Anne Hathaway is currently facing a wave of online criticism after being photographed alongside Blake Lively at the Met Gala, an event known for its celebrity-filled ambiance.
Lively’s unexpected appearance at the annual gala, hosted at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, came shortly after she resolved a high-profile legal dispute with her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.
Following her ascent up the famed Met steps in a vibrant Atelier Versace creation, Lively was spotted engaging with Hathaway inside the museum.
Variety shared an image on X (previously known as Twitter) on Tuesday morning, capturing Lively’s radiant smile as she placed a spray-tanned arm around Hathaway’s shoulders.
The post quickly sparked discussion, with fans criticizing Hathaway for her friendly interaction with Lively. The latter’s allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against Baldoni have polarized public opinion since she brought them to light in December 2024.
One user on X exclaimed, “Steer clear of her, Anne! She might sue you,” while another remarked, “Disappointing. I thought Anne was trying to win back public favor?”
Anne Hathaway is facing fervent online backlash over photos of her posing with Blake Lively at Monday’s star-studded Met Gala
‘Wow. Shame on Anne,’ penned one disappointed fan.
Appearing to refer to Lively as a ‘bully and liar’, another X user wrote: ‘We have lost all respect for Anne Hathaway for posing with Hollywood’s biggest bully and liar.’
Several people threatened to boycott seeing The Devil Wears Prada 2 in theaters because Hathaway ‘ruined’ the film by associating 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. Where are those industrial strength garbage bags?,’ one brutal tweet read.
Some fans accused Lively of using Hathaway for ‘clout’ due to the actress’s boost in popularity amid the release of the The Devil Wears Prada sequel.
Others jokingly speculated Hathaway was being held ‘hostage’ by Lively and that the photo must have been taken against her will.
‘Poor Anne couldn’t avoid her in time…,’ one commenter penned, with another adding: ‘Blake will grab anyone who will stand with her!!!’
Based on photos currently available from the 2026 gala, Hathaway was just one of three people who spent time with Lively at the event.
A photo of Lively flashing a beaming smile with one perfectly spray tanned arm wrapped around Hathaway’s shoulders was posted by Variety to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday morning
The post quickly gained traction as fans scolded Hathaway for cozying up to Lively
Lively and Hathaway were also seen with designer Michael Kors (R) and his husband Lance LePere (L) at the 2026 gala
Designer Michael Kors, who created Hathaway’s custom, hand-painted gown, and his husband Lance LePere agreed to pose for a photo with Lively inside the museum, along with Hathaway.
Most images of Lively at the Met Gala were of her bombshell red carpet return, which came as a surprise to many fans tuning into the event from home via Vogue’s livestream.
The appearance came as she finally reached a settlement with Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, as well as his PR agency, over claims of retaliation and breach of contract related to their 2024 movie, It Ends With Us.
Lively gave no hint of the off-screen drama as she appeared completely unbothered in a show-stopping archival Atelier Versace gown from the brand’s Spring 2006 collection.
However, in a red carpet interview, the Gossip Girl star claimed she was ‘shy’ and wished she could have her and husband Ryan Reynolds’s four kids accompany her.
‘I’m shy, I just like to have my kids with me,’ Lively said, revealing her custom-made handbag featured watercolor drawings by each of her offspring: James, 11, Inez, nine, Betty, six, and Olin, three.
Her interview came shortly after a joint statement from Lively and Baldoni’s teams about the lawsuit settlement was released to the public.
They said It Ends With Us remained a ‘source of pride’ to all who worked to bring it to life and emphasized its mission to raise awareness for domestic violence survivors.
Lively made a shocking appearance at the annual soiree, held at NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, just hours after settling her explosive legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star/director Justin Baldoni
The Gossip Girl star looked totally unbothered as she climbed the Met’s iconic staircase in a colorful Atelier Versace gown
Meanwhile, Hathaway attended the starry soiree in a custom, hand-painted Michael Kors gown
‘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,’ they added.
The statement did not include an apology from either party, who have been locked in a messy court battle since December 2024, when Lively first launched her multimillion-dollar suit.
Instead, Baldoni and Lively’s teams 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.’
Wayfarer, It Ends With Us Movie LLC, and The Agency Group (TAG PR) are said to be ecstatic at the way in which this matter was resolved.
The surprise settlement comes after a judge last month sensationally gutted Lively’s case, dismissing ten of her 13 claims, including all of the sexual harassment allegations.
The trial was still due to kick off on May 18, but covering only three counts: retaliation, aiding and abetting retaliation, and breach of an agreement, known as the Contract Rider.
The ruling also meant that Baldoni was no longer a named defendant in the case.
On Monday, Lively finally reached a settlement with Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, as well as his PR agency, over claims of retaliation and breach of contract relating to 2024 movie It Ends With Us
Instead, Wayfarer, along with the company he set up to make It Ends With Us and TAG PR, was due to go on trial for the alleged ‘smear campaign’ against Lively. It denied the claims.
Baldoni and Wayfarer had countersued Lively and Reynolds for $400 million, accusing them of defamation and extortion. The judge dismissed the claims last June.
It Ends With Us, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel that begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into domestic violence, was released in August 2024.
The film exceeded box office expectations with a $50 million debut.
