Met Gala 2026: Hugh Jackman Saves Blake Lively From Dress Malfunction

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Hugh Jackman was Blake Lively‘s superhero at the 2026 Met Gala.

Even though Ryan Reynolds wasn’t at the New York event with his wife, Blake Lively, Hugh Jackman stepped in to help. He assisted Lively on the red carpet to prevent a potential wardrobe issue, filling in for his Deadpool & Wolverine co-star.

Hugh Jackman shared that Blake Lively once asked him for help with her dress. He told Jenna Bush-Hager and Shaneille Jones on Today that Lively pointed to the front of the dress and said she thought a hook was stuck inside.

Before assisting actress Florence Pugh with her gorgeous ball gown—a Versace dress featuring a long, 13-foot train—Jackman quickly texted Ryan Reynolds to make sure it was okay. He remembered asking Reynolds, “Is this cool?” and Reynolds responded with a simple, “Go for it, brother.”

Ryan Reynolds, 49, didn’t attend Anna Wintour’s yearly charity event, which Hugh Jackman playfully called a “cool moment” he missed.

Although Lively didn’t reveal what her husband was doing elsewhere, her outfit felt like a way to include her family. Her custom handbag featured artwork created by her children – James, 11, Inez, 9, Betty, 6, and Olin, 3 – fitting with the night’s “Costume Art” theme.

Blake Lively told Vogue she asked her stylists to incorporate her children’s artwork into a custom piece. Each of her kids had painted a watercolor painting, and she wanted to use those as inspiration.

Lively, who had just announced she’d settled her lawsuit related to the book It Ends With Us with Justin Baldoni, playfully joked that she could have hidden her and Reynolds’ four children under her dress. She pointed to the long train of her gown, adding, “I should have just snuck them under there – then I’d have them all with me!”

Hugh Jackman looked sharp in a classic black velvet tuxedo at the Met Gala. His date, Sutton Foster, dazzled in a shimmering gold dress, making one of their few public appearances together since they began dating in January 2025.

Although Ryan Reynolds didn’t attend the Met Gala, his playful friendship with Hugh Jackman is well-known. They’re famous for constantly pranking each other, such as the time Reynolds sent Jackman a framed photo of himself as a gift to celebrate the opening night of Jackman’s Broadway show, The Music Man.

Over time, Lively has playfully joined in on the friendly rivalry between Reynolds and Jackman. In 2018, Reynolds shared a photo on Instagram of himself and Jackman at Jackman’s coffee shop, Laughing Man Coffee Company (a non-profit), which led Lively to jokingly comment, “Are you trying to tell me you love him more than me with all that space between you??”

Read on for more priceless celebrity friendships…

Nicole has always loved the films made by her sister-in-law. A few years ago, she got the chance to ask her to recreate some memorable scenes, even asking her to perform a bit from My Best Friend’s Wedding.

During a May 2024 appearance on the Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino podcast, she recounted telling Cameron, ‘I need you to run towards me from behind the luggage cart, towards the airport.’ She explained that she started directing Cameron, telling her exactly what to say while they were driving, and Cameron willingly complied. She described Cameron’s willingness as incredibly generous.

It’s a good thing Lawrence was available to hang out – we almost missed out on one of our favorite friendships! Their connection started when the Oscar-winning Lawrence emailed Schumer after seeing her 2015 movie, Trainwreck. Lawrence admitted she wrote, “I don’t know where to get started. I guess I should just say it: I’m in love with you.” They began emailing, which quickly turned into texting.

But their friendship truly became strong when Schumer casually invited Lawrence to join her and her high school friends for a trip to the Hamptons. Schumer was surprised when Lawrence accepted, but quickly realized Lawrence was incredibly down-to-earth. She told The Daily Show that Lawrence was “the coolest person you’ll ever meet” and fit right in with the group.

Everyone could use a friend who’s successful and well-established! Jennifer Lopez and Sofia Vergara have been incredibly close ever since they met and instantly connected at the premiere of Man on Fire in 2004. Lopez described it as an immediate, strong connection – someone who makes you laugh and who you genuinely enjoy being around.

Vergara was also enthusiastically cheering on Lopez when she performed at President Joe Biden’s inauguration. She messaged Lopez, telling her that as a fellow Bronx native, the performance was truly inspiring and beautiful to watch.

Oh my gosh, can we talk about the ultimate friend group?! Seriously, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and Lisa Kudrow are just…goals. I’ve read they’ve been inseparable since their Warner Bros. days, practically sharing salads together! Apparently, going through Friends together was this huge, formative experience for them, and it bonded them forever. It’s so sweet – they’re like anyone else who stays close to people from their first job, always making time for happy hours and, you know, HUGE reunions! And it’s easy, because they all live relatively close! Someone told me they’re constantly at Courteney’s for Sunday dinner or chilling at Jen’s pool. They just feel so connected and always will, and honestly, it makes my heart so happy!

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have been incredibly close friends ever since they met in an improv class in 1993, and they consider each other like family. Poehler, who has one younger brother named Greg, explained to PopSugar while promoting their 2015 movie Sisters that she and Fey are “chosen sisters” and that their friendship has given her a family connection she hadn’t experienced before.

Philipps described meeting Williams on the set of Dawson’s Creek as love at first sight. They quickly became close friends, bonding over shared activities like drinking wine, smoking, and even getting into trouble. She explained they had an instant connection and a strong affection for each other that has lasted for years. Luckily for fans, we get a glimpse into their fun and stylish life together – from walking red carpets in matching outfits to Williams’ playful hair transformations.

Drake and Adele, despite only recently considering a collaboration after years of being colleagues, seem to have a strong connection. Adele publicly expressed her desire to create an official remix with Drake, even going so far as to buy the same red coat he wore in a music video. Drake enthusiastically reciprocated, jokingly offering to do chores for her. Instead of immediately working on music, they opted for a casual outing, enjoying a meal and a bowling session in Los Angeles, hinting at future collaborations.

As a mother of two, Washington always wants to help others the way people helped her during her pregnancies. She often has open and honest conversations with her close friends, especially Eva Longoria, about motherhood. Longoria greatly appreciated Washington’s support when she had her son, Santiago, in 2018, jokingly calling Washington her “doula.”

Oh my gosh, can you believe it? Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are working together again! It’s been over 20 years since Good Will Hunting won them an Oscar, and now they’re doing The Last Duel. Honestly, it’s so heartwarming! They’ve been friends forever – like, 35 years! Matt said they basically grew up together, both completely obsessed with acting and making movies. He says they fueled each other’s passion when they were young, and that’s what made their friendship so strong and lasting. Seriously, it’s the cutest! Their bond is just amazing, and I’m so excited to see what they create together!

The friendship between these two influential television personalities began in 1976, when they both worked at a Baltimore TV station. While Oprah Winfrey was an anchor and Gayle King a production assistant, they didn’t really mix socially due to the typical workplace divisions. As King recalled in an interview with Oprah, a snowstorm changed everything. Oprah invited Gayle, who earned $12,000 a year as a PA, to stay with her. The next day, they went shopping together at the mall, and a lasting friendship blossomed over sweaters at Casual Corner.

While your dates probably don’t involve Wimbledon finals or palace visits, Meghan Markle and Serena Williams’ friendship started just like many others – with casual conversation. Meghan wrote on her now-closed website, The Tig, that they connected instantly at a 2014 Super Bowl event. They spent time taking pictures, laughing during a flag football game, and chatting about everyday things – not tennis or acting, but typical ‘girly stuff’.

Even though Game of Thrones is over, the close bond between Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams remains strong. Williams, who was a bridesmaid at Turner’s wedding to Joe Jonas in 2019, playfully suggests the show’s greatest achievement wasn’t its 12 Emmy Awards. She told TopMob News at the final season premiere that the series felt like an elaborate way for her to find a best friend, adding that having such a supportive friend during the show’s intense run was a true blessing.

Okay, let’s talk about something genuinely heartwarming! I think everyone’s heart melted a little watching Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively react to their daughter James recognizing Taylor Swift’s ‘Gorgeous’ at a concert – it was adorable! Blake even jokingly called the viral video embarrassing, admitting it was just a raw, unfiltered display of how proud they are as stage parents. But beyond that sweet moment, what I truly admire is their genuine friendship. They’ve built this beautiful connection – from Fourth of July celebrations at Taylor’s place to cozy get-togethers at their country home and even fun cameos in Taylor’s videos. It’s a friendship worth cherishing, and honestly, I think it’s something we should all appreciate.

Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have a friendship that goes way back, even before their Apple TV+ show, The Morning Show. They first worked together in 2000 when Witherspoon had a small role on an NBC series. Witherspoon, who had recently given birth to her daughter Ava, remembers being nervous about balancing work and motherhood on set. She was pumping breast milk while filming, and Aniston kept asking about the baby. Witherspoon recalls Aniston being incredibly kind and supportive, and they’ve been close friends ever since.

Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg have an unlikely but captivating friendship that began at Justin Bieber’s Comedy Central Roast in 2015. It blossomed into a VH1 cooking show, Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party. Snoop Dogg explained to LA Weekly that Martha is different from people he’s usually around, but surprisingly relatable. He appreciates that she’s genuine and down-to-earth, despite coming from a different generation. He described their connection as feeling like a true partnership, a ‘holy matrimony’ rather than just a casual connection.

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2026-05-08 05:19