Blake Lively's surprise Met Gala appearance was the perfect post-Baldoni comeback, PR expert says Blake Lively at the 2026 Met Gala. Taylor Hill/Getty Images Blake Lively made a surprise appearance at the Met Gala on Monday as a guest of Versace. Hours earlier, Lively and Justin Baldoni said they reached a settlement, ending their legal battle. The Met Gala offered the perfect stage for Lively to re-assert her place in Hollywood's upper echelon. When Blake Lively materialized at the Met Gala on Monday , it felt like a scene straight out of "Gossip Girl": Here was a formerly beloved and banished socialite, returning to the fray to salvage her status. Watching the red carpet livestream, one could almost hear a collective gasp from the crowd when she appeared, a 13-foot train of pastel fabric trailing her every move. It was the best reaction that Lively's PR team could have hoped for.…