Why Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Are Staying Home from the 2025 Met Gala

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds will not be attending the 2025 Met Gala, an exclusive source confirmed to PEOPLE. The beloved couple, who have graced the event together on several occasions, will be missing from the star-studded guest list this year, marking their third consecutive absence since 2022.

A source close to the couple shared, “Blake and Ryan haven’t gone since 2022, when they were co-chairs, and they will not be in attendance this year.” TMZ was the first to report the news. Their decision to skip the event comes despite their previous involvement, where Lively and Reynolds co-chaired the prestigious gala alongside Regina King and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The 2025 Met Gala, scheduled for May 5, will be centered around the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The exhibition is set to explore the enduring influence of Black dandyism, drawing from Monica L. Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The exhibit will include garments, artwork, and photography that celebrate the style of Black men from the 18th century through to the present. Miller will guest curate alongside Costume Institute Curator Andrew Bolton.

While Lively and Reynolds won’t be making their usual glamorous appearance at this year’s Met Gala, their remarkable contributions to the event have left a lasting impression. Lively’s stunning look at the 2022 Met Gala, her 10th appearance, still stands out. For the “Gilded Glamour” theme, she wowed the red carpet in an Atelier Versace gown with a reversible train, flipping it halfway up the steps to reveal a stunning aqua side. Reynolds, ever the classic gentleman, kept it timeless in a velvet tuxedo and white bow tie.

Beyond their joint Met Gala moments, Lively has made solo appearances, including at the 2018 Met Gala, where she paid tribute to the “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” theme. She wore a custom Versace gown and an eye-catching Lorraine Schwartz halo, making a bold statement with her dramatic entrance.

This year’s absence comes amid ongoing legal battles involving Lively’s movie It Ends with Us, which premiered in August 2024. Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit in December 2024 against director and co-star Justin Baldoni, as well as the film’s co-producers. Baldoni responded by filing a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s PR firm, Vision PR Inc. Baldoni has also sued The New York Times over its coverage of the allegations.

As the couple navigates these complex legal matters, their decision to skip the 2025 Met Gala is likely a reflection of their focus on more pressing personal issues. While fans will miss their red carpet moments, it’s clear that the couple’s priority is currently elsewhere, as they continue to manage their professional commitments and ongoing legal affairs.