Blake Lively made a poignant return to the Met Gala on Monday, just hours after reaching a settlement in her legal dispute with Justin Baldoni. The actress, 38, wore a vintage Atelier Versace gown from the Spring 2006 collection, but the real showstopper was her Judith Leiber clutch bag, adorned with watercolour paintings by her four children: James, 11, Inez, nine, Betty, six, and Olin, three.
Sharing a video of her look on Instagram, Lively wrote: 'Having my babies with me through each of their sweet paintings on my @judithleiberny clutch was the dream and my ultimate comfort.' On the red carpet, she added: 'I'm shy, I just like to have my kids with me.'
The surprise appearance came after a joint statement from Lively and Baldoni's teams confirmed the settlement. The statement noted that the film 'It Ends With Us' remained a 'source of pride' and emphasised its mission to raise awareness for domestic violence survivors. It added: 'We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognise concerns raised by Ms Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.'
No apology was included, but both parties expressed hope that the resolution would 'bring closure and allow all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.'
The legal battle began in December 2024 when Lively filed a multimillion-dollar suit alleging retaliation and breach of contract. A judge later dismissed 10 of her 13 claims, including all sexual harassment allegations, leaving only three counts for trial, which was set to begin May 18. Baldoni was removed as a named defendant, with the case proceeding against Wayfarer Studios, the production company, and TAG PR.
Baldoni and Wayfarer had countersued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for $400 million, alleging defamation and extortion, but those claims were dismissed last June. In pre-trial hearings, Lively's attorneys argued she lost tens of millions in endorsements and earnings, while Wayfarer's lawyers dismissed these figures as inflated and pointed to Lively's own business failures, such as her non-alcoholic drinks line Betty Buzz.
Despite the legal turmoil, Lively has been a regular at the Met Gala, known for bold Versace looks. Her 2022 gown inspired by the Statue of Liberty transformed on the carpet, and in 2018 she wore a red-and-gold design for the Heavenly Bodies theme.
The settlement brought an end to a bitter dispute that highlighted tensions on the set of 'It Ends With Us,' an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel about domestic violence. The film exceeded box office expectations with a $50 million debut in August 2024.
