Christina Ricci's Corset at the 2011 Met Gala Was So Tight, She Had to Take Painkillers: 'I Was About to Pass Out'

Mar. 15, 2025

Christina Ricci at the 2011 Met Gala.Photo:Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Christina Ricciisn’t afraid to go to great lengths for fashion.While looking back at and rating some of her red carpet looks onHot Ones Versuson March 11, the ’90s style icon —hot off of her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony last week— revealed toYellowjacketscostarMelanie Lynskeythat there was a lot more to her gothicZac Posengown at the 2011Met Galathan met the eye.“Well, that’s pretty good,” Ricci, 45, said of her look for the “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty”-themed gala: a semi-sheer, corseted dress with web-like details and a black ombré train. Though, she added, the updo she rocked with the gown isn’t her favorite.“I didn’t like the hair," she told her costar, “‘cause I felt it made it too costumey.”Christina Ricci at the 2011 Met Gala.Fairchild Archive/Penske Media via GettyOverall, theCasperstar gave the ensemble an “8 or 9” out of 10, while Lynskey, 47, disagreed, telling Ricci, “If that was me I’d be like this is a 16. I’d be so happy if I had looked like this one day in my life.”Explaining why she docked a point or two — well, besides her hair — the ‘90s fashion icon said that when she sees a photo of the 2011 look, “it makes me sad ‘cause now that I’ve had two children, that waist does not exist anymore.”But, Ricci explained, “that waist” was also made with a corset so tight she had to medicate to wear it — and still couldn’t keep it on through the entire event.“But also, I had the craziest corset on that they actually had to get me painkillers,” she told Lynskey, “and I had to have an emergency change in the middle of the Met Gala in a janitor’s closet, because I was about to pass out.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Christina Ricci at the ‘Mermaids’ premiere.Bill Nation/Sygma via GettyRicci’s elaborate Met Gala ensemble was the most formal of the looks theYellowjacketsstars examined onHot Ones Versus. The rest better captured the actress’s laid-back ‘90s fashion.The scream queen’s favorite of the ultra-’90s looks was the dress, coat and uncombed hair combo she rocked at the premiere of 1990sMermaids— though theBuffalo ‘66actress said she wouldn’t necessarily wear the coat today.“I mean that’s a 10 out of 10, what are you kidding me?” she said after Lynskey held up the red carpet look. “I’ve got the crushed velvet, I’ve got the … well, at the time this was real fur but I was only 9 and [Mermaidscostar]Cherbought it for me, so what are you going to do?”Christina Ricci at the ‘Now and Then’ premiere.Christina Ricci at ‘The Opposite of Sex’ premiere.Christina Ricci at the ‘Now and Then’ premiere.PHOTO:Frank Trapper/Corbis via GettyChristina Ricci at ‘The Opposite of Sex’ premiere.PHOTO:Frank Trapper/Corbis via GettyAs for the other two premiere looks, Ricci preferred 1995’sNow and Thento 1998’sThe Opposite of Sex,but wasn’t particularly fond of either.Reacting to the blue top and shiny pink maxi skirt she wore on theNow and Thenred carpet, she said, “This is not my favorite. I’m going to give that a 3. That was a very awkward time in my life.”“That is really … a 2,” theSleepy Hollowstar said of herThe Opposite of Sexlook: flame-covered capris, a ripped T-shirt and metallic wedges.“But at the same time,” she added, “I love that I’m wearing a shirt with a hole in it, like I just don’t give a f—.”

Christina Ricciisn’t afraid to go to great lengths for fashion.

While looking back at and rating some of her red carpet looks onHot Ones Versuson March 11, the ’90s style icon —hot off of her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony last week— revealed toYellowjacketscostarMelanie Lynskeythat there was a lot more to her gothicZac Posengown at the 2011Met Galathan met the eye.

“Well, that’s pretty good,” Ricci, 45, said of her look for the “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty”-themed gala: a semi-sheer, corseted dress with web-like details and a black ombré train. Though, she added, the updo she rocked with the gown isn’t her favorite.

“I didn’t like the hair,” she told her costar, “‘cause I felt it made it too costumey.”

Christina Ricci at the 2011 Met Gala.Fairchild Archive/Penske Media via Getty

Fairchild Archive/Penske Media via Getty

Overall, theCasperstar gave the ensemble an “8 or 9” out of 10, while Lynskey, 47, disagreed, telling Ricci, “If that was me I’d be like this is a 16. I’d be so happy if I had looked like this one day in my life.”

Explaining why she docked a point or two — well, besides her hair — the ‘90s fashion icon said that when she sees a photo of the 2011 look, “it makes me sad ‘cause now that I’ve had two children, that waist does not exist anymore.”

But, Ricci explained, “that waist” was also made with a corset so tight she had to medicate to wear it — and still couldn’t keep it on through the entire event.

“But also, I had the craziest corset on that they actually had to get me painkillers,” she told Lynskey, “and I had to have an emergency change in the middle of the Met Gala in a janitor’s closet, because I was about to pass out.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Christina Ricci at the ‘Mermaids’ premiere.Bill Nation/Sygma via Getty

Bill Nation/Sygma via Getty

Ricci’s elaborate Met Gala ensemble was the most formal of the looks theYellowjacketsstars examined onHot Ones Versus. The rest better captured the actress’s laid-back ‘90s fashion.

The scream queen’s favorite of the ultra-’90s looks was the dress, coat and uncombed hair combo she rocked at the premiere of 1990sMermaids— though theBuffalo ‘66actress said she wouldn’t necessarily wear the coat today.

“I mean that’s a 10 out of 10, what are you kidding me?” she said after Lynskey held up the red carpet look. “I’ve got the crushed velvet, I’ve got the … well, at the time this was real fur but I was only 9 and [Mermaidscostar]Cherbought it for me, so what are you going to do?”

Christina Ricci at the ‘Now and Then’ premiere.Christina Ricci at ‘The Opposite of Sex’ premiere.Christina Ricci at the ‘Now and Then’ premiere.PHOTO:Frank Trapper/Corbis via GettyChristina Ricci at ‘The Opposite of Sex’ premiere.PHOTO:Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty

Christina Ricci at the ‘Now and Then’ premiere.Christina Ricci at ‘The Opposite of Sex’ premiere.

Christina Ricci at the ‘Now and Then’ premiere.

Christina Ricci at ‘The Opposite of Sex’ premiere.

Christina Ricci at the ‘Now and Then’ premiere.PHOTO:Frank Trapper/Corbis via GettyChristina Ricci at ‘The Opposite of Sex’ premiere.PHOTO:Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty

Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty

As for the other two premiere looks, Ricci preferred 1995’sNow and Thento 1998’sThe Opposite of Sex,but wasn’t particularly fond of either.

Reacting to the blue top and shiny pink maxi skirt she wore on theNow and Thenred carpet, she said, “This is not my favorite. I’m going to give that a 3. That was a very awkward time in my life.”

“That is really … a 2,” theSleepy Hollowstar said of herThe Opposite of Sexlook: flame-covered capris, a ripped T-shirt and metallic wedges.

“But at the same time,” she added, “I love that I’m wearing a shirt with a hole in it, like I just don’t give a f—.”

source: people.com