Blake Lively is closing out the month with a prestigious honor—being named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2024.
The recognition comes at a complicated time for the actress, who is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. Despite the ongoing legal drama, Lively’s contributions beyond the silver screen are being celebrated, particularly her philanthropic efforts and commitment to social justice.
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Included in the “Titans” category, Lively received a powerful tribute from Sherrilyn Ifill, President of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Rather than focusing on Lively’s Hollywood persona, Ifill highlighted her dedication to causes that aim to address some of America’s most persistent inequalities.
“I don’t know the Blake Lively of the red carpet or the Met Gala,” wrote Ifill in the April 16 feature. “I never watched Gossip Girl. The Blake Lively I know is a philanthropist and a student of our country’s most intractable problems.”
Ifill noted that Lively—who, along with husband Ryan Reynolds, donated $2 million in 2019 to support the NAACP LDF’s racial justice initiatives—has shown a deep and consistent commitment to progress.
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“I admired immediately her curiosity, and her sincere work to understand the conditions that shape this country,” she continued. “I remember an early conversation in which she expressed frustration that so much of our nation’s history was not part of the instruction she had received as a student.”
In the face of personal legal challenges, Lively’s advocacy and influence continue to resonate on a national scale, marking her as more than just a Hollywood star.