Ryan Reynolds, 49, presented a united front with his wife Blake Lively, 38, just one day after she resolved her explosive legal dispute with It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni. The Deadpool actor took to his Instagram Story on Tuesday to share a cozy selfie with a makeup-free Lively, as they enjoyed time together outdoors.
In the snapshot, seen by his 50 million followers, Lively placed her hand on the side of Reynolds's face while he leaned his head against her cheek. Seemingly hinting at the state of their relationship, he set the post to Millie Jackson's 1978 love song Here You Come Again. Hours later, Lively reshared the selfie on her own Instagram Story, adding a red-heart emoji.
The couple's display of affection came after Reynolds skipped Monday's Met Gala, leaving his wife to ascend the stairs of New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art alone. His notable absence sparked rumors of potential marriage troubles, but an insider exclusively told Daily Mail that there was no cause for concern.
Despite her year-long court battle, Lively appeared unbothered as she arrived at the gala in a show-stopping archival Atelier Versace gown from the brand's Spring 2006 collection. In a red carpet interview, the former Gossip Girl star claimed she was 'shy' and wished she could have her four children accompany her on the red carpet. Her custom-made handbag featured watercolor drawings by each of her offspring: James, 11, Inez, nine, Betty, six, and Olin, three.
Just hours before the event, Lively reached a settlement with Baldoni's production company, Wayfarer Studios, and his PR agency over claims of retaliation and breach of contract related to their 2024 film It Ends With Us. Lively and Baldoni's teams released a joint statement on Monday announcing the settlement, noting that the film remained a 'source of pride' and emphasizing its mission to raise awareness for domestic violence survivors. 'We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments,' they added. The statement did not include an apology from either party but expressed hope that the resolution would bring closure and allow all involved to move forward constructively and in peace.
The surprise settlement came after a judge last month dismissed ten of Lively's 13 claims, including all sexual harassment allegations. The trial was set to begin on May 18, covering only three counts: retaliation, aiding and abetting retaliation, and breach of contract. The ruling also removed Baldoni as a named defendant, leaving Wayfarer Studios and TAG PR to face allegations of a 'smear campaign' against Lively, which they denied.
Baldoni and Wayfarer had countersued Lively and Reynolds for $400 million, accusing them of defamation and extortion, but a judge dismissed those claims last June. In pre-trial hearings, Lively's attorneys argued she lost tens of millions in endorsements and nine-figure earnings, while Wayfarer's lawyers dismissed those figures as inflated and pointed to Lively's own business struggles.
The multimillion-dollar lawsuits painted a picture of a troubled production, with Lively asserting herself over Baldoni, who allegedly struggled to push back on her demands. Central to the case were allegations of unscripted sexual moments and insufficiently closed sets, which were thrown out. Baldoni claimed Reynolds 'berated' him at a meeting in Lively's New York home, where Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman were also present. Ultimately, Baldoni signed a 17-point agreement to resume filming, later claiming he did so under duress.
Text messages submitted as evidence showed Swift texted Lively on December 21, 2024, saying, 'You won. You did it,' and praised her for helping others. Lively replied, 'I love you so much. I would not be ok through any of this if it weren't for you.'
It Ends With Us, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, was released in August 2024 and exceeded box office expectations with a $50 million debut.
