TikTok Star Haylee Baylee Faces Backlash Over ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ Video at Met Gala

TikTok star Haylee Baylee receives backlash for using “let them eat cake” audio from Marie Antoinette film at Met Gala 2024.

TikTok star Haylee Baylee, also known as Haley Kalil, has recently come under fire for a video she posted from the 2024 Met Gala. The clip, which features Baylee lip-syncing to a famous line from Kristen Dunst’s 2006 film, “Marie Antoinette,” has sparked controversy and drawn criticism from viewers.

In a video posted on May 6, Baylee appeared in full Met Gala attire, adorned with a floral headdress and doll-like makeup, lip-syncing to the famous line from Kristen Dunst’s 2006 film, Marie Antoinette: “Let them eat cake.”

The clip quickly went viral, amassing over 16 million views within two days. However, rather than receiving praise, Haylee Baylee faced backlash from viewers who found her choice of audio tone-deaf and inappropriate given the current socio-economic climate.

@haleyybaylee MET GALA 2024 WHAT IS MY LIFE 😭🥹🥹 gown by @Marc Bouwer 🙇‍♀️ @E! News @E! Entertainment #MetGala2024 #livefromE ♬ Let Them Eat Cake – vibeyvidz

Comments flooded in, with users likening the scene to something out of the dystopian Hunger Games series and expressing discomfort with the video’s implications. Some criticized the perceived insensitivity of using a line associated with disregard for the suffering of others, particularly amid rising gas prices and inflation in the United States.

The phrase “let them eat cake” is traditionally attributed to Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, who allegedly uttered it upon learning that her subjects had no bread to eat. However, historians have debated its authenticity, noting its earlier appearance in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions, published before Antoinette’s reign.

Despite the controversy surrounding her video, Haylee Baylee celebrated reaching 10 million followers on TikTok, a milestone that brought her to tears. However, the backlash serves as a reminder of the importance of cultural sensitivity and awareness, especially when addressing historical references with potential socio-political implications.

Haylee Baylee’s experience at the Met Gala demonstrates the power and pitfalls of social media influence, highlighting the need for influencers to exercise caution and responsibility in their content creation, particularly when it intersects with sensitive issues and historical contexts.

@haleyybaylee

10 MILLION FAMILY MEMBERS HIIIIIII AHHHHHHHHH THIS IS SO INSANE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 THANK YOU MY LOVES

♬ original sound – haleyybaylee

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