Ryan Reynolds has raised eyebrows over the way he referred to his wife, Blake Lively, using “this/them” wording in a recent Mother’s Day post.
The post comes amid rumors that the couple’s marriage has been strained by Lively’s high-profile legal battle with Justin Baldoni, which reportedly ended in a settlement earlier this month.
Lively has also reportedly grown unpopular in some Hollywood circles, with the fallout from the legal battle said to have affected both her career and Reynolds’ public image.
On Sunday, May 10, Reynolds took to Instagram to share a glowing Mother’s Day tribute to Lively. However, several online users raised eyebrows over his choice of words as speculation continues that their marriage has been strained.
“I appreciate this mother beyond measure,” Reynolds wrote.
The post immediately sent the rumor mill into overdrive, with some social media users calling it “weird” that he referred to his wife as “this” instead of simply using her name. Others also pointed to his April 19 interview on “TODAY,” where he used similar language to refer to her.
“I’ve just never in my life been more proud of someone with that level of integrity that brings that with them and carries that with them in everything that they do,” he said.
Fans Call Out Reynolds Over Blake Lively Tribute
Fans then took to social media to share their reactions, calling Reynolds out over the way he referred to his wife.
“Are her eyes closed in the bottom picture? And what a crappy story. He doesn’t even say her name. With a husband like that, who needs enemies?” a Reddit user wrote.
Another person claimed, “It’s a weird narcissistic devaluation thing. Although I do sort of think he’s running everything through ChatGPT to the point of madness.”
“Maybe it’s a keyword SEO manipulation thing again,” someone else penned. “He avoids referring to Blake by name so that he’s not contributing any additional new content that associates Blake with him.”
Ryan Reynolds Reportedly Pushed Blake Lively To Settle
The backlash comes amid reports that Lively’s legal battle with Baldoni strained her marriage to Reynolds. This apparently prompted him to push her to settle, as he allegedly didn’t want to be dragged through court.
Sources told Rob Shuter’s #ShuterScoop that the actor was also concerned the case was beginning to affect Lively’s public image and personal relationships, among other things.
An insider told the journalist that Reynolds “knew the longer this dragged on, the more it would erode everything,” while another source claimed Lively was deeply invested in the case and wanted to defend her position until the end.
However, she supposedly decided to pull the plug on the case, with the source noting that “the one thing she refused to lose was her marriage.”
Lively And Baldoni Ended The Feud With A Statement
Lively and Baldoni reached an out-of-court settlement, ending a bitter legal feud that began in late 2024 when she filed a sexual harassment suit against him.
The “Another Simple Favor” actress had originally filed 13 claims against Baldoni, including sexual harassment and defamation, but 10 of those claims were dismissed by a judge in April on technical grounds.
In a joint statement released at the time, both parties said they remained proud of their work on “It Ends With Us” and its message about supporting survivors of domestic violence. They also noted that the concerns raised deserved to be heard, while sharing hopes that everyone involved could now move on peacefully.
Blake Lively Still Seeking Damages After Settlement
Since the settlement, both sides have claimed victory despite reports suggesting there was no financial payout from either party. However, Lively’s lawyers have said she will continue to pursue damages under a California law that bars retaliatory defamation lawsuits tied to sexual harassment claims.
According to the L.A. Times, she is seeking attorneys’ fees, punitive damages, and other financial penalties stemming from the $400 million countersuit Baldoni filed against her, which was dismissed by a judge last June.
“By agreeing to this settlement, and waiving their right to appeal, Justin Baldoni and every individual defendant now face personal liability for abusing the legal system to silence and intimidate Ms. Lively,” Lively’s attorneys, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, said in a statement.
