Ryan Reynolds Skips 2025 SAG Awards Amid Backlash Over Blake Lively Joke
Ryan Reynolds opted to keep a low profile and did not attend the 2025 SAG Awards, following controversy surrounding a joke he made about his wife Blake Lively’s legal battle with It Ends With Us co-star, Justin Baldoni.
While the 48-year-old actor was not confirmed as an attendee, fans speculated whether he would appear at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles on February 23. His film Deadpool & Wolverine was nominated for “Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble,” but Reynolds and Lively, 37, were both absent from the event.
Ongoing Legal Battle with Baldoni
Ryan Reynolds and Lively have been embroiled in the contentious lawsuit against Baldoni, 41. Lively has accused her co-star of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her during the film’s press tour.
Baldoni has denied the allegations and has responded with a $400 million countersuit against both Lively and Reynolds, accusing them of defamation, civil extortion, and false light invasion of privacy.
Backlash Over SNL Joke
Ryan Reynolds recently faced criticism for making light of his wife’s legal battle during an SNL 50 skit featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. In the segment, Fey and Poehler directed a question to Reynolds, saying, “Ryan Reynolds, how’s it going?” to which he replied, “Why? What have you heard?”
While the audience laughed, Lively’s surprised reaction sparked backlash, with many believing she was not aware of the joke in advance.
Wally Feresten, longtime SNL cue card handler, revealed that the controversial line was Reynolds’ idea. Speaking on the Fifi, Fev & Nick radio show in Australia, Feresten claimed, “He had a different line in rehearsal, and he pitched that (line) to replace it. So that was his idea to do it there.”
Criticism from Experts
Mental health experts have weighed in on the controversy, arguing that Reynolds’ joke was inappropriate.
Shari Botwin, LCSW, author of “Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing,” criticized the Deadpool actor, stating:
“Jokes about sexual harassment reinforce rape culture and further silence victims.”
She continued, “It minimizes and discredits their experience, perpetuating the idea that ‘no one will believe me or take me seriously.’”
Botwin warned that joking about such serious allegations can create a culture where victims feel blamed, making it even harder for them to come forward.
As the fallout continues, neither Reynolds nor Lively have publicly addressed the backlash surrounding the SNL joke or their absence from the SAG Awards.
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Olivia Davis is a Staff Writer at All About The Tea. Olivia’s hobbies include binging Netflix series, and watching Housewives on Bravo. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in History.
