Ryan Reynolds jokes about Blake Lively's legal battle at 'SNL50'
What's the story
Ryan Reynolds, who is famous for his quick wit and humor, surprised everyone with his appearance on Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary special (SNL50) on Sunday (US time).
The actor attended the event with his wife Blake Lively, who is currently embroiled in a legal dispute over her recent film It Ends With Us.
During an audience interaction segment hosted by ex-members of the cast, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Reynolds humorously referenced the ongoing lawsuit.
Legal drama
Reynolds's humorous response to Fey's question
When Fey asked Reynolds how he was doing, the actor pretended to be nervous and quipped, "Great, why? What have you heard?" Lively, seated beside Reynolds, looked up surprised at Reynolds's answer.
The remark was assumed to be a reference to the lawsuit filed by Justin Baldoni—Lively's co-star and director in It Ends With Us.
Baldoni has accused Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, along with Sloane's PR firm Vision PR of civil extortion and defamation among other charges.
SNL banter
Reynolds's playful inquiry about 'Coneheads' material
After his witty remark, Reynolds lightened the mood by asking Fey and Poehler about the material used to create the Coneheads in a classic SNL sketch.
He humorously inquired if it was edible, to which Fey advised against consumption due to potential toxicity.
When Reynolds suggested that someone might have already taken a bite backstage, Poehler recommended immediate medical attention.
Twitter Post
Check out Reynolds's 'hypothetical' question here
Audience Q&A with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey! #SNL50 pic.twitter.com/XYqXMddhS9
— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) February 17, 2025
Career setbacks
Lively's legal troubles and public image challenges
The legal dispute between Lively and Baldoni has intensified since their film It Ends With Us hit theaters last August and began streaming on Netflix in December 2024.
The Colleen Hoover-based film on domestic violence has been eclipsed by the off-screen feud between its stars.
Lively also faced difficulties with her beauty brand, Blake Brown Beauty after a lackluster product launch and getting embroiled in multiple lawsuits over her feud with Baldoni.
Author's stance
Hoover distanced herself from Lively amid legal chaos
Hoover, the author of It Ends With Us, initially sided with Lively but has, more recently, changed her positioning.
She has reportedly cut ties with Lively as the legal turmoil surrounding the film intensifies.
The acclaimed writer has scrubbed all evidence of her association with Lively from Instagram, deleting photos from their previous collaborations and movie promotions.