Why We're Worried About Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds' Marriage

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have the perfect marriage. At least, that's what some of their fans believe. Since tying the knot on September 9, 2012, the couple has astounded the public with their heartwarming displays of outward affection. Reynolds has grown particularly famous for the sappy expressions of love that he shows to his wife. In 2023, he celebrated Lively's 36th birthday via an Instagram post in which he declared, "The only thing irrevocably mine in the world is the love and appreciation and awe I feel for this person. Witnessing her life is something I couldn't take for granted if I tried. And believe me, I try."

As sweet as Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's relationship seems, however, not all fans are convinced that the two are in it for real. Some movie goers worry that the couple is a little bit too outwardly affectionate — so much so that they might be faking their displays of passion. Others yet have whispered that the two spend so much time apart — and post so few photos of each other on social media — that they might be getting a divorce. Although it's impossible to know whether these rumors are true, there are definitely a number of signs that Reynolds and Lively's marriage could be more complicated than what meets the eye.

Although the rumors surrounding Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' relationship exploded in 2024, there have long been questions about the couple's compatibility. Some movie goers even questioned the duo's chemistry as far back as 2011. Apparently, Reynolds and Lively's on-screen performance in the action movie, "Green Lantern," left a lot to be desired in terms of their rapport. Some film buffs even questioned the couple's ability to connect.

Writing on Reddit, one film fan shared, "I'm actually one of those weird people who liked 'Green Lantern' but by far the worst problem I had was there was no chemistry between the two leads Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively." The fan went on to express surprise concerning the couple's real-life romance, asking, "How is something like this even possible? I'm stunned."

Of course, it's important to note that Reynolds and Lively were not in any sort of romantic relationship at the time they started filming "Green Lantern" in 2010. In fact, they met for the first time on the set of the movie — meaning that they still hadn't had the chance to develop much of a bond. Even Reynolds himself told Sirius XM that he and Blake were just "buddies" in those early days. That being said, these criticisms of the couple's chemistry may lead some fans to believe that they are lacking the certain "je ne sais quoi" that helps a marriage survive the long-term.

Despite the negative comments surrounding their chemistry, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively got married in 2012. However, whereas many couples head straight from their weddings to their honeymoons, Reynolds and Lively did not have that luxury. Due to the demanding nature of their careers, the Hollywood actors struggled to balance their filming commitments with their honeymoon expectations. As such, directly following their wedding, Lively and Reynolds squeezed in a quick getaway to Little Washington, Virginia. They kept their stay to a minimum, though, as Lively needed to rush back to the set of "Gossip Girl."

A second iteration of this dilemma occurred months later when the couple embarked on a second honeymoon somewhere on the African continent. Although they were able to spend some quality time together, their vacation was cut short by Reynolds' commitment to film "The Captive" in Canada. As the actor shared in a press conference, "I dragged my wife from our honeymoon in Africa and landed her in Ontario, Canada, when it was minus-40 degrees" (via USA Today). Apparently, they lived out of a small "roadside hotel" for weeks — a struggle that clearly signaled that they honeymoon was over, so to speak.

These scheduling difficulties may indicate that Reynolds and Lively do not always have a lot of time for love and romance. Thanks to their demanding work commitments, they might not always be able to find sufficient together time. 

The honeymoon debacle was not the only time when Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds struggled to coordinate their work schedules — at least, not according to rumors. In 2015, an anonymous source told RadarOnline that Reynolds and Lively simply could not balance their personal career ambitions with their desire to spend time together as a couple. "They've completely drifted apart ... They're both focused on their careers, and have no time for each other," the source relayed.

Interestingly, Lively and Reynolds say that they do try prioritizing their relationship over making movies. They even told the press that they avoid filming at the same time — so that they don't have spend long periods of time away from each other. In 2020, Reynold told Access Hollywood, "We don't split up. Like, I shoot movies, and my wife shoots movies, and we go travel all over the place, and we just all go together."

In 2024, though, Hello! reported that this "never splitting" policy might have been easier said than done. Even in the early years of the couple's romance, most of Lively's time went to filming "Gossip Girl." And, with the dual release of their movies — "It Ends With Us" and "Deadpool & Wolverine" — in 2024, Reynolds and Lively have been caught working at the same time. With this in mind, it's definitely possible that the couple doesn't spend as much time together as they're willing to admit publicly.

From an outsider's perspective, a career in Hollywood may appear to be all glitz and glamor. After all, actors like Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds often live extremely lavish lives. With red carpet appearances, photoshoots, and massive salaries, Reynolds and Lively appear to be living large. That being said, the demands of their acting commitments can be harsh — a factor which may even have an impact on the couple's marriage.

In August 2024, Reynolds took to Instagram to congratulate the costumes department from "Deadpool & Wolverine" on a job well-done. He shared a photo of some of the team's handiwork to the social media platform and even used the caption to gush: "The work they do isn't just design and fabrication, it's engineering." 

Fascinatingly, though, Reynolds' appreciation post hinted toward the stress that he and the rest of the team endured during filming. After admitting that the costume designers had "no room for error" in terms of their work, Reynolds went on to share that he oftentimes could not use the restroom for "over an hour" while on set. In the midst of such an intensive filming process, it's difficult to say where exactly the actor found the time to be a present husband.

Of course, Ryan Reynolds is not the only one with a challenging work schedule. Over the years, Blake Lively has also struggled with stressful work commitments that take up enormous stretches of her time. Because of this, it is said that Reynolds and Lively can get competitive with each other — especially in terms of who makes the best movies.

Lively opened up about this complicated dynamic in a 2024 interview with Heart. Commenting on the rivalry between their films, "It Ends With Us" and "Deadpool & Wolverine," the actor declared that she had won the competition — because she was technically in both movies. "You have to long-game it. You know how I'm going to win? I'm going to be in both [films]. He wasn't in this movie, he should have been in this movie, then it would have been a real competition," Lively joked.

As lighthearted as these comments were, however, some sources say that the competition between Lively and Reynolds can really heat up. As one anonymous source told RadarOnline, "Blake and Ryan's career rivalry is a problem." Although it is difficult to say whether this is actually true, we can imagine that Lively and Reynolds' "best movie" contests grow pretty passionate.

No marriage is without its challenges, and Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' relationship is no exception. Although it's unclear what their biggest issues may be, rumor has it that both Reynolds and Lively can be difficult to work with.

In August 2024, Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa went on her personal YouTube channel to share a cringey old interview with Blake Lively that she claimed "made me want to quit my job." In the interview, which took place in 2016 shortly after Lively announced her second pregnancy, Flaa greeted Lively with words of positivity. "First of all, congrats on your little bump!" Flaa said. The actor replied with an instance of body shaming, telling the not-pregnant journalist, "Congrats on your little bump." Apparently, this comment left Flaa so rattled that she considered stepping away from interviews for good.

Interestingly, Lively is not the only one who has a reputation for being hard to work with. On an episode of "The Adam Carolla Show" in 2022, actor T.J. Miller claimed that Reynolds was unkind to him on set. Miller recalled, "And then, as the character, he was, like, horrifically mean to me. But to me. As if I'm Weasel ... So that was not a great experience for me." Based on these stories, it is possible that Lively and Reynolds occasionally struggle to get along with each other, as well.

It's no secret that sharing finances is one of the trickiest parts of maintaining a marriage. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds discovered this the hard way when the latter made a major purchase without consulting his wife. In an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" with Rob McElhenney in 2022, Reynolds revealed that he had bought Wrexham A.F.C, a football club, sans Lively's blessing. 

"I remembered showing up and seeing Blake and saying, you know, 'I have bad news, and I have really bad news,'" the actor recalled. "'The bad news is I slipped into someone's DM's again. The really bad news is, you know, I might have bought half of a fifth-tier national football league in Wales.'"

Understandably, Blake Lively was furious to hear her husband bought a soccer team without informing her of his plans. On the same episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Reynolds described his wife's reaction as "not great." He then went on to add, "We're still working through that one." It seems that Reynolds' choice to make a major financial commitment without even informing Lively first added quite a bit of strain on the couple's relationship.

One of the toughest moments for Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds appears to be part of their jobs. Over the years, the couple has clashed a bit on the red carpet due to their different dispositions. While Lively has long held the reputation for being the star of the show, Reynolds has not always seemed too keen on spending time in front of the cameras.

On August 6, 2024, the couple made an appearance together at the "It Ends With Us" premiere. Halfway through their red carpet walk, however, Reynolds stopped Lively and whispered something to her. Professional lip reader, Nicola Hickling, exclusively told The List that Ryan Reynolds expressed his impatience at the premiere. As Hickling revealed, "He asked, 'Is this the last time?'" Apparently, this comment was probably in reference to posing for photos on the red carpet.

According to Hickling, Lively did not come back with the response that Reynolds wanted: "Lively said, 'No, we gotta speak to everyone. Erm, are you impressed? There's more.'" While this answer might have been a disappointment to Reynolds, it also represented a major win for Lively. After all, the amount of camera attention that she received was directly correlated to the amount of excitement surrounded her movie — regardless of whether or not her husband was excited about smiling one more time for the cameras.

Ryan Reynolds' reluctance to shine on the red carpet was not just revealed during the "It Ends With Us" premiere. The actor appeared equally uncomfortable posing for the cameras on his way to the after party of the premiere of his own movie, "Deadpool & Wolverine." Speaking exclusively to The List, Patrick Wanis, PhD – behavior and relationship expert, creator of SRTT therapy, and author of "Get Over Your Ex Now!" — explained that Reynolds' body language showed his displeasure with the event. "You can see Ryan wants to get away," noted Wanis. "He appears to think, 'I've taken the photos, shown what I needed to show, and fulfilled my obligations. Can I leave now?'"

While Reynolds' non-verbal communication shows resistance to his red carpet obligations, Wanis said that Blake Lively seems much more keen on the spotlight. "He wants to walk away and go back into the [venue], but Blake pulls him back, tugging on his hand because she wants to stay," the relationship expert said. "She enjoys the intense adulation and thrives on the attention, becoming more energized the more attention and validation she receives." 

All in all, this moment shows that the couple might clash a little on the red carpet. As Lively potentially pushes Reynolds to spend more time posing for photos, it is possible that the latter does not feel particularly at ease. This dynamic could certainly add tension to Lively and Reynolds' marriage.

Another point of tension in Blake Lively's marriage with Ryan Reynolds may be the couple's relationship with public displays of affection. Although Reynolds has historically showered his wife with public words of affirmation, evidence does indicate that he might not be as comfortable showing physical affection in public settings. 

In an exclusive conversation with The List, Patrick Wanis, PhD, revealed that Reynolds' body language at the "Deadpool & Wolverine" premiere after party seemed pretty anti-PDA. "Ryan doesn't seem comfortable with public displays that are meant to show affection or perform for the public's expectations. He doesn't enjoy these displays of affection in public, and when he has had enough, he turns away," Wanis explained.

In contrast to her husband, Lively almost appeared to lean into these moments of public attention. According to Wanis, this could be simply because Lively has a more extroverted personality. "Blake tells him to wait because she still wants more photos and attention. She doesn't seem to feel she has had enough yet; she hasn't been filled up yet with attention," Wanis noted. Once again, we see that the differences in Reynolds and Lively's dispositions create moments when the couple is out of synch. Too many of these moments could, of course, mean trouble for the pair in the long term.

Regardless of who is pushing the PDA, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are extremely lovey-dovey when they're out together in public. Over the years, they've been photographed holding hands, hugging, and making doe eyes at each other. In spite of these arguably romantic moments, many movie fans believe that the couple is leaning a little bit too hard into their "perfect pair" image. As one Redditor shared, "The more people try to push the perfect marriage/relationship goals narrative online, the less I believe them."

Naturally, this individual is not the only one to feel this way. Commenting on the same thread, another Reddit user added, "Maybe I'm just pessimistic but I always get suspicious of [people] who are too well liked or appear too perfect, it makes me feel like they're hiding something." 

At the end of the day, Lively and Reynolds are extremely public about the positive parts of their marriage — and silent about the rest. This paints an image of their relationship that can seem disingenuous. After all, no marriage is perfect — and certainly not as perfect as the one that Lively and Reynolds portray to the world.