Ryan Reynolds’ ‘Nicepool’ Character Sparks Legal Controversy & Hollywood Drama
Ryan Reynolds faces backlash after his Deadpool & Wolverine character 'Nicepool' seemingly parodies Justin Baldoni, amid ongoing legal drama involving Blake Lively and Baldoni. Is Hollywood humor crossing the line?
Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool Character Drama (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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In the latest entertainment drama, Blake Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, is accused of using his influence to poke fun at Justin Baldoni, Lively’s It Ends With Us co-star, in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine. The issue revolves around a character, “Nicepool,” introduced in the movie, which has raised eyebrows and set tongues wagging.
While Reynolds is no stranger to controversy (it’s all part of his Deadpool charm), the heat is on this time for more serious reasons. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, took to The Megyn Kelly Show to claim that Reynolds used his “power and influence” to create a character that parodied Baldoni, particularly in light of the legal issues swirling around Lively and Baldoni at the time. These lawsuits, including Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment and social manipulation, have been making headlines, and this Deadpool character seemingly added fuel to the fire.
The character “Nicepool,” played by Reynolds, is a clear parody of Baldoni, with certain traits – like a man-bun, feminist talk, and awkward jokes about Lively’s Ladypool character and her pregnancy – aligning too closely with Baldoni’s public persona. “What Ryan Reynolds has seemingly done is use his power and influence… on Deadpool to make fun of Justin Baldoni,” Freedman said, adding that the traits, like the man-bun and feminist comments, were unmistakably a dig at the actor.
The controversial clip features Reynolds’ Nicepool making light of Lively’s pregnancy, claiming, “Oh my goodness, wait ‘til you’ve seen Ladypool. She is gorgeous. She had a baby, too, and you can’t tell.” While typical Deadpool-esque humor, this comment struck a chord with Baldoni’s team, especially since the actor has been vocal about his feminist views, including a well-known TED talk from 2017.
Freedman didn’t hold back, arguing that using humor to mock such a sensitive situation only undermines the seriousness of Lively’s allegations. “If your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni,” he said. “You don’t make fun of the situation. You take it seriously.”
The allegations didn’t end with just the character’s creation. Freedman also claimed that Reynolds had a hand in shaping It Ends with Us, stating that Lively used Reynolds’ influence to take control of the film adaptation. In an even more shocking twist, Freedman alleged that Lively falsely claimed Reynolds wrote a scene in the film, which Christy Hall and Colleen Hoover were credited for, raising questions about Lively’s version of events.
Baldoni’s response to all this has been notably composed. While the accusations have caused a stir, the actor has been careful not to escalate tensions, treating the matter professionally without publicly confronting Lively or Reynolds.
With the legal battle between Lively and Baldoni heating up, it’s clear that the Deadpool incident is far from a lighthearted moment. As Freedman hinted, Reynolds might soon find himself named in a lawsuit tied to the It Ends with Us debacle, further complicating an already messy situation.
So, while Lively’s reaction to the whole “Nicepool” situation might have been one of laughter at first, it’s clear that this particular moment in Hollywood is more than just a quirky bit of Deadpool humor; it’s a deeper, tangled web of legal drama that’s far from over.
