Blake Lively’s Met Gala photo with Anne Hathaway triggers backlash as critics slam the actress hours after legal settlement. The Fans Slam Anne Hathaway After ‘Gross’ Photo With Blake Lively first appeared on The Blast

Blake Lively’s surprise Met Gala appearance may have been intended as a comeback moment, but the actress quickly found herself at the center of another online storm. 

Just hours after settling her legal fight connected to “It Ends With Us,” the movie star was photographed inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art laughing alongside Anne Hathaway. 

The image immediately exploded across social media, with critics accusing Hathaway of aligning herself with a celebrity many internet users still fiercely debate following Lively’s ugly courtroom clash with Justin Baldoni.

Blake Lively Sparks Fury After Cozy Met Gala Photo

Blake Lively made one of the night’s biggest headlines after returning to the Met Gala in dramatic fashion on Monday evening. 

The “Gossip Girl” star arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art wearing a colorful archival Atelier Versace gown from the designer’s Spring 2006 collection. 

After posing on the famous staircase, Lively later mingled with guests inside the event, where photographers captured her standing arm-in-arm with Anne Hathaway.

The photo, later shared on X, showed Lively smiling brightly while wrapping one spray-tanned arm around Hathaway’s shoulders. 

The image quickly spread online, but instead of celebrating the interaction, many social media users turned their attention toward Hathaway.

“Get away from her Anne! She’ll sue you,” one X user wrote per the Daily Mail after the image went viral. Another critic added, “Gross. Thought Anne was working on making the public like her again?”

Lively’s Critics Target Hathaway Online

Blake Lively’s critics continued flooding social media after the Met Gala photo surfaced, with many users openly mocking Anne Hathaway for smiling beside the actress.

“Wow. Shame on Anne,” one disappointed fan posted online. Another person referred to Lively as a “bully and liar” while attacking Hathaway directly. 

“We have lost all respect for Anne Hathaway for posing with Hollywood’s biggest bully and liar,” the post read.

Some commenters even joked they would rather avoid seeing “The Devil Wears Prada 2” entirely after spotting Hathaway with Lively.

“Perfect timing for this photo of Anne Hathaway smiling with Blake Lively! Was just trying to decide between going to see The Devil Wears Prada 2 or cleaning out the gutters this weekend,” one brutal comment stated.

Other users accused Lively of attaching herself to Hathaway because of the excitement surrounding the upcoming sequel. Meanwhile, several fans joked that Hathaway looked trapped in the moment.

“Poor Anne couldn’t avoid her in time…,” one commenter joked. Another added, “Blake will grab anyone who will stand with her!!!”

Blake Lively Only Appeared With A Few Celebrities Inside Event

Lively’s appearance inside the Met Gala reportedly included only a small circle of celebrity interactions based on available event photos. 

Hathaway was among just a few stars publicly photographed spending time with the actress during the evening.

Designer Michael Kors and his husband, Lance LePere, also posed with Lively and Hathaway inside the museum. 

At the event, Lively gave little indication that she had spent months locked in an exhausting courtroom war. 

During a red carpet interview, the actress instead focused on her family and revealed why she carried a custom Judith Leiber handbag designed with watercolor drawings by her children.

“I’m shy, I just like to have my kids with me,” Lively explained. The bag featured artwork from her four children with Ryan Reynolds, James, Inez, Betty, and Olin.

Lively’s Legal Fight With Justin Baldoni Finally Settled

Blake Lively’s Met Gala appearance came shortly after both sides involved in the “It Ends With Us” legal war released a public statement announcing a settlement.

The agreement resolved claims tied to retaliation and breach of contract involving Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, and his PR agency.

In the statement, both sides described “It Ends With Us” as a “source of pride” for everyone involved in the movie.

“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,” the statement added.

The message did not include an apology from either side. Instead, both parties said it was their “sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.” 

The settlement followed months of bitter courtroom fighting after Lively first sued Baldoni in December 2024.

Blake Lively’s Court Battle Took Multiple Dramatic Turns

Blake Lively’s legal war with Justin Baldoni changed several times before the final settlement was reached. 

Last month, a judge dismissed ten of Lively’s 13 claims, including all allegations tied to sexual harassment.

The remaining trial was still scheduled to begin on May 18 and would have focused on retaliation-related accusations and breach-of-agreement claims. The ruling also removed Baldoni himself as a named defendant.

Instead, the legal fight centered on Wayfarer, the company tied to the production of “It Ends With Us,” along with TAG PR. The companies denied claims, accusing them of orchestrating a smear campaign against Lively.

Baldoni and Wayfarer had also previously filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively and Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion before those claims were dismissed last June.

Despite the controversy surrounding the film, “It Ends With Us” still became a box office success after its August 2024 release. 

The adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel opened to an impressive $50 million debut while sparking major conversation online and throughout Hollywood.

The Fans Slam Anne Hathaway After ‘Gross’ Photo With Blake Lively first appeared on The Blast