Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds take a romantic walk holding hands in New York City after ‘It Ends With Us’ protests
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds appeared to be in good spirits during a romantic walk in New York City after they faced heavy criticism during the “It Ends With Us” press tour.
The former “Gossip Girl” cast member and the “Deadpool” star were spotted holding hands and gazing lovingly at one another while taking a stroll in the Big Apple on Tuesday.
Lively, 37, kept her all-black look casual with a short-sleeve crewneck T-shirt, baggy pants and boots. She accessorized with a black-and-white crossbody bag and a multicolored charm necklace.
Reynolds, 47, also went for the low-key look, wearing loose-fitting harem pants and a black camp shirt with rolled-up sleeves over a white T-shirt. He also wore brown sunglasses, a chain necklace and brown shoes.
The A-list couple, who married in 2012 and have four children, have kept a fairly low profile since Lively found herself in the midst of drama surrounding her latest film, “It Ends With Us.”
The actress began promoting the film – which is based on the 2016 Colleen Hoover novel and deals with domestic violence – by wearing floral jewellery to represent her character’s flower shop, but fans began criticising her for not addressing serious themes in the film.
Lively faced additional criticism for saying that her character “is not defined by what anybody else did to her or something that happened to her, even though they are multiple events.”
“She defines herself, and I think that’s very empowering. … Nobody else can define you. No one experience can define you. You define yourself,” he told BBC News last month.
Amid the heated reaction, fans also speculated that the “Age of Adaline” star was feuding with her co-star and director Justin Baldoni, as they weren’t photographed together at premieres and didn’t attend any press conferences together.
After a source claimed Baldoni and Lively disagreed over the film’s final edit, an insider confirmed to Page Six that the “A Simple Favor” star’s version made it to theaters.
Another source told Us at the time that Baldoni, 40, was “extremely difficult” on set and that “none of the cast enjoyed working with him,” so they decided to keep him out of press interviews.
A report later said the former “Jane the Virgin” cast member made Lively feel “uncomfortable” about her postpartum body by asking her about her weight while training her to lift for a scene.
However, some sources defended Baldoni, arguing that he did not intend to make his co-star feel “uncomfortable”.
The actor and his production company bought the rights to Hoover’s bestselling novel in 2019, and he also helmed the 2022 sequel, “It Starts With Us.”
However, the future of the second film remains uncertain given all the behind-the-scenes drama.
