics say the message backfired.
The Emmy-winning actress attended the 2026 Met Gala — the theme this year was "Costume Art" alongside a "Fashion is Art" dress code — in a dramatic gray tulle ball gown, white opera gloves, diamond jewelry and a dollar-bill blindfold stretched across her eyes.
When asked on the red carpet to name her look, she replied: "the one percent" (1).
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The look, designed by Matières Fécales, was called "The One Percent" Haute Couture, while the mask itself was dubbed "Blinded by Money." The designer said the collection reflected "the greed and corruption that comes with extreme power" (2).
But the setting made the statement hard for some observers to accept.
The Met Gala — an invite-only fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute — reportedly carried a price tag of $100,000 per ticket (3). This year's event also drew protests because Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos served as sponsors, reportedly making a $10 million donation (4).
That backdrop quickly fueled accusations that Paulson's protest against the ultra-wealthy felt out of place.
"This is the worst one at the Met Gala," former Levi's executive Jennifer Sey wrote on X (5). "Sarah Paulson's dollar bill mask is some sort of protest against the 1% of which she is a part. If you want to protest the rich don't go to an event that costs $100k per ticket. And give your $12m net worth away."
Others made a similar point, arguing that Hollywood celebrities are part of the elite they're criticizing. "Babe, you ARE the 1%," another user wrote (6). "This is the most brain-d$ad, hypocritical celebrity stunt of the year."
The backlash also spread to Reddit, where one viral post took aim at the contrast between Paulson's message and the setting (7). "It's so funny when celebs think they're making some grand statement but end up just looking painfully out of touch," one user wrote.
The scrutiny also put renewed attention on Paulson's own wealth.
Celebrity Net Worth estimates Paulson's net worth at $12 million (8), while an IMDb article also says public sources place her net worth at around $12 million as of 2025 (9). Celebrity Net Worth notes that its figures are estimates calculated using public sources, along with private tips and feedback when available.
Paulson, 51, has built a long-running career across television, film and theater. She became a defining face of Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story franchise and won major awards for portraying prosecutor Marcia Clark in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. In 2024, she also won the Tony Award for best leading actress in a play for Appropriate.
That context helps explain why critics weren't just reacting to the dollar bill over Paulson's eyes. They were reacting to the contrast between the message and the messenger — a wealthy Hollywood star protesting extreme wealth from inside one of the world's most elite celebrity events.
But the celebrities don't actually choose their looks — the designers (who also pay for their ticket and accommodations) do (10). "Each celebrity has been chosen to wear a gown by a designer. It's like assignments," former Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley said in the Met Gala documentary The First Monday in May (11).
The debate underscores why the "one percent" remain such a powerful target. America's wealthiest households don't just earn more — they own more. According to Federal Reserve 2025 (12) data, the top 1% held about 32% of total U.S. household wealth.
That kind of wealth may be out of reach for most Americans. But the basic playbook is not: the wealthy often build and preserve their fortunes through assets — not just paychecks.
For everyday investors, the question is how to apply that same principle on a smaller scale: How do you start building wealth like the elite without a Met Gala invite or a career in Hollywood?
Real estate has long served as a cornerstone of wealth building in America.
Owning property can generate passive income through rent and offer potential for long-term appreciation — especially in high-demand markets. It's also a classic hedge against inflation: when the cost of materials, labor and land goes up, property values tend to follow. Rental income typically climbs as well, creating a revenue stream that adjusts with inflation.
In fact, investing legend Warren Buffett has often pointed to real estate as a prime example of a productive, income-generating asset.
In 2022, Buffett stated that if you offered him "1% of all the apartment houses in the country" for $25 billion, he would "write you a check" (13).
Of course, you don't need billions — or even to buy an entire property — to benefit from real estate investing. Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.
The process is simple: browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you'd like to purchase and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.
As of November 2025, Arrived has already paid out more than $19 million in dividends to over 900,000 registered investors.
Another option is Lightstone DIRECT, which offers accredited investors access to institutional-quality multifamily and industrial real estate — with a minimum investment of $100,000.
Founded in 1986 by David Lichtenstein, Lightstone Group is one of the largest privately held real estate investment firms in the U.S., with more than $12 billion in assets under management.
Over nearly four decades, their team has delivered strong, risk-adjusted performance across multiple market cycles — including a 27.6% historical net IRR and a 2.54x historical net equity multiple on realized investments since 2004.
With Lightstone DIRECT, you gain access to the same multifamily and industrial deals Lightstone pursues with its own capital.
Here's the kicker: Lightstone invests at least 20% of its own capital in every deal — roughly four times the industry average. With skin in the game, the firm ensures its interests are directly aligned with those of its investors.
The ultra-rich don't just earn income — they often own pieces of businesses.
Bezos, whose presence loomed over this year's Met Gala as a major backer of the event, is a prime example: much of his fortune has long been tied to his ownership stake in Amazon, the company he founded.
For everyday investors, the stock market remains one of the most accessible ways to follow that same principle.
By investing in U.S. stocks, you can gain exposure to some of the world's largest and most profitable companies — from tech giants and banks to retailers, health-care firms and industrial leaders. And when those companies grow, shareholders can benefit through rising stock prices, dividends or both.
The benchmark S&P 500 has climbed about 73% over the past five years, a reminder of how powerful long-term ownership can be.
For investors interested in individual stocks, research tools like Moby can come in handy. Their team of former hedge fund analysts does the heavy lifting — breaking down the market, flagging quality stocks and making the research easy to digest.
In fact, across nearly 400 stock picks over the past four years, Moby's recommendations have beaten the S&P 500 by almost 12% on average. Their research keeps you up-to-the-minute on market shifts and takes the guesswork out of choosing investments.
Plus, their reports are easy to understand for beginners, so you can become a smarter investor in just five minutes.
The wealthy don't just invest in stocks and real estate. Many also hold alternative assets — including fine art, collectibles and other stores of value that aren't directly tied to the daily moves of the stock market.
Art has historically been difficult for ordinary investors to access. Blue-chip works can cost millions of dollars, and the market has traditionally been dominated by wealthy collectors, institutions and insiders.
Now, Masterworks is offering a single investment that combines blue-chip art with other scarce assets, such as gold and bitcoin, that have historically moved independently of equities and of one another.
The result is a more balanced, all-weather approach to alternative investing. In fact, this model would have outperformed the S&P 500 by 3.1x from 2017 to 2025.*
By leveraging access to museum-quality artwork alongside other uncorrelated assets, the strategy aims to enhance diversification while still pursuing meaningful appreciation.
Discover how diversifying with this strategy can strengthen your portfolio for the years ahead.
*Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. The 3.1x figure reflects a model backtest, not actual fund performance.
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X (1),(5),(6); Instagram (2); CBS News (3); Reuters (4); Reddit (7); Celebrity Net Worth (8); IMDb (9); Fashion Times (10); E! Online (11); U.S. Federal Reserve (12); CNBC (13)
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