Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Will Not Attend 2025 Met Gala
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds will not be present at the highly anticipated 2025 Met Gala, Us Weekly has confirmed.
An insider, speaking exclusively to Us, revealed that Lively, 37, and Reynolds, 48, choosing to forgo the annual New York City fundraising event is consistent with their typical attendance patterns.
“She’s not a Kardashian who attends every year,” the source stated, emphasizing Lively’s selective participation.
Past Met Gala Appearances
The couple last walked the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art nearly three years ago. Notably, at the 2022 Met Gala, Lively and Reynolds served as co-chairs for the prestigious event, sharing emcee duties with Regina King and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Over the years, Lively and Reynolds have made sporadic appearances at fashion’s biggest night. Their Met Gala debut was in 2014, and they returned together in 2017. In 2018, Lively attended the event solo.
Legal Dispute with Justin Baldoni Looms Over Absence
The decision to skip this year’s gala occurs amidst Lively and Reynolds’ ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni. Lively and Baldoni acted together in It Ends With Us, which premiered last summer. However, their conflict publicly emerged in December 2024 when Lively initiated a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment on set and of launching a smear campaign against her. Baldoni has denied these accusations.
In January, Baldoni filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively, Reynolds, and Lively’s publicist, alleging defamation. The couple has refuted these allegations, and Lively’s publicist has requested to be dismissed from the lawsuit. Earlier this week, Reynolds and Lively each submitted motions to dismiss the countersuit.
Statements Regarding the Lawsuit
“The unfortunate truth is that Ms. Lively is not alone in facing a defamation lawsuit after speaking out about experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace,” Lively’s spokesperson stated to Us on Thursday, March 20. “This is precisely why California recently enacted AB 933, the Privileged Communications Incident of Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Act, codified as California civil code section 47.1. While Ms. Lively has endured significant hardship by speaking up and pursuing legal action, it is crucial for others to know that protections exist. This specific law expressly safeguards individuals from being silenced or financially devastated by defamation lawsuits for having the courage to speak out.”
Baldoni’s Lawyer Responds
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, addressed Lively’s motion to dismiss in a statement to Us.
“Ms. Lively’s recent attempt to remove herself from the self-inflicted crisis she instigated represents a deeply troubling misuse of our legal system. Stringent rules are in place to protect the innocent and ensure individuals can rightfully defend themselves,” Freedman asserted. “Laws are not intended to be manipulated and tailored by privileged elites to serve their personal agendas. As we stated yesterday in response to Mr. Reynolds’ equally cowardly actions, we will continue to hold Ms. Lively accountable for her malicious actions, including falsely accusing my clients of harassment and retaliation. Her fantastical claims will be promptly disproven as discovery progresses, readily contradicted by factual, evidentiary proof.”
Trial Date Set
Currently, the trial between Lively and Baldoni is scheduled for next year.