'What husband...': Reynolds's rep defends his texts in Lively-Baldoni case
What's the story
Ryan Reynolds's representative has defended the actor after his private messages supporting Blake Lively were made public in a legal battle with Justin Baldoni. The representative told Puck News, "Yes, Ryan got involved - what husband wouldn't support his wife and the mother of his children?" "He saw his wife fighting daily to stand up against sexual harassment in a private and respectful way, only to face retaliation for doing so."
Statement
'He wasn't angry enough': Reynolds's rep
The representative further revealed, "If anything, Ryan feels like he wasn't angry enough." "He passionately believes in and will stand up for the basic right to a safe workplace free of harassment and retaliation for his wife and others." The representative added, "Then, now and always."
Legal dispute
Reynolds's texts criticized Baldoni amid Lively's lawsuit
In the ongoing legal proceedings, some of Reynolds's texts were unsealed. In one message to his WME agent, Warren Zavala, in August 2024, he said, "This is a moment in which Blake should be celebrating. She made this unbelievable win happen." "She WILLED this weekend into reality." "Baldoni and these other buckets of dumb-dumb-juice should be acknowledging the speculation and gossip themselves." He wrote, "They should be jumping in front of it in the most full throated, unqualified way."
Additional messages
Reynolds's unsealed texts also called Baldoni a 'predatory fraudster'
In another unsealed text exchange from July 2024, Reynolds referred to Baldoni as a "thoroughbred, predatory fraudster" and an "inexplicably toxic mess." He further wrote, "I'd put Blake's reputation on trial any day of the week... In her experience (and mine) nobody has ever reached the empyrean heights of vile the way Justin Baldoni has."
Legal proceedings
Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni and his countersuit
Lively, 38, sued her co-star-director Baldoni, 42, in December 2024 for sexual harassment and retaliation. She's seeking over $160 million in damages. The trial is set for May 2026 in New York. Meanwhile, Baldoni had filed a countersuit against Lively and Reynolds for defamation and extortion, but the judge has since dismissed it.