Queen Latifah and Partner Eboni Nichols Make Rare Red Carpet Appearance at 2024 Met Gala

Queen Latifah made her Met Gala debut in style.

The Equalizer star, 54, attended the glamorous event for the first time on May 6, walking the red carpet alongside her partner Eboni Nichols, a dancer and choreographer.

Latifah, in a black-and-white Thom Browne outfit, and Nichols also did an interview together with La La Anthony for Vogue's official red carpet livestream.

When Anthony asked if strutting the famous staircase at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City was "what you thought it was gonna be," Latifah responded, "Eboni warned me a little bit."

"It was lovely," Nichols added of the experience. "It's just so exciting: all the cameras, everyone's screaming Dana's name. It's lovely." (Latifah was born Dana Owens.)

"I'm actually quite happy. This has been a wonderful experience, everything from top to bottom," said Latifah. "Thank you again, Thom Browne, for having us!"

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A year ago, in May 2023, Latifah and Nichols held hands on the red carpet at the amfAR Gala in France, which was hosted by Latifah and raised funds for the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

In 2022, Latifah told The Cut about balancing her work life and looking ahead to an adventure-filled retirement one day.

"There’s a big, beautiful world out there, and I don’t want to be the person who doesn’t know how to live without work," the artist, who has a son, said at the time. "I’m going to travel the world and spend more time with my family. We’re going places and doing things, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money."

"There’s a lot of beauty to see, and I have a lot of family members I don’t get to see enough, so there’s a lot to do."

See all of PEOPLE’s Star-Studded Met Gala Coverage in One Place!