How Ryan Reynolds' SNL50 joke sparked tensions backstage as ...

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ attendance at SNL50: The Anniversary Special proved divisive, with producers split on including his joke and many backstage swerving the couple amid their ongoing legal scandal, insiders claim.

Lively, 37, joined her husband, 48, for Sunday night’s celebratory bash which marked her return to the spotlight for the first time since she filed a lawsuit against her It Ends with Us costar Justin Baldoni back in December.

Some attendees were reportedly ‘apprehensive’ about mingling with the embattled Hollywood couple, while others were less than amused with Reynolds’ apparent quip about their ongoing legal nightmare, which saw Lively accuse Baldoni, 41, of sexual harassment.

‘People were apprehensive about speaking and talking to them because of the situation, but everyone was friendly enough,’ an insider told DailyMail.com.

Reynolds addressed the headlines during a Q&A with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in which he stood up from the audience and said: 'I have a question.'

Fey asked: 'Oh Ryan Reynolds, how's it going?'

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ attendance at SNL50 proved divisive, with producers split on including his joke and many backstage swerving the couple, a source claimed

During the Q&A, Reynolds, 48, cheekily acknowledged the recent headlines surrounding him and Lively, 37, after she sued her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment

In a nod to the saga, he replied: 'Great - why, what have you heard?'

Lively, who was sat next to him, was seen smiling – a stark contrast to Kevin Costner who appeared to grimace at the joke.

For some it was seen as ‘cheap damage control’ in a lengthy drama which has seen the couple attempt to gag Baldoni and his attorney Bryan Freedman, as well as sending subpoenas to cell carriers AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon to find 'receipts' to disprove him.

‘Some producers were concerned that the show was being used to “endorse” Blake and Ryan because they seem desperate to prove that they’re still in with the Hollywood crowd,’ the insider continued.

‘Their team worked with SNL to create the joke but the truth is, people there weren’t really feeling it. To many it felt like cheap damage control.

‘But it was included as the network knew the appearance would grab ratings and make headlines.’

They continued: 'Some people thought it was weird that they were so eager to crack jokes about it because the accusations are serious. It felt like Ryan desperate to stick with the funny guy act which was almost at the expense of Blake. She seemed on edge backstage.'

SNL was accused of helping the embattled couple to heal their tarnished reputations, with viewers left bemused by Reynolds making light of his wife’s sexual harassment allegations.

‘Their team worked with SNL to create the joke but the truth is, people there weren’t really feeling it,' an insider said. 'To many it felt like cheap damage control

‘People were apprehensive about speaking and talking to them because of the situation, but everyone was friendly enough,’ the source added

'How sweet of SNL to try and do damage control for Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively— but it won’t work,' wrote one online.

Another added: ‘This is really so out of place from whatever angle. Who would make jokes about their own SH-battle? And if Blake is not the victim here and they are guilty of harassing JB this also looks bad.’

A third echoed: ‘This latest SNL skit is another disgusting move. You’re telling me that if your wife was actually sexually harassed you’d be making jokes about it???’

‘I think this was a poor attempt at making the public like them again, but it backfired,’ wrote a fourth.

Lively and Reynolds were joined by a litany of A-listers at the event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the NBC staple, including alums Eddie Murphy, Kristen Wiig, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Bill Murray, Leslie Jones, David Spade and Jon Lovitz.

Other attendees who descended on New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza included Kim Kardashian, Paul McCartney, Cher, Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Steven Spielberg, Jason Momoa, Paul Simon and Aubrey Plaza, who made her return to the show following her husband’s death.

Lively made her last red carpet appearance at he 2024 Beauty Inc Awards in New York City on December 11, just weeks before she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign in a lawsuit filed on December 31.

At the same time, the New York Times released a story based on her legal filing.

The couple posed for an Instagram snap with veteran SNL star Chevy Chase, as Lively made her first return to the spotlight since December 11, and nearly two months since she filed 

Lively and Baldoni (pictured)  have been engulfed in a bitter feud, levelling several accusations against one another from their time as costars on It Ends with Us

Baldoni hit back by suing the publication for defamation before launching a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds last month in which he accused the couple of conspiring to trash his reputation with the allegations.

He also accused Lively of hijacking the filming of It Ends with Us, which he directed, and claimed she forced him and his family to wait in a basement holding area at the premiere so she did not have to see him.

Baldoni has denied the allegations brought by Lively, while Lively and Reynolds have denied his claims. The New York Times has denied the claims against it as well.

A trial is scheduled for March 9, 2026. 

The bitter feud has proved damaging for the Gossip Girl alum, with her and Reynolds facing an ever growing wave of hostility which has threatened her upcoming movie, Another Simple Favor.

The actress has faced a barrage of abuse in the wake of the release date announcement and first-look poster with her costar Anna Kendrick reportedly fearful that Lively's scandal will overshadow the long-awaited sequel.