Anne Hathaway is facing a wave of online backlash after she was pictured cozying up to Blake Lively at the 2026 Met Gala.
The dispute broke out after a photo, posted by Black showed Lively with her arm around a smiling Hathaway inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday morning.
Fans were quick to lash out The Devil Wears Prada star for the association, especially since Lively’s bombshell performance came hours after she settled a highly divisive and explosive legal battle with her It ends with us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.
Reaction on social media has been swift and brutal, with many fans expressing deep disappointment in Hathaway.
One X user urged the actress to get away from Lively before she was sued, while others questioned why Hathaway would risk her hard-won public popularity by posing with someone many have called a “thug.”
The anger has even spilled over into calls for a boycott of Hathaway’s latest film, The Devil Wears Prada 2with some disgruntled viewers claiming she ruined the film’s release by associating with Lively.
Lively’s presence at the star-studded event was a big surprise for those who followed Vogue livestream as it marked her first public outing since the conclusion of her trial.
The legal drama, which began in December 2024, saw Lively accuse Baldoni and his production company of sexual harassment and retaliation.
However, a judge recently dismissed the majority of her claims, including all allegations of sexual harassment, and left the two parties to settle the remaining allegations of breach of contract and retaliation out of court on Monday.
Despite the heavy atmosphere surrounding her legal troubles, Lively appeared completely at ease on the night, wearing a colorful 2006 Atelier Versace archive dress.
The settlement between Lively and Baldoni was framed by their legal teams as a way to find closure and move forward in peace, but public reaction to the Met Gala snap suggests a “respectful environment online” is still a long way off.
While the movie It ends with us was a box office hit in 2024, the off-screen friction clearly continues to shadow those involved.
For Hathaway, what was likely intended as a simple social moment has turned into a major PR headache as fans continue to slam the actress for her choice of company on fashion’s biggest night.
