Why Hugh Jackman Checked With Ryan Reynolds Before Fixing Blake Lively’s Met Gala Dress

Hugh Jackman did the most Hugh Jackman thing at the Met Gala: he quietly helped Blake Lively with a dress hiccup and still paused to mentally ask Ryan Reynolds for the OK. Meanwhile, Lively had her own headline running in the background: the long, messy legal fight over their 2024 movie It Ends With Us finally reached a settlement. Two stories, one carpet.

The Met moment: Jackman, a hook, and a quick mental check with Reynolds

On Wednesday, May 6, during an appearance on Today With Jenna & Sheinelle, Jackman, 57, told a very polite little backstage tale from the 2026 Met Gala. Lively, 38, asked him to help with her dress because she thought there was a rogue hook involved. Jackman said he helped — but in his words, he first sent a quick silent ping to her husband, Ryan Reynolds, 49: basically, "Ryan, is this cool? Are we good?"

Reynolds didn’t attend the Met on Monday, May 4, but the mental courtesy call tracks. Also worth noting: Jackman and Reynolds are Deadpool & Wolverine costars, which adds a nice extra layer to the gentlemanly bit.

Jackman’s date: yes, that was Sutton Foster

Jackman hit the Met steps with Sutton Foster. The two went public in January 2025 after splitting from their respective spouses, Deborra-Lee Furness and Ted Griffin. If you did a double take seeing them together, you weren’t alone — it’s one of those industry pairings that still surprises people on red carpets.

Meanwhile, Lively’s It Ends With Us case settles hours before the carpet

Lively walked the event solo just after news broke that she and director/producer Justin Baldoni had settled their contentious legal battle tied to the 2024 film. In a joint statement via their attorneys on Monday, they tried to put the focus back on the movie’s intended impact:

"The end product — the movie It Ends With Us — is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind. We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online."

Two days later, on Thursday, May 7, Lively filed a notice of settlement in court. In it, she asked for damages to cover her attorneys’ fees and costs, along with compensatory and punitive damages. Translation: they told the court a deal is done, and she’s seeking money tied to the case.

And then both sides declared victory, as one does

Lively’s camp called it a sweeping win. Her attorneys said:

"This settlement is a resounding victory for Blake Lively. By agreeing to this settlement, and waiving their right to appeal, Justin Baldoni and every individual defendant now face personal liability for abusing the legal system to silence and intimidate Ms. Lively. And by admitting that Ms. Lively’s concerns 'deserved to be heard,' the defendants have ended once and for all the fiction that Ms. Lively 'fabricated' claims of sexual harassment and retaliation."

On the other side, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman also planted a flag, pointing to earlier rulings that knocked out most of the case:

"Let’s be clear, this is a win and total victory for the Wayfarer parties. The court had already dismissed 10 of Ms. Lively’s 13 claims, including every sexual harassment claim, every defamation claim, and all claims against the individual defendants. Ms. Lively voluntarily dismissed the rest. In our view, they settled because they knew they were going to lose in court. All that remains is a pending request for fees based on a very narrow issue that has been with the court since September 2025."

So, yes — classic post-settlement split-screen: both sides claiming the W. The practical takeaway is the fight ends, the movie remains, and the court still has to sort out a fees issue that has been hanging around since late 2025.

Quick timeline

• Mon, May 4, 2026: Met Gala at the Met in NYC. Blake Lively attends solo; Hugh Jackman arrives with Sutton Foster.
• Mon, May 4, 2026: Lively and Justin Baldoni announce a settlement over the It Ends With Us legal battle via a joint attorney statement.
• Wed, May 6, 2026: Jackman tells the dress-fixing story on Today With Jenna & Sheinelle, complete with his mental "Ryan, is this cool?" check.
• Thu, May 7, 2026: Lively files a notice of settlement seeking attorneys’ fees, costs, and compensatory and punitive damages; both sides issue victory-lap statements.