Jessica Chastain Debuts Platinum-Blonde Hair Transformation at Met Gala 2023

Jessica Chastain brought the drama to Met Gala 2023—and Karl Lagerfeld would have loved it.

In honor of the evening's theme, "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," the Oscar winner debuted newly platinum-blonde hair, a drastic change from her signature fiery-red tresses. And be they hers or borrowed for the occasion, Chastain's locks were the epitome of fierceness—and respect. 

"Any guesses who's my inspo for tonight ?" she captioned a preview of her Elizabeth Stewart-styled look on Instagram, the quick video featuring her slipping on some dark square-lens shades, à la Lagerfeld. The German designer was also known for his snow-white hair, which he always wore pulled back in a ponytail (lots of those at the Met tonight, too).

Chastain's custom black strapless gown, lack tulle gloves, jewelry and sunglasses were all Gucci.

Scroll through all the Met Gala 2023 fashion right here

Her porcelain complexion and makeup were courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty. 

Chastain interviewed Lagerfeld at New York's Lincoln Center in 2013, and he encouraged her to ask "mean questions" so he could have a little fun. (It went well—he told the New York Times two years later that the actress was "great.") 

Talking about his multiple titles as creative director of both Chanel and Fendi, as well as head of his own eponymous line, he said he didn't mind at all if people didn't automatically connect him with either Chanel or Fendi (not that that happened often). 

"I am not obsessed by my name, I don't care," Lagerfeld said. "What I like is a job. The ego trip, that comes later."

When it came to making gowns for big events that attracted a lot of eyeballs, he said, "The red carpet is not fashion; it's always the same silhouette. Fashion is something else than the red carpet, but the red carpet is a part of our world, our fashion world."

And according to Met Gala chair and longtime Lagerfeld friend Anna Wintour, he also didn't believe that fashion should ever be in a museum, that the industry should always be looking forward. So perhaps tonight was also about proving the late icon just a teeny bit wrong. We feel like he wouldn't have objected to a soupçon of contrariness.

Keep scrolling for all the Met Gala 2023 silhouettes—we promise there's more than one:

In Jean Paul Gaultier

In Givenchy

In Thom Browne

In Schiaparelli

In Valentino

In Jacquemus

In Chanel SS07 Couture

In BOSS

In Chanel

In Valentino

In Karl Lagerfeld

In Karl Lagerfeld

In Ralph Lauren

In Thom Browne

In Marc Jacobs

In Valentino

In Atelier Versace

In Oscar de la Renta

In custom Simone Rocha with Cartier jewelry

In Marc Jacobs

In Chanel

In Prada

In Thom Browne

In Gucci and Bucherer Fine Jewellery

In Simkhai

In Gucci

In Valentino

In Valentino

In Gucci

And visit E! Online's 2023 Met Gala page for every photo and must-see moment from fashion's biggest night.