Justin Baldoni’s pal slams Blake Lively’s ‘contrived’ Met Gala appearance after lawsuit settlement
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Justin Baldoni’s friend has blasted Blake Lively for her “contrived” Met Gala appearance, just hours after settling a legal battle with her ‘It Ends With Us’ director and co-star.
Speaking exclusively with Page Six, Adam Mondschein, who did a cameo in the 2024 movie, said, “If you could hear eyes roll,” of his reaction to Lively’s presence at one of fashion's biggest nights.
Blake Lively's Met Gala appearance felt hollow to Justin Baldoni's pal
He further shared that he “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. I don’t know, it just feels contrived. Orchestrated. It feels hollow.”
Mondschein went on to compare the ‘Gossip Girls' star’s May 4 appearance to fake Christmas Day presents wrapped in shiny paper and adored on shop windows.
“Growing up in New York City … I loved going to the city and seeing the Macy’s Day window displays for Christmas. The presents that they had there were so shiny and wrapped and it was awesome. And there’s nothing in them. To me, that’s how it feels. It feels very hollow. It feels very empty,” he shared.
Justin Baldoni's friend expressed empathy toward him, calls him 'the real deal'
The pal of the ‘Jane the Virgin’ star also revealed what Baldoni was doing on the night of the Met Gala. “Justin was with his family and also I think he’s getting over a cold,” he told the publication.
At one point, Mondschein even got emotional while talking about the toll the whole controversy has taken on Baldoni.
“He’s a real person. He’s out here experiencing all of this chaos like a human person would. And it’s insurmountable. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he’s legit. He’s the real deal,” he stated, before adding, “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 claimed that the 42-year-old director’s a gem of a person who “uses whatever modicum of recognizability he has for good. He really cares.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni hail 'It Ends With Us' movie
Meanwhile, following the settlement, lawyers of Lively and Baldoni shared a joint statement that read, “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 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,” it added.
