Ryan Reynolds is no stranger to humor, but his recent interview with It Ends With Us actor Brandon Sklenar has left fans divided.
A resurfaced video from August 2023, in which Reynolds grills Sklenar about his role alongside Blake Lively in the upcoming film, has gained traction online.
Many viewers found the exchange uncomfortable, branding Reynolds a “mean girl” for his remarks.
The timing of the video’s resurgence is particularly noteworthy, as it comes amid a legal battle between Lively and the film’s director and co-star, Justin Baldoni.
Ryan Reynolds’ Unusual Interview with Brandon Sklenar
The interview in question featured Reynolds, 48, playfully interrogating Sklenar,
34, about his on-screen relationship with Lively. Sklenar plays Atlas Corrigan, the former love interest of Lively’s character, Lily Bloom.
What began as a standard press interview quickly took a turn when Reynolds, joined by his mother, Tammy Reynolds, and longtime friend Hugh Jackman, started poking fun at Sklenar.
“It’s not every day the husband gets to interview his wife’s love interest in a film,” Reynolds quipped at the beginning of the segment.
He then jokingly pressed Sklenar about his interactions with Lively, referring to her as “Mrs. Reynolds” before sarcastically asking, “What do you call her? Do you guys have a nickname or something?”
As the interview continued, Tammy chimed in, calling Sklenar “the man trying to replace my sweet little gummy bear, Ryan.” Jackman joined in as well, adding, “the guy trying to replace Ryan as a husband and me as his best mate.”
The conversation took another bizarre turn when Reynolds analyzed a photograph of Sklenar standing next to Lively, zeroing in on the actor’s physique.
“Is that genetics? Do you have some sort of low-angle squat routine to pop that region in that way? I mean, what’s going on here, man?” Reynolds asked, referring to Sklenar’s stance in the picture.
At one point, the exchange became even more awkward when Reynolds jokingly mentioned taking methamphetamine. Sklenar, seemingly thrown off by the comment, responded with, “Ryan? You wanna take a break?” to which Reynolds quipped, “From Blake? Sure.”
Fans Call Out Reynolds’ ‘Mean Girl’ Behavior
Although the interview was likely intended as a humorous promotional piece, many fans found Reynolds’ approach uncomfortable. Social media users were quick to criticize the actor, with one person writing, “Ryan is the ultimate mean girl.”
Another added, “Ryan Reynolds is a mean high school girl trapped in a 40-something body.”
Some fans also questioned why Reynolds was so heavily involved in the project, with one commenting, “Not every day a husband gets involved in the script, acting, production, and press of his wife’s movie.”
Others took issue with the lighthearted tone of the interview, given that It Ends With Us is centered on themes of domestic violence. One user wrote, “Hijack an opportunity to address DV with your own personal vendetta is one of the most disrespectful things I’ve seen from an actor. The entitlement is wild.”
Another person criticized the entire marketing approach, saying, “Turning a promotion about a movie with such a serious theme into whatever the f**k this was.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Legal Feud
The resurfacing of this interview comes at a tense time, as Lively and Reynolds are embroiled in a legal battle with Justin Baldoni, the director and co-star of It Ends With Us. The dispute reportedly stems from creative disagreements over the project, with allegations that Reynolds and Lively attempted to “hijack” the film from Baldoni.
Lively has also faced backlash for her own comments about the movie. Some fans have criticized her for treating discussions about domestic abuse too casually, mirroring the concerns raised about Reynolds’ interview.
Brandon Sklenar’s Thoughts on a Sequel
Despite the ongoing controversy, Sklenar has expressed interest in reprising his role as Atlas Corrigan if a sequel to It Ends With Us were to happen. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he shared how deeply personal the story was to him.
“I’ve got someone very, very close to me who has been in that situation that Lily [Lively’s character] has been in for years, and I’ve been really on the frontlines helping her,” Sklenar revealed. “So it means a lot to me, and I’m just happy that it meant a lot to so many people as well.”
Where Does This Leave Reynolds?
While Reynolds is known for his quick wit and playful humor, this particular interview seems to have struck a nerve with audiences. Whether the backlash will impact the film’s promotion or Reynolds’ involvement in future projects remains to be seen.
For now, the controversy continues to unfold as It Ends With Us nears its release, leaving fans debating whether Reynolds’ humor went too far or if it was simply all in good fun.
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