Ryan Reynolds Steps Out at Harvard Amid Legal Battle

Ryan Reynolds recently made his first public appearance since director Justin Baldoni filed a lawsuit against him and his wife, Blake Lively.

On Wednesday, January 22, the "Deadpool" star shared photos from his outing at Harvard Business School through his Instagram Story. He engaged with students alongside "Shark Tank" guest Matt Higgins. Reynolds humorously remarked, "If my dad were even remotely alive enough to see me speaking at Harvard Business School, he’d be pretty impressed." He referenced his late father, James Chester Reynolds, and added with his signature wit that his father's admiration might hinge on "his sudden aliveness." He went on to say, "What an opportunity to withhold affection AND see your child speak at Harvard."

In another post, he expressed gratitude towards Higgins, stating, "Thank you [Matt Higgins] for the thoughtful conversation and tee up." He noted, "This class has megawatt talent. The questions alone made me wiser."

Reynolds’ engagement at Harvard occurred during the ongoing legal dispute involving "It Ends With Us," with Baldoni, 40, against Reynolds and Lively, 37.

Lively accused Baldoni in a December 2024 lawsuit of sexual harassment and said he created a "hostile work environment" that caused her "severe emotional distress." Baldoni denied these allegations, which were first reported by Us Weekly. Following this news, Baldoni, among ten plaintiffs, initiated a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times for its reporting on Lively's claims. A spokesperson from the Times commented that it would "vigorously defend against the lawsuit."

On the same day, Lively additionally filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in a New York federal court that mirrored her prior claims submitted to the California Civil Rights Department.

Baldoni's studio followed this with a new lawsuit on January 16, seeking $400 million from Lively, Reynolds, and Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane. This lawsuit included charges of civil extortion, defamation, and false light invasion of privacy, among others.

Days later, on January 21, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, released behind-the-scenes footage from the "It Ends With Us" set to counter Lively's allegations. In response, Lively and Reynolds filed a letter requesting a protective order against Baldoni's legal team, claiming improper conduct, including "harassing and retaliatory media campaigns" aimed at them.

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