Blake Lively made one of the most charged entrances to the 2026 Met Gala on Monday night, walking the red carpet in high spirits just hours after announcing a settlement in her long-running legal dispute with Justin Baldoni.
The actress, 37, arrived in an archive Versace dress from 2006, which she described to Vogue on the rug as inspired by “a sunrise and a sunset and watercolor.”
She carried a Judith Leiber bag featuring artwork created by her and Ryan Reynolds’ four children, a personal touch that attracted instant attention.
The timing was striking.
Earlier Monday, Lively and Baldoni released a joint statement confirming their legal battle was over, and the trial scheduled for May 18 has now been set aside.
“The end product, the film It ends with us, is a source of pride for all of us who worked to bring it to life,” both sides said in a statement obtained by Page six.
“Raising awareness and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors and all survivors is a goal we stand behind.”
The statement also acknowledged that “the process presented challenges” and that “concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard.”
Both parties said they remained committed to workplaces free of impropriety and expressed hope that the settlement would allow all involved to “move forward constructively and peacefully.”
Lively had filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024 alleging sexual harassment and retaliation during the creation of It ends with usand is seeking about $161 million in damages.
Baldoni denied the allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit, which was thrown out in June 2025.
A federal judge then dismissed ten of Lively’s thirteen claims in April, including the sexual harassment charge, which was dismissed on legal technicalities related to her status as an independent contractor rather than an employee.
The remaining allegations of breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting retaliation were what the case had been heading towards.
