After a period of relative quiet, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have re-emerged into the public eye, even as their legal dispute with "It Ends With Us" director Justin Baldoni continues to unfold. The couple's recent appearances include a celebration for Chris Rock's 60th birthday at The Crane Club in New York City, where they were photographed with Chevy Chase, and a red-carpet appearance at the "Saturday Night Live" 50th-anniversary special.
These outings mark their first significant public appearances since Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni in December. The legal proceedings have intensified recently, with Lively's legal team subpoenaing Baldoni's phone records. Baldoni's lawyers have responded by accusing Lively of overreach, characterizing the subpoena as excessively broad and invasive.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds made their first red carpet appearance in months at SNL50. (NBC)
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds celebrated Chris Rock's (not pictured) birthday with Chevy Chase on Saturday. (Chevy Chase/Instagram)
Chase's Instagram post featuring the couple drew mixed reactions, with some fans criticizing his association with Lively and Reynolds in light of the ongoing legal battle. Some comments suggested that Chase was supporting "Hollywood bullies" while others simply expressed admiration for the gathering of stars.
Blake Lively walked the red carpet Sunday wearing a sparkling silver Tamara Ralph gown. (Evan Agostino)
Ryan and Blake made their first red carpet appearance in months for "SNL50." (Evan Agostino)
Meanwhile, the legal wrangling between Lively, Reynolds, and Baldoni continues. Baldoni's legal team is pushing back against the subpoena for his phone records, arguing that it's an unwarranted intrusion into his and others' privacy. The subpoena covers a multi-year period and requests extensive communication data, including location information and web browsing history. Baldoni's lawyers contend this is excessive and irrelevant to the case.
Lively and Reynolds were last publicly seen together Dec. 3 at a "Wicked" premiere in New York. (Santiago Felipe)
Lively's initial complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court, alleges sexual harassment, retaliation, emotional distress, and negligence on the part of Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath. Baldoni, in turn, has filed lawsuits against the New York Times and Lively/Reynolds, claiming defamation and an attempt to manipulate the narrative around "It Ends With Us."
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively starred in the film based on the Colleen Hoover novel. (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Justin Baldoni not only starred in the film adaptation of the novel but also directed the movie. (Getty Images)
