When Taylor Swift stepped onto the red carpet at the Academy Museum Gala, instead of focusing only on her gown or her performance, people on social media users turned their attention to her face.
Keep reading to learn more.
The 36-year-old attended the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on October 17. Her appearance quickly became a topic of online discussion, with commenters speculating about whether she had undergone cosmetic procedures and comparing her look to women associated with Donald Trump’s political circle.
Those comments are speculation, however. There is no confirmation from Taylor Swift or her team that she has had cosmetic work done or about her change in political affiliation.
Swift Took The Stage For Her First Full-Band Performance Since The Eras Tour
The gala was also a significant musical moment for Swift: she gave her first full-band performance since the Eras Tour ended in December 2024.
Conan O’Brien introduced her to the black-tie audience with a playful tribute, calling it an “insane, unprecedented honor” to introduce a cherished member of the Toy Story 5 family. He joked that she was “John, Paul, George, and Ringo all in one.”
Taylor Swift performed in a glittering Ralph Lauren dress, singing fan favorites including Love Story and Blank Space. She also performed her original song for Toy Story 5, titled I Knew It, I Knew You, before giving the audience the first live performance of her 2025 track, The Fate of Ophelia.
“Dancing is absolutely allowed. It’s not mandatory, but it’s more fun,” she told the crowd.
The audience, among others, included Charlize Theron, Colman Domingo, Joan Cusack, Cara Delevingne, Sabrina Carpenter, and Eli Roth.
Her Dior Gown Became A Talking Point — Along With Her Appearance
Before performing, Swift walked the red carpet in a custom Dior gown designed by Jonathan Anderson.
The light-blue pleated silk dress featured an embroidered bow at the center of the chest. She completed the look with Chopard diamond earrings and a diamond bracelet.
But online, the conversation quickly shifted from fashion to her facial appearance.
Some commenters claimed her face looked different, while others made unverified guesses about possible cosmetic procedures. A few compared her look to the so-called “MAGA face” aesthetic, a label that has circulated online in discussions of women linked to Trump and his political orbit.
“I’m sorry, but she’s looking so MAGA here,” one person wrote about her red carpet look. Others tried to assert she had been trying to ‘appeal to MAGA’ for a while, “It’s subtle but she’s been trying to appeal to MAGA for the past 3 years”
But others rejected that claim, with one person writing, “She has not been trying to appeal to MAGA. You’re weird for even making a comment about her. Talk about your own bitter self.”
While other people speculated about work she might have had done on her face, “eyebrows hunni that browlift is noticable asf”
What Does “MAGA Face” Mean — And Why Are People Using The Label?
The phrase “MAGA face” has become a social media shorthand used by some critics to describe what they perceive as a particular look among women associated with Trump. The term is subjective, often insulting, and can encourage people to speculate about someone’s appearance or cosmetic choices.
Other prominent women who have recently been accused of having ‘MAGA’ face are philanthropist Susan Dell and Trump administration official Barbera Thornhill.
Swift’s Public Political Record Has Included Endorsements Of Democrats
The online comparisons are especially notable because Swift has publicly supported Democratic candidates in the past.
She expressed support for Barack Obama in a 2009 Rolling Stone interview and endorsed Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper in Tennessee’s 2018 midterm elections.
In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Swift discussed her concerns about efforts to restrict abortion in Tennessee and criticized Trump’s political tactics.
She endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024.
That history does not mean every aspect of her political outlook is known, but it does show that the “MAGA face” comments are not evidence of a political realignment.
Trump Has Publicly Attacked Swift Before
Swift and Trump have also been involved in public political sparring.
After Swift endorsed Harris in 2024, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”
In a later post, he claimed that since he had said he hated her, she was no longer “HOT.”
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