Ryan Reynolds has stepped in to save his wife Blake Lively’s new film It Ends with Us from “disaster” as he felt he owed her something after she “sacrificed” her career to raise their children as her Hollywood star power grew.
The premiere of the highly-anticipated adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s hit novel has been overshadowed by reports of a feud between Lively, 36, and Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director, over allegations that he was “borderline abusive” on set and “dismissive” of her concerns about his depiction of domestic abuse.
Now, confidential sources have exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com that Reynolds, 47, got involved to protect his wife and does not feel he owes Baldoni, 40, an apology.
“He jumped in to help keep the movie from falling apart,” a source said. “Ryan has every right to defend his wife, especially when it comes to a project she is so passionate about.”
“When he saw the script, Ryan knew he needed help. Together with Blake, they made sure it was not only brilliant, but reflected the story.”
Ryan Reynolds stepped in to save his wife Blake Lively’s new film It Ends with Us as he felt he owed her something after she sacrificed her career to raise their children, sources told DailyMail.com
The film’s release has been overshadowed by reports of a feud between Lively, 36, and Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director, over allegations he was “borderline abusive” on set.
DailyMail.com previously revealed that tensions arose between Lively and Baldoni over his refusal to “consider” her character’s perspective while filming scenes featuring abusive behaviour.
Baldoni was accused of focusing on “what he believed to be the abusive male point of view” and of having a very “chauvinistic” approach to the issue.
Reynolds’ involvement was not a personal attack on Baldoni, but rather a desperate need to help his wife, with whom he shares four children, achieve her dreams.
“Ryan didn’t want this to be a failure for anyone, especially his wife,” the source continued. “It wasn’t anything against Justin, but Justin took it personally and it’s not Ryan’s fault, nor does he have any apologies to offer.”
“He didn’t get anything in return. He didn’t want any recognition. He just wanted to see Blake’s first big break in the business succeed.
‘He feels in many ways that Blake sacrificed a lot to raise his children while he was able to continue his dreams and he feels he owes her a lot.
“He loves her more than anything in the world and wants her to achieve her dreams. And she will always have her husband’s help, guidance and support in everything she does.”
Rumors of feud between Baldoni and Lively surfaced on TikTok ahead of the film’s release after eagle-eyed fans noticed that Baldoni was not present at press events promoting the movie, and Hoover and Lively had unfollowed him on Instagram.
Reynolds’ involvement wasn’t a personal attack on Baldoni (pictured on set with Lively), but rather a desperate need to help his wife, with whom he shares four children, achieve her dreams.
But Lively has not emerged unscathed, as the actress faces mounting criticism for her “tone-deaf” promotion of the drama.
It Ends with Us follows Lily Bloom (Lively), a floral designer who falls for neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, played by Baldoni, but soon after they begin dating, the romance turns toxic and the latter becomes abusive.
Lively was criticized for promoting her Blake Brown hair care line during the film’s tour, encouraging viewers to “wear flowers” and seemingly selling the film as a romantic comedy rather than providing information about supporting victims of domestic abuse.
She was also criticized for her light-hearted responses in interviews, in one of which she was seen laughing with co-stars Jenny Slate and Isabela Ferrer, as well as author Hoover, as they discussed everything from their dream jobs to their zodiac signs. There was no mention of domestic violence during the chat.
In another interview with Brandon Sklenar, who plays Atlas, she scoffed at a question about how people can approach her to talk about the film’s subject matter, with many claiming she should have taken the opportunity to promote resources.
“The promotion of this film is a total slap in the face to all women who have suffered domestic violence,” said one person on Instagram.
Lively has also been criticized for how she has promoted the film and the actress was criticized for an interview she did with her co-stars.
Another wrote on Reddit: “It wouldn’t cost anything to at least say you stand in solidarity with women affected by domestic violence and not offer resources. This is insensitive.”
Samantha Karlin, founder of the Women’s Leadership Challenge, told DailyMail.com: “It’s insulting to people who have experienced deep and sustained trauma, and it can invalidate their experiences.
‘Blake just didn’t appreciate the gravity of the subject matter and how many women are going to see that movie and relate to it, and are hungry for advice, support and resources.
‘She treated interviews about the film as if they were interviews about Gossip Girl, a romance movie, or a romantic comedy.
“I think she’s in a bubble of privilege and clearly didn’t realize that embodying this role wasn’t just about doing a good job of acting.”
Lively appeared to acknowledge the criticism on Tuesday by posting a statement on her Instagram Story along with a public service announcement about violence against women.
Lively appeared to address the criticism on Tuesday by posting a lengthy statement on Instagram.
In a follow-up post, she shared statistics related to domestic violence in the United States and provided fans with a link to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
“Thank you to everyone who came out to prove that people WANT to see movies about women and the multitudes we represent. It Ends With Us is a story about the female experience. All the highs and lows. And we are so proud of it,” the Gossip Girl alum wrote.
‘We have been celebrating this film and the desire to get such an important message across to the masses.
‘Thank you all for embracing @itendswithusmovie with the same love, pain and joy we had sharing it with all of you.’
Gloria Allred, the celebrity lawyer who has handled a number of high-profile cases involving women’s rights, told DailyMail.com that this has been a “teachable moment” for the actress.
“Credit to the survivors who dared to speak out on this issue, because they were worried that she wouldn’t take it seriously,” she said. “Victims are not just statistics… Movie and TV stars have the opportunity to speak out on many platforms. They should always take this issue seriously and use every opportunity to help victims of violence, not harm them.
“I’m glad Ms. Lively seems to understand now that violence against women or men is no joke. It can be, and often is, a matter of life or death.”