Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been very much in the public eye this past week at several events, packing on the PDA and the smiles.
On April 27, Lively and Reynolds hit the carpet for a screening of her upcoming film, “Another Simple Favor,” arms around each other while smiling and laughing.
The day before, April 26, the couple were in the stands for the soccer team co-owned by Reynolds, Wrexham in Wales, sharing a hug when the team won their big match.
And on April 24, Lively and Reynolds attended the Time 100 Gala, holding hands and even cracking jokes on the carpet in Reynolds’ case.
BLAKE LIVELY, RYAN REYNOLDS CRACK JOKES ON TIME100 CARPET AS THEY FIGHT LEGAL BATTLE
But experts are questioning if all the public appearances are the right move for the couple amid their ongoing legal battle with Lively’s “It Ends with Us” co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.
Kara Schmiemann of Red Banyan PR told Fox News Digital, “This type of strategy, flooding the market with appearances as an attempt to show normalcy and appear[ing] unbothered or unaffected by the drama, is typically not well-advised in crisis response planning.”
“While there is certainly a time and place for this approach, and it can sometimes be very effective, in this case it doesn’t allow for the heat to die down. The public can be forgiving, but they need time and a reason to forgive and forget. Blake and Ryan seem to be continuing to fan the flames, and it is not landing particularly well for all circles.”
“If the PDA-filled images were all that the public saw, their PDA would have definitely helped their image amid the ongoing Baldoni lawsuit drama, because they have always been celebrated as a Hollywood ‘it couple’ with an amazing relationship,” relationship expert Nicole Moore said. “The issue for Blake and Ryan’s image is that a large portion of the public no longer gets their information solely from media outlets but from social media and online commentators.”
Moore referred to online speculation that at the Time 100 Gala, Lively told Reynolds to kiss her before she gave her speech.
“When the public sees Blake and Ryan looking lovey-dovey at an event, but then goes on TikTok and sees a video about a lip-reader sharing that Blake ordered Ryan to kiss her, for instance, it creates mistrust in the couple and plants seeds of doubt that their relationship is staged,” she explained. “So much of the public opinion regarding the Baldoni lawsuit drama has been shaped by voices outside of traditional media, and that’s been to Blake and Ryan’s detriment.”
WATCH: BLAKE LIVELY, RYAN REYNOLDS CRACK JOKES ON TIME100 CARPET AS THEY FIGHT LEGAL BATTLE
Also at the Time 100 Gala, Lively gave a speech focused on her mother, who she said had been attacked by a “work acquaintance who attempted to take her life,” per Entertainment Weekly.
“I have so much to say about the last two years of my life, but tonight is not the forum. What I will speak to separately is the feeling of being a woman who has a voice today,” the 37-year-old began, per the outlet.
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Crediting her mother for influencing her with her “unwavering bravery,” Lively said her mom “never got justice” from the incident and explained she survived the incident because she had heard stories from women in similar circumstances, particularly a story shared on a radio show.
“And because of hearing that woman speak to her experience instead of shutting down in fear and unfair shame, my mom is alive today,” Lively said.
“Unlike her public displays of affection with her husband, which has been par for the course throughout their courtship and marriage, the timing of this revelation hits the ‘funny bone’ of armchair skeptics, causing them to jerk in response,” Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital.
He continued, “Given all the scrutiny surrounding her demeanor during the press tour for ‘It Ends With Us,’ why not bring this incredibly personal experience up then? Wouldn’t that have lent a sense of authenticity and relatability in terms of her passion and commitment to a film that was tackling such a difficult topic as domestic abuse?
“Sadly, whether accurate or not, this comes off as a thinly veiled attempt at garnering public sympathy by repositioning herself as the ‘victim’ in hopes of distracting and reframing the audience’s focus.”
Schmiemann agreed, saying, “If this was a ploy to gain sympathy, that can be easily sussed out by the public and could be even more damaging. And in this particular case, the irony of discussing assault now, when she previously received backlash for not sufficiently highlighting the horrors of domestic violence in her movie promotion strategy, it is a tough one to reconcile.”
“The public can be forgiving, but they need time and a reason to forgive and forget.”
— Kara Schmiemann, Red Banyan PR
While public opinion remains divided on Lively and Reynolds, they have at least one famous name offering support: Reynolds’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” co-star Hugh Jackman.
On Monday, Jackman posted a group photo with the couple, director Shawn Levy, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci on his Instagram stories, writing in the caption, “I couldn’t love these people more if they were my own blood.”
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Moore says, “Hollywood actors are often obsessed with protecting their image and profitability, so the fact that Hugh is supporting Blake and Ryan publicly likely means that he doesn’t anticipate doing so will hurt his own brand. There has been extensive media coverage on the close friendly relationship between Hugh and Ryan, so it would likely appear weird to the public if Hugh didn’t support his friend.”
“If the lawsuit ends up going in Baldoni’s favor and the public starts to see Blake and Ryan as perpetrators of harm due to the verdict, that’s likely when Hugh will need to distance himself from the couple in order to protect his image,” she added.
Just as Lively and Reynolds have continued to step out in public, Justin Baldoni has remained largely hidden from view.
“Baldoni is making the right move by avoiding the public eye because he’s mitigating any damage that might occur from a misstep at a public appearance,” Moore said. “Right now, Baldoni appears to have the favor of the public, and he’s wise to ride the wave of that favor without adding any potentially negative press or attention to the mix.”
She continued, “Baldoni’s strategy appears to be mostly defending back after he’s directly attacked rather than attempting to position himself favorably through public appearances, and this appears to be working as it makes the public see him as the little guy defending himself against Hollywood giants.”
In Eldridge’s opinion: “Baldoni’s moves have been flawless up to this point. From an optics standpoint, he had an accuser make the first move with a splashy, long-form piece in the New York Times. His response was measured and meaningful; ironically, it centered mostly on a series of indelible ‘receipts’ as well as allowing fans to find the cracks in Lively’s sidewalk, knowing she’d eventually trip up.”
Schmiemann said, “Time and silence cannot be underestimated when dealing with as much nuance and public criticism as Blake and Ryan seem to be facing. Of course, they must still live their lives and work and care for their family, but being strategic about the when and where is incredibly important. If they continue to step out too frequently, you create additional opportunities for the story to remain in the public eye and for a repeated resurgence of criticism and hate.”
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“They are currently facing claims of ‘self-importance,’ and these public moments can often play further into that narrative,” she added. “While we wait for the trial, and the inevitable media circus to ensue, enjoying quiet time is advisable and allows the public to perhaps view the story later with fresh, renewed perspectives.”
