Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s latest misstep in the public eye is a perfect example of how even Hollywood’s biggest power couple can’t escape the occasional social media roast. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds spoke about trying to give his kids as “normal a life” as possible, comparing their upbringing to his own and Lively’s. He claimed they both grew up “very working-class,” and joked about how his kids now enjoy luxuries like takeout — a stark contrast to his childhood.
However, a quick Google search reveals that this “working-class” narrative may not be as accurate as he made it seem. While Reynolds did indeed come from humble beginnings, Lively’s background is far more glamorous. Her father was an actor and filmmaker, and her mother was a talent scout — a far cry from the working-class roots Reynolds described. Lively’s upbringing in Hollywood, surrounded by actors, could hardly be considered “working-class,” and the fact that she starred in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants at a young age only adds fuel to the fire.
Naturally, social media was quick to pounce on this discrepancy. Comments piled in, pointing out that Lively’s Hollywood connections make her far from a typical “working-class” figure, with some even suggesting she was more of a “nepo baby.” The backlash included witty and biting remarks, such as, “Stop trying to make Relatable Blake happen, it’s NOT going to happen.”
This is far from the first time the couple has attracted criticism for tone-deaf comments. Lively has been called out for her casual promotion of It Ends With Us, a movie about domestic abuse, and Reynolds recently caught heat for mocking the indie film industry. The couple’s ability to miss the mark with their remarks has led some to dub them the “Most Out-Of-Touch Couple,” though their gaffes are, in the grand scheme of Hollywood missteps, relatively minor.
Still, these kinds of comments don’t do them any favors and reinforce the image of two stars who may be out of touch with their audience. As one commenter put it, “The ignorance of those two needs to be studied.” But perhaps that’s part of what makes Reynolds the perfect Deadpool — always ready with a snarky remark, but sometimes missing the mark entirely.