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You expect a good excuse when your BFF skips your 30th birthday party. But when that friend shows up at a glam gala the night before and then cheers her husband on at a soccer game the night after, that's when eyebrows go full The Rock.
That's the situation Blake Lively finds herself in right now after not attending Gigi Hadid's star-studded 30th bash in NYC. Naturally, fans and Hollywood watchers have asked if Blake and Gigi are still besties or if something has gone seriously sideways.
Where Was Blake?
Blake Lively, 37, was noticeably absent from Gigi's intimate yet A-list birthday party at Le Chalet in New York City. The party drew names like Bella Hadid, Zoë Kravitz, Anne Hathaway, Emily Ratajkowski, Will Arnett, and even Taylor Swift.
Instead, Blake was spotted the night before at the Time100 Gala and the night after cuddled up with husband Ryan Reynolds in Wales at a Wrexham soccer game.
Former entertainment reporter Kjersti Flaa stirred the pot with a piping-hot theory on her podcast "Flaawsome Talk."
"I think it's weird that you don't show up at one of your friends' 30th birthday party," Flaa said. "It's not that you don't want to be out and seen… because she did go to that event the day before."
Flaa suggested that Lively wasn't invited or told to stay away because of her ongoing legal drama with actor-director Justin Baldoni. Flaa speculated that Gigi and her new beau, Bradley Cooper, "probably [are] waiting to be subpoenaed" and might not want to get caught in the courtroom splash zone.
Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni in December, stemming from the filming of their movie "It Ends With Us." Baldoni, 41, denied the allegations and fired back with a jaw-dropping $400 million defamation countersuit, accusing Lively of weaponizing her friendship with Taylor Swift to manipulate production.
Now, word on the street is that Swift, Gigi's longtime BFF, and the reported mutual connection between Gigi and Blake is also in the subpoena crosshairs.
Is the Girl Squad Imploding?
This whole thing stings more than a skipped group chat reply. Lively and Hadid have been close for years, frequently appearing together at events, hanging out with Taylor Swift's iconic girl squad, and even coordinating superhero latex outfits at the "Deadpool & Wolverine" premiere.
But there's been a noticeable cooling off since the legal drama erupted. No pap pics. No Insta love. No joint latte runs or vacation selfies. And now, no birthday bash appearance. Fans are left wondering if the once-tight trio of Gigi, Blake, and Taylor is quietly unraveling under the pressure of legal drama, conflicting loyalties, and Hollywood-level PR crisis management.
Where Do Things Go From Here?
With Blake's next court date not scheduled until March 2026, this awkward "are they/aren't they still friends" limbo could drag on for a while. For now, Lively and Hadid's reps keep their lips sealed tighter than a Met Gala NDA.