Justin Baldoni Ally Slams Blake Lively’s ‘Contrived’ Met Gala Return After ‘It Ends With Us’ Settlement Drama
Just hours after news broke that Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni had settled their legal dispute, Lively appeared at the 2026 Met Gala in New York City. Her appearance quickly became a talking point online, and now one of Baldoni’s friends is publicly criticizing the timing of it.
Actor Adam Mondschein spoke to Page Six about the situation and did not hide his opinion. Mondschein, who appeared in It Ends With Us as Dr. Dunbar, said Lively’s red carpet appearance felt more like a public relations move than a genuine moment.
“If you could hear eyes roll,” Mondschein told the outlet when asked about Lively attending the event so soon after the settlement news became public.
He continued by saying he believes the appearance was meant to create the image that everything was back to normal after months of public drama between the two stars.
“I really do feel sorry for her, because I see those things as kind of desperate PR attempts to try to prove that everything is, I guess, their version of normal,” he said. “I don’t know, it just feels contrived. Orchestrated. It feels hollow.”
Mondschein also compared the moment to decorative holiday displays that look impressive on the outside but have nothing behind them.
“Growing up in New York City … I loved going to the city and seeing the Macy’s Day window displays for Christmas,” he explained to Page Six. “The presents that they had there were so shiny and wrapped and it was awesome. And there’s nothing in them.”
He added, “To me, that’s how it feels. It feels very hollow. It feels very empty.”
While Lively was attending one of fashion’s biggest nights, Mondschein said Baldoni spent the evening quietly with family and friends. According to him, the director and actor has also been recovering from a cold.
Mondschein became emotional while discussing the public backlash Baldoni has faced since the legal battle began in late 2024. Lively had previously accused her It Ends With Us co-star and director of sexual harassment and creating a toxic work environment on set. Baldoni denied the allegations.
“He’s a real person,” Mondschein said. “He’s out here experiencing all of this chaos like a human person would. And it’s insurmountable.”
He also defended Baldoni’s character and said people sometimes misunderstand him because of how openly emotional he can be.
“He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he’s legit. He’s the real deal,” Mondschein told Page Six. “That’s hard for people because it can come across cheesy at worst, but it’s hard in this industry for people to believe that someone has integrity, that someone really does care.”
Mondschein also praised Baldoni’s work outside of acting and directing, mentioning projects like the Man Enough podcast and the documentary series My Last Days.
“He uses whatever modicum of recognizability he has for good,” he said. “He really cares.”
Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement on May 4 after weeks of private negotiations. Sources told the outlet the agreement happened at the last minute after both sides were encouraged to avoid a lengthy public trial.
“They finally came to an agreement today. It was a last-minute deal,” one insider reportedly said. “The magistrate and the judge wanted to avoid this going to trial as it was going to be a long, drawn-out case, so they were encouraged to reach an agreement.”
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