Blake Lively‘s legal battle against Justin Baldoni was not only exhausting and stressful for her, but also husband Ryan Reynolds!
The legal war finally came to an end on Monday, and reports have surfaced claiming Ryan was the one who pushed his wife to end the matter before it was set to go to trial in just a few weeks. No money was reportedly exchanged, nor was an apology on Baldoni’s behalf required. It was a lackluster end to a bitter feud.
To celebrate, Blake stepped out at the Met Gala, but Ryan reportedly stayed home with the kids. Now, new sources are coming forward about how much of a toll this lawsuit drama supposedly took on the couple’s marriage.
Related: Blake Lively Still ‘Has Hope’ Taylor Swift ‘Friendship Can Be Saved’
Speaking to DailyMail.com on Tuesday, an insider said of the actor’s absence at the Met Gala:
“Ryan didn’t go with Blake because they both felt this moment should be hers.”
The insider added of Blake’s appearance:
“Once a settlement started to feel like a very real possibility, that’s when she decided to go to the Met Gala. In her mind, if things worked out, it could be a bit of a victory lap, a way of showing she’s still standing after everything and is ready to move forward. She’s done letting this court battle dictate her life and wants to get back to work and rebuild her career. Being there gave her an ego boost, and she loved that she’s still part of the conversation.”
Another one of the outlet’s insiders claimed:
“Blake was in a positive mood [at the Met] and people seemed far more open to being seen with her than they have been in years. She was cheerful and made a point of going up to people she hadn’t seen in a while. She was really friendly with Beyoncé, Rihanna and Heidi Klum. The lawsuit turned her into somewhat of a pariah, especially when people found out that Taylor [Swift] had cooled off on her. The feeling is that the event was her way of signaling that she’s back in the fold. She seemed genuinely relieved last night.”
While she was all smiles on the red carpet, a third DailyMail insider alleged that not everything has been so great behind closed doors:
“Ryan and Blake were always united during this, but they weren’t always on the same page.”
Mostly, he wanted to settle this as fast as possible, the insider explained:
“He was going to support her no matter what, but he has always been of the mind that she needed to settle and move forward. This has been bad for her, bad for their careers. It has been an enormous amount of stress for them both. He has pretty much raised his hands and been hands off.
She wanted to prove a point. I have never ever known anyone so convinced that they were in the right. She 100 percent believed that she was on the right side here. And she wanted to prove it.”
Ultimately, the fight dragged on for almost two years! And it cost them millions! So, it’s understandable why — at any point — Ryan may have been tired of it, even if he fully supported Blake bringing forth this lawsuit. Especially since this was impacting his professional life, as well:
“Meanwhile Ryan was like ‘just let it go.’ But she was adamant. He has learned when she gets that way, to let her just be herself, but I’m sure he was a little bit annoyed that it was affecting his standing in Hollywood too. I mean, he’s so closely associated with her, and she’s become toxic. So, I’m sure he didn’t love that.”
Anyone who’s been through a legal ordeal knows how tense it can get in a relationship, and that’s exactly what started happening for the Green Lantern stars. The insider claimed they stopped talking about the trial in recent weeks, with Ryan mostly just “listening” to whatever his wife needed to vent about:
“Once, like maybe a year ago, she was upset and talking and he just sat there quietly. I am sure it got worse and worse.”
Oof.
While DailyMail.com‘s sources suggest there’s been divorce worries, this source doesn’t think that’s a real concern anymore:
“He loves her and supports her, sure, but he also knew a year ago that she should settle. She just had to get there in her mind. He’s not going to be the type to be like ‘I told you so,’ but… he told her so.”
Now, let’s be clear, these are all just reports. Blake and Ryan have stood by one another through this mess, and Blake even reposted a selfie her hubby shared on Instagram Stories on Tuesday. Check it out:
They certainly seemed loved-up to us!
If there ever was any tension behind the scenes, hopefully it all washes away now that there’s no more lawsuit stress!
What do YOU think? Tell us (below).
[Image via Udo Salters/WENN/MEGA]
