Experts have warned that Ryan Reynolds’ decision to joke about his wife Blake Lively’s contentious legal battle with Justin Baldoni may have underplayed the severity of her allegations, potentially deterring other abuse victims from speaking out.
Blake, 37, made her first public appearance since filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, 41, last year. On Sunday night, she and Ryan watched the SNL50: The Anniversary Special.
During the event, Ryan chimed into a Q&, A with actresses Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, where he made a remark that seemed to reference the ongoing media frenzy surrounding his wife’s situation. Ryan said: “I have a question”, prompting Tina to respond: “Oh Ryan Reynolds, how’s it going”?
“Great – why, what have you heard”? Ryan said it appeared to be referring to the ferocious media coverage surrounding the incident. Before he moved on to the more current subject, the audience erupted in delight at the comment. Then, Rayan inquired, “You know the materials used to make the cone heads; are those materials edible?”
The couple’s public criticism, however, was harsh, with many calling for them to use their celebrity status to win back the public’s support after receiving negative press coverage.
Since then, Shari Botwin has criticised the actor for trivializing the situation. She told the Daily Mail: “Jokes about sexual harassment reinforce rape culture, and further silences victims”.
Shari added: “Reynolds may have stepped out of line by mocking his wife’s lawsuit. People often make fun of sexual violence because they are uncomfortable or do not understand the effects. Reynolds’ comments about his wife’s lawsuit minimize her claims and prevent her from dating her in a alleged reality situation.
As Blake jokingly discussed their lawsuit, Ryan was seated next to him. A body language expert also chimed in to offer her thoughts on Blake’s response to the joke.
Expert Judi James explained: “Laughter is a great diffuser. We view humor as a sign of “normality,” and encouraging jokes about potentially controversial or damaging public narratives are frequently used as a way to come off as self-assured and cause some public tension to erupt.
Ryan poses in this pose for the first time in a carefree innocence. His expression indicates a desire to chat while the hosts are around him, with his brows raised and eyes rounded. There is a polite, social, part-smile from his mouth as his hands are clasped in front of his torso. When he is asked, “How are you doing?,” the joke switches into his mock mood. when his hands begin to wring and fall lower to a self-protective fig-leaf position. Saying ‘ What’ve you heard? ‘ “He expresses more receptive,” he says.
Looking at Blake’s body language, Judi added:” Blake sits beside him, watching with a narrowed eye-smile and a complex mouth expression. Her lips are puckered, and her “grin” has a downward tilt but a slight upward curl in the corners, which suggests that there are varying emotional responses. Her smile widens to a laugh but then as Ryan says ‘ What’ve you heard? ‘ She appears to be just as cautious as she is as her smile turns around and her head snaps back toward him with a more serious expression.
Blake accused Justin of trying to launch a smear campaign against her in a lawsuit that Ryan and Blake have not disclosed. Blake claimed that he sexually harassed her while filming the press conference after their press conference.
Justin, however, refutes the allegations and has since filed a defamation lawsuit against Blake and Ryan, who allegedly tried to take over the direction of the film.
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Source: Mirror
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