A jaw-dropping red carpet moment unfolded at the Met Gala 2026 as Blake Lively made a surprise return, just hours after settling a nearly two-year-long legal feud with her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni.
The unexpected appearance on Monday, May 4, marked Lively’s first Met Gala outing since 2022, and while fans were initially stunned by her last-minute arrival, the mood online quickly shifted.
Many questioned the timing, with some even arguing that Justin, not Blake, should have been the one walking the iconic steps in the aftermath of their bitter legal battle.
One netizen fumed, “Wow. That’s some front, isn’t it? Straight back out there trying to undo the damage to her career.”
Blake Lively made a last-minute return to the Met Gala 2026 shortly after settling a multimillion-dollar lawsuit with Justin Baldoni
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On Monday, just hours before the iconic event, news broke that Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni had reached a last-minute settlement, just two weeks before their trial was set to begin on May 18.
The agreement ended their legal battle over breach of contract, alleged reputational harm, and claims of aiding and abetting retaliation, as outlined in Lively’s lawsuit.
It followed a key ruling in April 2026, in which a judge dismissed 10 of Lively’s 13 claims, including allegations of s*xual harassment, citing her status as an independent contractor rather than an employee.
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While the specific financial terms of the agreement were not publicly disclosed, attorneys for both parties released a reconciliatory joint statement the same day.
The statement read, “The end product — the movie It Ends With Us — is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind.”
“We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.”
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It concluded, “It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”
Just hours later, the Gossip Girl alum turned heads at the star-studded event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Lively’s look for the evening, themed “Costume Art,” featured several personalized and archival elements, as she stepped out in an archival Atelier Versace gown from the Spring 2006 collection.
It marked the 38-year-old star’s return to the fashion gala after a four-year hiatus, with her last appearance in 2022 as a co-chair
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The pastel-toned dress featured a newly added 13-foot train, paired with a custom Judith Leiber bag showcasing original watercolor artwork by her and Ryan Reynolds’ four children, along with custom Lorraine Schwartz jewelry, including a 30-carat yellow diamond ring.
The dress also featured a draped bodice and four three-dimensional structures at the hips, reportedly inspired by 18th-century Venetian Rococo architecture.
Blake attended the event solo, without her husband, which was widely seen as a notable public statement given the timing.
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However, online reactions were brutal. Instead of celebrating her interpretation of the theme or her return to the event, the internet quickly turned critical.
One netizen bluntly wrote, “Eewwww she shouldn’t have gone to the Met after settling the disgraceful court case.”
Another added, “Trying to prove she’s still liked.. you’re not,” while a third commented, “Awful dress and a big mistake going to the Met Gala. Worse mistake is Met Gala even inviting her.”
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One person questioned, “Seriously who does this? Settles a sham legal dispute so she can go to the Met Gala. We see you Blake, we all see you.”
Others expressed, “She settled hr case before showing up at the Met Gala…what a vile human…she made Justin’s life hell while all she cares about is fashion and her sh*tty products.”
“Never again can I admire this woman. I used to love what she was wearing at the Met. Now all I see is the ugliness inside her,” one user wrote
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“The audacity to even attend.. after all the lies she spread and tried to destroy the life of a innocent man.. Disgusting!” another harsh comment read.
“Such a narcissist begging for a comeback that’s never gonna happen she needs to locked up.”
While social media users have been largely displeased with her attendance, Blake called the opportunity an “honor” and expressed her gratitude during a red-carpet interview with Vogue.
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She told the outlet, “It’s an honor to attend with Donatella, one that I don’t take lightly. I haven’t been since giving birth to my fourth child. Every year I am a different version of myself than the last…”
“So to be able to stand in the version of myself that I am today—and all the experiences I‘ve had—in strength and confidence is important to me. So is staying home on the couch with my kids in pajamas: Getting to do both, is an honor I will never stop being grateful for.”
Lively’s Met appearance sparked brutal online reactions, with many labeling her attendance “disgusting” due to the now-settled lawsuit
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For her last Met Gala appearance in 2022, Blake wore a custom Atelier Versace gown that became one of the most iconic “reveals” in the event’s history.
The dress was a literal interpretation of the year’s “Gilded Glamour” theme, designed to mimic the Statue of Liberty’s oxidation process.
She arrived in a shimmering, beaded rose-gold gown wrapped in an oversized copper satin bow.
Halfway up the Met steps, assistants unraveled the bow to reveal a massive turquoise-blue train, mirroring the Statue of Liberty’s transformation from shiny copper to its current verdigris patina.
To complete the transformation, she removed her copper opera gloves to reveal matching turquoise ones underneath.
Another notable detail was the tiara, which featured seven spikes representing the seven seas and seven continents, just like the Statue of Liberty’s crown.
“We need to know who she bullied at the met gala,” wrote one suspicious netizen, questioning Blake’s invite
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