Long-running sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription) is an institution, and it felt like the entire industry was there to celebrate for the 50th Anniversary Special. Case in point: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively were in attendance, making their first big public appearance since their legal battle with Justin Baldoni began. They were reportedly "hesitant" at first, before ultimately deciding to show up and have a quick cameo.
Ever since Blake Lively's This Ends With Us lawsuit was filed, there have been non-stop updates about the drama film (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription). The legal situation looks like it's going to be wildly expensive for Lively and Justin Baldoni. This is why the public was shook when she and Reynolds showed up for SNL 50, with an insider telling Page Six what was going on behind the scenes. In their words:
[She] was initially hesitant to attend the anniversary show but ultimately she’s glad she went and had a really nice time. Blake and Ryan have no regrets about making an appearance and they’re glad they showed up because they have nothing to hide and no reason not to.
There you have it. Sounds like the celebrity couple had a much-needed night of fun at SNL 50, even if their legal battle surrounding It Ends With Us is far from over. Especially given the lawsuits filed by Justin Baldoni, including the defamation case against Reynolds and Lively.
Indeed, there are concerns that the couple's appearance at SNL 50 might actually factor into the ongoing litigation. Another source spoke to Page Six about this, offering:
It’s very plausible that Justin’s legal team will use this public outing to defend Baldoni. Justin is taking this lawsuit in all seriousness and isn’t making a public mockery out of it.
While that remains to be seen, the court of public opinion is definitely weighing in on Lively and Reynolds' appearance at SNL. Folks were sounding off on social media, especially after the Deadpool icon got to have a brief cameo where he seemingly referenced the Baldoni drama. One critical tweet reads:
The SNL 50th was a pretentious letdown, showing how out of touch they are with everyday Americans by serving up inside jokes for Hollywood's elite. Proof? Unfunny skits and inviting Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds, who've been called out for their egos, instead of poking fun at them.
On the other side of the coin, some fans seemed tickled with the pair of A-listers showing up at SNL. Another tweet shared a lighter take on Lively and Reynolds showing up at the star-studded event, offering:
I like Ryan Reynolds. I thought this was funny. I don’t know all the details of the Blake Lively “It Ends with Us” sitch but I blame the PR people 😆🤣
Only time will tell how things will shake out as the legal system takes its course, but it certainly seemed like Ryan Reynolds was antagonizing Justin Baldoni and his legal team during his brief SNL appearance. Whether or not this actually factors into the legal battle remains to be seen, but the stakes certainly feel high.
While we wait for news about the legal battle, It Ends With Us is streaming on Netflix. Unfortunately we shouldn't expect a sequel in the 2025 movie release list.
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