What was supposed to be a press interview focusing on Lana Del Rey’s return to the Met Gala morphed into a viral sensation for a completely unexpected reason: a handsome model that made the internet “thirsty.”
“She got completely outmugged,” one user wrote on X, lamenting how viewers' collective attention turned not to the singer’s black gown, but to the mysterious figure looming just behind her.
As images and videos of Del Rey’s interview went viral, the internet immediately did what it does best, launching a coordinated effort to identify the man whose brief appearance had seemingly eclipsed one of the night’s most high-profile attendees.
The sudden burst of attention may end up hindering the model’s career, however, as one user warned: “Last time y’all did this you got the man fired so maybe let’s not,” referring to a model who allegedly got removed from last year’s event for outshining a celebrity.
Netizens put model's career "in danger" after he "outshined" Lana Del Rey during a Met Gala interview
Image credits: CBS News / YouTube
The mystery man was soon revealed to be Nathan Overland, a New York-based model signed to Wilhelmina Models, a renowned agency founded in 1967 with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and London.
The agency has long been associated with high-fashion powerhouses and editorial giants, supplying talent for brands such as Tom Ford, Loewe, Bottega Veneta, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar, among others.
Image credits: Vogue / YouTube
Wilhelmina regularly works with Vogue Magazine, which also happens to be helmed by Anna Wintour, the Met Gala’s long-time organizer and “fashion gatekeeper.”
As Overland’s identity became known, Netizens soon started sharing his profile on social media, with comments flooding his Instagram specifically mentioning his sudden burst of viral fame.
“Who’s here after seeing Lana’s pic and doing a little stalking?” one user wrote on his latest photo. “Me! He’s so hot,” another replied.
Image credits: Mike Coppola / Getty Images
Though Overland’s role at the Met Gala appeared to be purely logistical or atmospheric, the viral response to his presence raised questions about how such attention could impact a model’s career—especially given the precedent set by another now-viral Met Gala moment that ended far less favorably for the man involved.
Overland's situation is eerily similar to a model who got "fired" from last year's Met Gala
Image credits: davidefinitely
As Bored Panda reported last year, Italian model Eugenio Casnighi, who had worked as a “greeter” for the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Met Gala, went viral after walking beside Kylie Jenner on the red carpet.
Mirroring Overland’s situation with Lana Del Rey, his appearance drew millions of views online from netizens obsessing over his looks, with many joking that he had “upstaged” the billionaire socialite.
Image credits: Mike Coppola / Getty Images
Days before the 2024 Met Gala, Casnighi took to social media to reveal that he had been “fired” from that year’s event.
Image credits: DannyWxo
“They fired me because I went viral last year,” the model claimed in a TikTok video that amassed over 2.8 million views at the time. “I’ve never talked about this because I was under NDA,” he explained. “It’s funny enough, they fired me so I can say whatever I want now.”
Image credits: nathan_overland / Instagram
According to Casnighi, he was dismissed because organizers thought he made the event “all about himself,” taking the spotlight away from the Kardashian guest.
In his mind, his firing revealed a contradiction in the Met Gala’s choice of models, who are hired to be eye-catching and provide an aura of glamour to the event.
The Met Gala allegedly forbids models from promoting their participation in the event on social media
Casnighi’s exposé included screenshots of texts and emails from before he was abruptly cut from the event, which detailed stricter terms for that year’s Met Gala when compared to its previous iterations.
Image credits: nathan_overland / Instagram
Among the new conditions for models were no personal photos, no phones, and a complete media blackout, which forbids them from promoting their participation in the event on their personal social media profiles.
Image credits: nathan_overland / Instagram
This explains why Nathan Overland has maintained a low-profile on his Instagram page, making zero references to his Met Gala gig, save an Instagram story which tagged a Lana Del Rey song—a fact that internet sleuths quickly identified.
Image credits: eugeni0_ / Instagram
“They blamed me,” Casnighi continued, expressing disappointment at what he saw as a punitive reaction to simply being noticed, and frustration at his career being derailed by forces he had no control over.
Image credits: eugeni0_ / TikTok
The parallels between Eugenio Casnighi and Nathan Overland haven’t gone unnoticed. While this year’s standout model is being showered with admiration—and explicit remarks—across platforms, some have cautioned that the viral attention may come at a cost.
“This happened already and the guy got fired,” one user warned. “Let’s not get him in trouble.”
"Don't get him fired too!" While many gushed over the model, others feared that history might be repeating itself
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