Blake Lively made a splashy return to the spotlight on Monday night by stepping out on the red carpet at the Met Gala just hours after it was announced she reached a settlement in her case against Justin Baldoni. A pretty epic way to prove she DGAF what anyone thinks of her or her legal drama!
Unfortunately, her It Ends With Us controversy may be over, but some of the hits to her reputation she experienced during the brutal battle are still haunting her — specifically, that rumored mean girl reputation!
Related: Blake Lively’s Settlement With Justin Baldoni — Who Came Out The Winner $$ Wise??
While on the carpet at the Met Museum, the Gossip Girl star was caught on camera trying to navigate the steps in her archival Atelier Versace gown. She was all smiles until she had to turn around and correct the men helping carry her train, including her cousin William McAlpin. In a now-viral Instagram video, she’s seen pausing and holding up her hand at one of the men, giving them some instructions, before carrying on. This simple and very quick interaction is now dividing the internet!
First, take a look at the blink and you’ll miss it moment:
View this post on Instagram
Reacting, some users argued she was rudely “bossing everyone around” with her “mean girl energy,” complaining:
“The mask slipped and then she was nice
”
“Naturally, Blake doesn’t just want to wear the dress – she wants to produce and direct it as well.”
“Yeah, that’s about right. Blake lively bossing people around. Why is she even at that event? Isn’t she hated by now?”
“Tone deaf and entitled”
“The dress said couture the energy said I’ll sue you”
“Is she always so high maintenance?”
YIKES!
She had plenty of defenders, though, who chimed in:
“It looks to me like she’s instructing the people who are hired to assist celebrities on the carpet how to help or not help with her dress. Not mean or bossy just delegating like a boss.”
“Misogyny in this comment section is disappointing. A woman can give orders and not be mean about it.”
“Baldoni still paying this pr team to trash Blake online I see”
“Im so confused she’s kindly (with a smile) directing the people that she pays to do a job that she pays them to do”
“this is a totally polite interaction you guys are insane”
“Everyone has so much hate for Blake
“pov: a woman still acting twice as nice as any average man in her position would and then being hated for it”
“Another Baldoni social media smear campaign. Love all the bots in the comments.”
if you had a custom dress made for you… you’re gonna tell him the effin’ proper way it needs to be displayed! Let the art in this masterpiece show and shine!
”Calling out all the trolls, another person joked:
“Y’all would have been BUSY in salem”
LMFAO!
FWIW, despite the interesting timing of her public appearance, an insider close to the actress told TMZ on Tuesday that for weeks she’s been planning to attend the luxury event. She was invited by Anna Wintour herself! Even if she hadn’t reached a settlement, she still intended to hit the carpet.
As for why her husband Ryan Reynolds wasn’t by her side for the night, sources said he simply doesn’t always go to the gala, and they often attend other events separately. Instead, Ryan was at home with the kids since he was just traveling for screenings of his new John Candy doc, I Like Me.
When Vogue asked Blake how she was feeling about the night, she gushed:
“Every year I am a different version of myself than the last, so to be able to stand here in the version of myself that I am today — and all the experiences I’ve had — and strength and confidence is important to me.”
Think she deserves to be called out for this “bossy” behavior? Or is the internet overreacting?!
