'Saturday Night Live' 50th anniversary special took a sharp turn into drama due to Ryan Reynolds' joke about his wife's legal controversy, with sources denying his involvement in writing it.
- Feb 21, 2025
AceShowbiz - Ryan Reynolds recently found himself at the center of controversy following a joke during "Saturday Night Live" 50th anniversary special that referenced his wife Blake Lively's ongoing legal battles with her "It Ends With Us" director-star Justin Baldoni. While the joke drew both laughter, it has since sparked significant debate and backlash.
The incident occurred during a Q&A segment featuring "SNL" alums Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. When Poehler asked Reynolds how he was doing, he replied, "Great! Why, what have you heard?" The joke seemed to catch Blake Lively off guard, as she appeared visibly uncomfortable.
"SNL" cue card handler Wally Feresten claimed on the "Fifi, Fev & Nick" podcast that Reynolds had pitched this joke during rehearsals and replaced the original one. "That was his idea to do it," Feresten said, adding that the show wouldn't include anything too controversial unless the guest was in on it.
However, representatives for both Reynolds and SNL quickly denied Feresten's claims. Reynold's team issued a statement to USA TODAY, insisting the notion that he had any involvement in writing the joke was "not true." NBC also aligned with this stance, stating Feresten's version of events was false.
Meanwhile, Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman had criticized Reynolds' move on the "Hot Mics" podcast, questioning the appropriateness of joking about such serious allegations. "I'm unaware of anybody, frankly, whose wife has been sexually harassed and has made jokes about that type of situation," Freedman said.
Blake Lively's ongoing legal battle with Baldoni involves accusations of sexual harassment. Lively initially filed a civil rights complaint, which later evolved into a formal lawsuit that highlighted claims of a "smear campaign" orchestrated by Baldoni and his team.
Baldoni, however, has countersued for $400 million, accusing Lively and Reynolds of civil extortion and defamation. He also sued The New York Times for $250 million for publishing Lively's original complaint.
The legal dispute continues to escalate, with Lively recently filing an amended complaint alleging there were more women victimized by Baldoni on set of their movie.
Despite this tumultuous backdrop, the couple's appearance on SNL has drawn mixed reactions from the public, highlighting the intersection of Hollywood's glitter and real-life scandals.
