Ryan Reynolds’ Resilient Return

Ryan Reynolds has stepped into the public eye for the first time since the ongoing legal battles surrounding It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni erupted into headlines. On January 22, the Deadpool star shared snippets from his visit to Harvard Business School via Instagram Stories, where he engaged with students alongside Shark Tank guest star Matt Higgins.

Reynolds, known for his sharp wit and humor, reflected on the significance of the event with a heartfelt and lighthearted post. “If my dad were even remotely alive enough to see me speaking at Harvard Business School, he’d be pretty impressed,” Reynolds, 48, wrote, referring to his late father, James Chester Reynolds. He added, “More due to his sudden aliveness. But also, what an opportunity to withhold affection AND see your child speak at Harvard.”

The visit served as a rare moment of normalcy for Reynolds, who has been navigating a storm of legal disputes alongside his wife, Blake Lively. In December 2024, Lively, 37, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment, fostering a hostile work environment, and inflicting severe emotional distress during the production of It Ends With Us. Baldoni, 40, has denied all allegations.

The saga intensified earlier this month when Baldoni’s studio filed a countersuit on January 16, seeking $400 million in damages from Lively, Reynolds, and Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane. The claims included defamation, civil extortion, and false light invasion of privacy. In response, Reynolds and Lively filed a letter in court requesting a protective order to prevent what they described as Baldoni’s “harassing and retaliatory media campaign” against them.

Adding further complexity to the case, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, released behind-the-scenes footage from the It Ends With Us set in an effort to counter Lively’s accusations. This sparked a heated exchange, with Lively filing an additional lawsuit echoing her original claims, this time in a New York federal court.

Amid legal battles, Ryan Reynolds brought humor and gratitude to Harvard, calling the experience inspiring and showcasing his resilience.