Blake Lively Crowned One Of TIME Magazine's Most Influential People

Blake Lively is not new to the spotlight, but the difference now is that, besides her Hollywood stardom, her undeniable power outside the screen is in the headlines. While the actress is going through a highly publicized legal battle with "It Ends With Us" co-star and director Justin Baldoni, Lively has recently reached an incredible point in her career as she has been dubbed one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2025.

On April 16, TIME unveiled its annual list of the world's most influential people, with an eye toward those who are shaping the world through their leadership, creativity, and influence. Lively's entry into the "Titan" category confirms her standing as a force to be reckoned with in entertainment and, by extension, pop culture, social advocacy, and cultural impact. The honor arrives at a complicated time in Lively's life. Her ongoing legal battle with Baldoni has pushed her into a difficult chapter, but whatever outcome awaits, rather than dim her light, it only radiates her strength and dedication to issues that outweigh Hollywood's bejeweled frame.

Civil rights lawyer and president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Sherrilyn Ifill had written the tribute to Lively from a unique angle, a perspective the public might not know. "I don't know the Blake Lively of the red carpet," Ifill wrote. "Or the Met Gala. I never watched Gossip Girl. The Blake Lively I know is a philanthropist and a student of this country's most intractable problems." That distinction is worth a thousand words. Beneath this glamorous exterior is a woman who deeply cares for equity and justice. In 2019, she and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, gave $2 million to fund the NAACP Legal Defense Fund's Initiative for Racial Justice, a powerful gesture many believe cemented her status as a true advocate for change.

Read More: Kelsea Ballerini Stuns Fans After A Stage Fall In Toronto 

Ifill said Lively's influence isn't just a function of the money she gives, but of the perspective, she contributes. She called the actress intellectually curious and honest about her exasperation with the absence of broad historical education in her upbringing and her resolve to make up for those deficiencies through personal study and advocacy. I admired immediately her curiosity, and her sincere work to understand the conditions that shape this country," Sherrilyn continued. Lively is acknowledged as a Hollywood fixture and an important player in national race, justice, and citizenship dialogues. Ifill's remarks conjure the image of the doer, not a talker. Instead, Lively is depicted as a person who takes risks, asks hard questions, and is dedicated to being a social citizen over the long term.

Such influence is especially striking under the circumstances. Lively has been intensely scrutinized by the legal battle with Baldoni, which has not yet been resolved. In the public domain, such tribulations can easily overshadow a person's achievements or warp their legacy. But in Lively's case, they appear only to have honed her image as a strong, multilayered woman of action. In the wake of April, Blake Lively ranks high not simply in the pages of tabloids or movie credits but among a cavalcade of influential figures worldwide who are transforming an age-old adage about power. Her recognition by TIME serves as a reminder that real impact comes from what happens on the screen.

With everything from philanthropy to activism to personal reinvention, Lively is showing us that the headlines don't just measure the influence you're you make but rather the integrity and intent behind those headlines. Even in the face of controversy, she is writing her story, one that instills the sensation in others to show up, speak out, and make a difference.