Ryan Reynolds Rumors That Aren't Helping His Damaged Reputation

Ryan Reynolds' reputation has clearly soured over the last year, and certain rumors aren't helping him reclaim the public's adoration. Although the "Deadpool" star achieved international fame after taking on the role of the obscene mercenary, he's lost much of his cool factor in recent months. The biggest contributor, of course, appears to be Reynolds' supposed involvement in his wife Blake Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin Baldoni. Although the accompanying trial isn't set to start until 2026, public opinion has been skewed toward Baldoni. Reynolds distantly acknowledged the tension when appearing on "SNL 50: The Anniversary Special" in February. "[I'm doing] great. Why, what have you heard?" Reynolds joked when hosts inquired into his well-being.

Reynolds' poor reputation has also been influenced by a number of other incidents, including resurfaced rumors about how he and Lively, who parent four little ones together, started off their romance (and whether he was still betrothed to fellow actor Scarlett Johansson at the time), as well as his supposed on-set behavior in the past. Below, we'll dig into some of the biggest rumors about Reynolds that definitely aren't doing his reputation any favors. Furthermore, Nicki Swift also reached out to Amy Prenner, Communications Expert and Founder of The Prenner Group, who analyzed the way rumors can affect a celebrity's life.

Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson finalized their divorce in 2011, but the public is still fixated on what went on within their marriage. Specifically, they aren't sure whether or not Reynolds dishonored his marriage by starting a romance with his "Green Lantern" co-star, Blake Lively, before the ink was dry on their divorce papers. You see, there was a year and a few months between Reynolds' and Johansson's romance ending and Reynolds' and Lively's wedding, which took place in September 2012, and the rumor mill is saying that the short turnaround was possible because their romance started before the divorce. Reynolds, however, has maintained that they were just friends during the time period, per People.

That said, writer Cat Marnell claimed in since-deleted tweets that she had first-hand knowledge about Reynolds' and Lively's alleged affair. "Fun fact Blake lively and Ryan Reynolds hooked up when RR was still married to ScarJo, and holed up in a NOLA hotel room during the 'green lantern,'" she posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, in January 2025 (via Perez Hilton). If you're wondering why this wasn't a huge story back then, well, according to Marnell, Reynolds and Lively tapped into their shady side to kill the article before it was published. "US Weekly had discovered this, & their beauty editor would tell us this at events & abt how RR&BL teams' threats squashed the story," she continued. If true, then that's one less media moment Reynolds will probably want to erase.

In response to Blake Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit, Justin Baldoni countersued her and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion. In January 2025, Baldoni claimed that Reynolds used a "Deadpool & Wolverine" character called Nicepool, who touted feminist values and wore a man bun, similar to Baldoni, to essentially make fun of and deride him. "Wait 'till you see Ladypool. She is gorgeous. She just had a baby, too, and you can't even tell," Nicepool said in the movie (via EW). After Deadpool questioned whether that was a proper line of conversation, Nicepool replied, "That's okay, I identify as a feminist."

In January 2025, Baldoni's legal team reached out to Disney, which owns and produced "Deadpool & Wolverine," to obtain documents related to the character's development and overall arc. Their goal was to prove that Reynolds used the Nicepool character to throw jabs at Baldoni. As a result, they sought "any and all documents relating to the development of the Nicepool character," along with "communications relating to the development, writing and filming of storylines and scenes featuring Nicepool" (via People). They also sought evidence "relating to or reflecting a deliberate attempt to mock, harass, ridicule, intimidate or bully Baldoni through the character of Nicepool."

Amy Prenner, Communications Expert and Founder of The Prenner Group, broke down the impact that rumors can have on celebrities and their reputations. "With someone as high-profile as Ryan Reynolds, stories about cheating or divorce, even when they're just whispers, can really stick and shape how the public sees them," she shared exclusively with Nicki Swift. "Why do these unverified rumors have such an impact? For one, the speed at which information spreads today is incredible. Social media, gossip blogs, and entertainment news can take a tiny spark and turn it into a wildfire overnight." Prenner also cited the public's love of drama as a factor in how easily rumors spread.

As for what a celebrity can do to combat harmful rumors, the answer isn't clear-cut. "Honestly, it depends on the situation," explained Prenner. "Sometimes, ignoring the noise is the best move, especially if the rumors are baseless and not gaining much traction. But if the story is really taking off and starting to affect their career or personal relationships, it's important to address it head-on." Above all, "The best approach is to be authentic and transparent," says Prenner. "A simple, genuine statement can go a long way in clearing the air. At the same time, focusing on positive projects, charitable work, or sharing real moments with fans can help shift the conversation back to what really matters."