How ‘shy’ Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ 4 kids were involved with mom’s Met Gala comeback

Blake Lively made her grand comeback at the Met Gala on May 4, a surprise turn of events given the news that broke just hours prior.

Earlier in the day, the actress, 38, had finally settled her legal dispute with It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni, ending a saga that lasted a year and a half long.

For the first time since 2022, Blake attended the famed “biggest night in fashion,” which bore the dress code “Fashion is Art” for 2026, dressed in an opulent pastel dream archival Versace gown.

The princess-style ball gown featured cascading ruffles in several shades of peach, yellow and purple, with a crystal-encrusted bodice, and a magnificent train behind her.

Keeping her family close

She accessorized primarily with a rhinestone Judith Leiber clutch, one that was made all the more special, however, by the involvement of her four kids with husband Ryan Reynolds.

Ryan and Blake share daughters James, Inez and Betty, plus son Olin, all of whom drew on the clutch, another form of art that Blake was able to bring with her to the Gala, as a means to keep her family close.

“Having my babies with me through each of their sweet paintings on my Judith Leiber clutch was the dream and my ultimate comfort,” the mom-of-four penned alongside a clip of herself from the carpet, shared on her Instagram Stories.

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Also assisting her on the carpet, in fact, was model William Blake, who happens to be the A Simple Favor star’s cousin, who was one of the entourage carrying her train down the carpet.

Blake’s return to the Met

Blake has been a fixture of the Met Gala for years, having attended 11 times over the years. Her last appearance on the Met steps was back in 2022, before she’d welcomed her son.

She told Vogue of her decision to attend: “It’s an honor to attend with Donatella, one that I don’t take lightly. I haven’t been since giving birth to my fourth child.”

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“Every year I am a different version of myself than the last, so to be able to stand in the version of myself that I am today – and all the experiences I’ve had – in strength and confidence is important to me,” Blake continued. “So is staying home on the couch with my kids in pajamas. Getting to do both is an honor I will never stop being grateful for.”

Her Versace gown

The Gossip Girl actress also spoke specifically about how choosing the archival piece from the brand’s 2006 spring collection fit into the theme of the Gala, which she says is inspired by 18th century Venetian Rococo paintings.

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“Because the theme is based in art, I wanted to wear an archival piece,” she explained. “Clothing really is a canvas, and it tells a story, so to be able to pull from a piece that has its own history, and has stood the test of time, felt special.”

She also noted of her kids’ involvement: “My kids each painted a watercolor painting. Each of my four kids did this, so I have them with me, because I’m shy too, so I just like to have the kids with me. Isn’t that special?” joking, “I probably could have fit them under my dress, to be honest. I should have snuck them under there.”