EXCLUSIVE Blake Lively and Megyn Kelly at war in epic red carpet showdown at TIME100 gala

Daily Mail​

28-04-2025

Blake Lively sparked a furious response from Megyn Kelly at the TIME100 all-star gala on Thursday night in New York City, following the actress' controversial inclusion on the publication's Most Influential People list.
The 37-year-old Another Simple Favor actress was joined by her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, though he wasn't included on the elite list, amid the ongoing scandal of her rift with It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni.
Kelly, who was also included on the list, took offense to Blake being included.
'She shouldn't be here,' she told Daily Mail on the red carpet.
Blake and Justin's legal feud remains red hot.
She has accused him of sexually harassing her on the set of their movie, It Ends With Us, while he and his fans say she has twisted the truth to paint him as the villain.
In the latest episode of the sordid saga, Lively is accused of colluding with his former publicist to leak his private text messages.
Kelly told Daily Mail Lively has 'bastardized' the Me Too movement in her quest to nail Baldoni to the cross.
'It's a ridiculous joke. She shouldn't be here,' she said of Blake.
'I think [Blake has] launched a fake Me Too allegation against [Justin], and she's lived to regret doing it, because virtually every allegation she has made has fallen apart,' Megyn added.
'So for her to be honored for doing that, to try to ruin a man over absolutely nothing, is a scandal.'
The subject is familiar turf for Megyn.
She famously went up against former Fox News giant Roger Ailes before his death in 2017.
Her experiences and those of other high-profile female anchors and reports at Fox were later dramatized in the 2019 film Bombshell, in which Charlize Theron played Megyn.
She believes TIME only nominated Blake to generate publicity, and said it was 'very wrong' of the magazine to lend its legitimacy to the controversial star.
She added some extra color to the look with Lorraine Schwartz Colombian emerald earrings, jade rings and emerald cuffs. She wore her long blond hair in thick waves that cascaded elegantly down her back
Megyn also joked to DailyMail.com that she wouldn't be making an effort to avoid Blake or Ryan, but she had a 'feeling she's going to be avoid me.'
As for the rumors of a feud between Blake and her Another Simple Favor costar Anna Kendrick, the conservative host was less concerned.
She added that even though Blake and Ryan have 'very powerful PR people and lawyers,' it's important to be 'clear-eyed' and to 'call out' claims when they aren't legitimate.
'Otherwise, no one who has actually experienced these things is going to be believed,' Megyn declared.
The Megyn Kelly show host ended the interview weighing in on Blake's bestie Taylor Swift being dragged into her lawsuit drama.
'I mean, look, either Taylor Swift is her dragon or she isn't. I don't know. That's what Blake Lively says, so I guess I have to take her at her word, even though I really shouldn't,' she insisted, referring to Blake's text message comparing herself to Khaleesi, the dragon-controlling queen played by Emilia Clarke on Game of Thrones.
'If I were Taylor, I'd speak out about it. Obviously, she's reportedly distanced herself from Blake Lively.' Megyn then proceeded to give the thumbs up.
While Blake was partying with the stars at the TIME100 Gala, Justin Baldoni's attorneys filed 14 new claims against his embattled former publicist Stephanie Jones.
They accused Jones of violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, breach of contract, defamation and fraud against former publicist Jennifer Abel.
The filings accused Jones, Abel's former boss, of snooping on Abel's company mobile phone for her private messages up until January of this year, then allegedly plotting with Lively to create a subpoena for a 'sham lawsuit' that would cover up that the messages were leaked.
She looked elegant in a flapper-inspired black dress with chevrons of black sequins, along with a sheer black section covering her chest and sleeves
In a shocking turn, Abel's filing also accused Jones of making 'bizarre' claims of supposed information about Abel to her staff, which she acquired based on 'psychic readings.'
'In one instance, Jones announced to Abel's subordinates that she had learned through psychic readings that Abel was an alcoholic and a gambling addict,' while Abel contended the claims had 'no basis in reality' and instead raised concerns about whether 'Jones was in the midst of a mental breakdown.'
In another incident, Jones allegedly said her psychic alerted her that Abel would become pregnant with twins, which humiliated and infuriated Abel, as she had told Jones she was dealing with fertility problems.
Jones' lawyers blasted the new claims as 'just distraction and noise' and 'a few debunked conspiracy theories' in a scathing statement to DailyMail.com on Thursday.
Blake arrived at the gala in a shimmering red off-the-shoulder Zuhair Murad gown that highlighted her cleavage and featured a modest train trailing behind her.
She added some extra color to the look with Lorraine Schwartz Colombian emerald earrings, jade rings and emerald cuffs. She wore her long blond hair in thick waves that cascaded elegantly down her back.
Ryan favored classic men's style with a black tuxedo and bow tie.
The Deadpool star posed for several photos together with his wife, but photographers at the event also wanted to snap some solo pictures of him.
In one awkward moment, TIME CEO Jessica Sibley struggled to explain why Blake had been included on the TIME100 and bizarrely said the actress was having 'a great year'
In one hilarious moment, photographers farther along the line begged him to move over to another backdrop by chanting his first name repeatedly and shouting that the other part of the backdrop was 'the Canada of the map,' a reference to his birth country, though he also gained American citizenship in 2018.
Blake even got in on the fun and clapped along with the photographers to get her husband to play along.
Joining the A-list couple on the red carpet was Blake's mother, Elaine Lively.
She looked elegant in a flapper-inspired black dress with chevrons of black sequins, along with a sheer black section covering her chest and sleeves.
In one awkward moment, TIME CEO Jessica Sibley struggled to explain why Blake had been included on the TIME100 list despite the controversy that has overwhelmed her and her film projects amid her ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni.
'I think she's having a great year,' she said bizarrely.
She said the magazine's goal was to be 'the humanities guide to trust in journalism,' adding that the magazine was 'excited to tell her story.'
Blake was one of the speakers inside the gala, and in her brief speech she appeared to allude to her accusations against Baldoni and their bitter legal back-and-forth.
She took a dramatic turn while paying tribute to her mother Elaine, who she said was a 'survivor of the worst crime someone can commit against a woman.' Blake said her mother found the strength to go on living after hearing a woman who faced similar circumstances on the radio
She gushed that it was 'surreal and deeply significant' for her to be honored 'in a time where the most valuable currency seems to be anger, it feels like an act of defiance to commune and celebrate all the good that is alive in the world,' according to People.
Blake added that it was a 'significant responsibility' to have the power of influence over others.
She reportedly reminded her fellow attendees that 'How we use that matters.
'Who and what we stand up for, and what we stay silent about, what we monetize versus what we actually live, matters,' she said.
'I have so much to say about the last two years of my life,' she said, seemingly alluding to her troubles with her costar, before declaring that the gala was 'not the forum' for those thoughts.
Instead, she chose to speak about 'the feeling of being a woman who has a voice today.'
She paid a special tribute to her mother Elaine, who she said was a 'survivor of the worst crime someone can commit against a woman.'
'My mom never got justice from her work acquaintance who attempted to take her life when she was the mother of three young kids years before I was born,' Blake continued.
The Avengers: Endgame star wore a rigid gold necklace with a small chain dangling down, and her dress featured a gold bar securing its ruched midriff. She added a splash of color with her scarlet nail polish
Comedian and in-demand awards-show host Nikki Glaser contrasted the somber all-black ensembles with a beige off-the-shoulder dress with a striking black belt tied just below her bust. She accessorized with a small black clutch and wore pointed black heels
She said it was only when her mother heard a woman speaking on the radio who had gone through a similarly abusive situation that she regained the strength to move on with her life.
'Because of hearing that woman speak about her experience instead of shutting down in fear and unfair shame, my mom is alive today,' Blake declared. 'She was saved by a woman whose name she'll never know.'
She ended her speech with thanks to all men 'who are kind and good when no one is watching,' which she said included her 'sweet husband,' Ryan.
Among the stunning A-listers at the event was Scarlett Johansson, who put on a busty display in a sleek black sleeveless halter dress that emphasized her hourglass figure.
The Avengers: Endgame star wore a rigid gold necklace with a small chain dangling down, and her dress featured a gold bar securing its ruched midriff.
Scarlett — who didn't appear to be joined by her husband, SNL writer and Weekend Update host Colin Jost — added a splash of color with her scarlet nail polish.
She was attending the gala amid concerns that her major new career move could be overshadowed by Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' ongoing drama, as Ryan is her ex-husband.
Demi Moore, 62, looked as glamorous as ever when she hit the red carpet. The Substance star arrived in a shimmering cream-colored satin dress with a matching sport coat draped over her shoulders.
She and Ed Sheeran were on the same page when it came to lightening up the event with their outfits. He opted for a striking pale pink suit that he dressed down with a white T-shirt
The Oscar nominee's bodice was covered in delicate ruching, and her long, rippling skirt reached down to the ground.
She wore her raven locks parted down the middle, and she added some sparkle with long, dangling diamond earrings.
Comedian and in-demand awards-show host Nikki Glaser contrasted the somber all-black ensembles with a beige off-the-shoulder dress with a striking black belt tied just below her bust.
She accessorized with a small black clutch and wore pointed black heels.
She and Ed Sheeran were on the same page when it came to lightening up the event with their outfits. He opted for a striking pale pink suit that he playfully dressed down with a white T-shirt.
The pop star complemented his suit with white Nike's featuring pink Swoosh logos.
Nicole Scherzinger set temperatures soaring in a low-cut black sequined gown with satin strips showcasing her cleavage.
Severance star Adam Scott opted for classic elegance with a well-tailored double-breasted black tuxedo that he wore open. He complemented the jacket's wide, peaked lapels by wearing a particularly large black satin bow tie.
Adrien Brody contrasted Adam's look with a more modern double-breasted suit with particularly skinny lapels and a single button in the shape of a pink flower
The two-time Oscar winner and star of The Brutalist was joined by his partner Georgina Chapman
The ex-wife of Harvey Weinstein shimmered in a white satin dress with contrasting ruffled black sleeves and a black cape trailing behind her
Serena Williams wore an unusual black off-the-shoulder dress that looked as if it had been shredded. It had slim horizontal cutouts over her midriff and legs, and she paired it with rumpled sheer black gloves and pointy black heels strapped around her ankles
Gayle King cut an elegant figure in a sparkling key lime green dress with a plunging neckline. She accessorized with a shimmer silver clutch
Padma Lakshmi stood out in a long, shimmering silver dress. The raven-haired beauty carried a chunky charcoal clutch and wore light open-toe heels
Joining the Parks And Recreation star was his wife Naomi Scott, who wore a similarly tasteful low-cut black dress with a rippling skirt.
Adrien Brody contrasted Adam's look with a more modern double-breasted suit with particularly skinny lapels and a single button in the shape of a pink flower.
The two-time Oscar winner and star of The Brutalist was joined by his partner Georgina Chapman.
The ex-wife of Harvey Weinstein shimmered in a white satin dress with contrasting ruffled black sleeves and a black cape trailing behind her.
Serena Williams wore an unusual black off-the-shoulder dress that looked as if it had been shredded.
It featured slim horizontal cutouts over her midriff and legs, and she paired it with rumpled sheer black gloves and pointy black heels strapped around her ankles
Gayle King cut an elegant figure in a sparkling key lime green dress with a plunging neckline. She accessorized with a shimmer silver clutch.
Padma Lakshmi stood out in a long, shimmering silver dress. The raven-haired beauty carried a chunky charcoal clutch and wore light open-toe heels.
The retired Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman flaunted her fit figure in a red halter-style gown. The gold medalist and anti-sexual abuse activist wore a single-shoulder sleeveless design with matching red open-toe heels
Her fellow gold medallist Simone Biles put on a leggy display in a sheer beige bustier-like minidress
Another journalist, CNN anchor Abby Phillip was a vision in a white dress. She accessorized the long-sleeve look with a slim silver clutch
The retired Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman flaunted her fit figure in a red halter-style gown.
The gold medalist and anti-sexual abuse activist wore a single-shoulder sleeveless design with matching red open-toe heels.
The longtime ABC News journalists David Muir and Diane Sawyer posed together on the red carpet.
David wore a black tux with a full chest and a pleated shirt, while Diane rocked a cream-colored suit with gold bars clipped onto her lapels.
Another journalist, CNN anchor Abby Phillip was a vision in a white dress. She accessorized the long-sleeve look with a slim silver clutch.
Diego Luna, the star of the acclaimed Star Wars series Andor, wore an intriguing black double-breasted with an unusually small patch of shirt showing.
He paired it with a black shirt and stuck to the standard bow tie.
Dax Shepard and The Good Place star Kristen Bell both beamed ear to ear. The podcast star wore a tight black tux with a casual dotted necktie, while his wife Kristen sizzled in a red off-the-shoulder dress.
Diego Luna, the star of the acclaimed Star Wars series Andor, wore an intriguing black double-breasted with an unusually small patch of shirt showing. He paired it with a black shirt and stuck to the standard bow tie
Dax Shepard and The Good Place star Kristen Bell both beamed ear to ear. The podcast star wore a tight black tux with a casual dotted necktie, while his wife Kristen sizzled in a red off-the-shoulder dress
The longtime ABC News journalists David Muir and Diane Sawyer posed together on the red carpet. David wore a black tux with a full chest and a pleated shirt, while Diane rocked a cream-colored suit with gold bars clipped onto her lapels
The singer Hozier looked classy in a double-breasted black tuxedo with a slim bow tie
Snoop Dogg and his son Cordell Broadus both favored black ensembles. Snoop wore a textured suit with gold buttons running up his lapels, and he spiced it up with green-and-black wingtip derbies. Cordell rocked a casual black tracksuit with sneakers
Shōgun star Hiroyuki Sanada favored classic elegance in a black tux
Wicked director Jon M. Chu changed up things with a dark purple tux, a black bow tie and a prominent gold luxury wristwatch
She was picture hobnobbing with several other A-listers, including a beaming Demi Moore
The actresses were also joined by Blake's mother Elaine (L) and the fashion designer Georgina Chapman, who is in a relationship with Oscar winner Adrien Brody
Blake's husband Ryan Reynolds was caught up in a giggling fit at something Aly Raisman said to him
After unleashing her fury at Blake, Megyn managed to cut an elegant figure by the stairs with her husband Douglas Brunt
Shōgun's Hiroyuki Sanada (R), caught up with film and sports stars, including (L–R) Demi, Aly, Simone Biles and Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett seemed to have a great time as she caught up with Serena Williams
The singer Hozier looked classy in a double-breasted black tuxedo with a slim bow tie.
Snoop Dogg and his son Cordell Broadus both favored black ensembles.
Snoop wore a textured suit with gold buttons running up his lapels, and he spiced it up with green-and-black wingtip derbies. Cordell rocked a casual black tracksuit with sneakers.
Shōgun star Hiroyuki Sanada favored classic elegance in a black tux, while Wicked director Jon M. Chu changed up things with a dark purple tux, a black bow tie and a prominent gold luxury wristwatch.