Blake Lively isn’t one to do things halfway. When the 38-year-old actress isn’t lighting up the red carpet or running her beauty brand, she’s turning real-life headlines into reasons to celebrate, and this Halloween, she did just that.
After months of courtroom tension, Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, marked the official dismissal of Justin Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit with a dose of fun, flair, and serious costume dedication.
From Courtroom Clarity to Costume Comedy
The "Gossip Girl" alum had plenty to smile about. A judge officially entered a final judgment dismissing Baldoni’s multimillion-dollar case against Lively, Reynolds, and The New York Times. The actor-director had accused them of defamation following a Times exposé that detailed Lively’s allegations of inappropriate behavior on the set of "It Ends With Us," claims Baldoni has repeatedly denied.
After missing his window to amend the complaint, Baldoni’s case was shut down for good. According to court filings, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman contacted all parties on October 17 before finalizing the dismissal, and it was Lively who responded first, asking for the judgment to be made official while keeping her legal fee request on the table.
With the legal clouds clearing, Lively and Reynolds turned their energy toward something lighter: Halloween. This year, the Hollywood power couple went full Pixar, channeling Carl and Ellie, the beloved elderly duo from the 2009 animated hit "Up."
On Instagram, Lively revealed the creative chaos behind her transformation. “Halloween by @blakebrownbeauty & ALL the baby powder,” she wrote, tagging Reynolds with her trademark humor. “Child’s sock to wipe the excess powder off your face not included ♥️ @vancityreynolds.”
The transformation wasn’t just a simple dress-up job. Lively did her own special effects makeup, aging herself about 50 years using baby powder and her Blake Brown Beauty products. She wore Ellie’s iconic yellow frock, a brown coat, and a colorful scarf, while Reynolds looked adorably grumpy in gray pants and a brown jacket.
Family, Fun, and a Fresh Start
The couple, who share four children — James, 10, Inez, 9, Betty, 6, and little Olin, 2 — used the moment to remind fans that even Hollywood’s most glamorous pair know how to find laughter and normalcy amid chaos.
Lively’s Halloween post was a celebration of resilience, humor, and timing. It arrived days after she and Reynolds learned they were officially in the clear in the defamation case, a legal tangle that had shadowed their usually upbeat public image for months.
While Baldoni still has the right to appeal, Lively’s poised response shows she’s already moved on.