Anne Hathaway is facing a wave of online backlash after being pictured cosying up to Blake Lively at the 2026 Met Gala.
The controversy erupted after a photo, posted by Variety on Tuesday morning, showed Lively with her arm around a smiling Hathaway inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Fans were quick to scold the Devil Wears Prada star for the association, particularly as Lively’s bombshell appearance came just hours after she settled a highly divisive and explosive legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.
The 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 labelled a “bully”.
The anger has even spilled over into calls for a boycott of Hathaway’s latest film, The Devil Wears Prada 2, with some disgruntled viewers claiming she has ruined the movie’s release by associating with Lively.
Lively’s presence at the star-studded event was a major surprise to those following the Vogue livestream, as it marked her first public outing since the conclusion of her lawsuit.
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 of the sexual harassment allegations, leaving the two parties to settle the remaining counts of breach of contract and retaliation out of court on Monday.
Despite the heavy atmosphere surrounding her legal woes, Lively appeared completely unbothered on the night, wearing a colourful archival Atelier Versace gown from 2006.
The settlement between Lively and Baldoni was framed by their legal teams as a way to find closure and move forward in peace, yet the public’s reaction to the Met Gala snap suggests that a “respectful environment online” remains a long way off.
While the film 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 significant PR headache, as fans continue to slam the actress for her choice of company on fashion’s biggest night.
