'SNL' denies claim Ryan Reynolds wrote controversial joke about Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni lawsuit
Despite a "Saturday Night Live" staffer claiming Ryan Reynolds' joke during the 50th anniversary special was "his idea," a representative for the famed sketch comedy show has denied his involvement.
During an appearance on the "Fifi, Fev and Nick" podcast on Tuesday, veteran "SNL" staffer Wally Feresten said Reynolds pitched the joke that poked fun at the ongoing legal drama between his wife, Blake Lively, and Justin Baldoni during rehearsals.
"He had a different line in rehearsal, and he pitched that to replace it," Feresten, whose role is to hold the cue cards during every live show, said. "That was his idea."
"We wouldn't want to do anything too controversial unless they were in on it," he added. "So, yeah, that was his line. That was his idea to do."
Representatives for Reynolds and "SNL" denied this claim. Fox News Digital has also learned that Feresten is not a part of the writing or creative process.
During the special, former cast members Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took the stage to engage with celebrities in the audience. When Reynolds stood up, the comedy duo asked, "How's it going?"
Reynolds jokingly responded, "Great, why? What have you heard?" He was seemingly referencing the ongoing, and very public, back-and-forth with Baldoni. The response seemed to have caught Lively off guard as she appeared to nervously look up at her husband of 12 years.
Despite the attempted joke, some fans were not thrilled with the couple's appearance.
"Given this results in an awkward moment that kind of hangs rather than the hosts quipping back with some kind of joke and Blake's facial expression, I don't think this was planned at all. I think Ryan's attention-hungry nonsense caused him to take the chance to go for it," an X user theorized.
Others were quick to offer their support, with one user writing, "I thought it was funny. Yall are too serious."
"Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively showing up to SNL 50 is bold," another wrote, adding a laughing emoji.
In December, Lively detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more against Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath in a complaint first filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court.
In response, Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband, accusing them of civil extortion and defamation.
Not long after filing his lawsuit, Baldoni and his team released unedited footage from the set of "It Ends with Us" that they claimed refutes Lively's previous accusations of sexual harassment. However, the actress' legal team claimed that the footage bolsters Lively's allegations.
After the release, Lively's legal team demanded a gag order be issued against Baldoni's lawyer.
On Jan. 23, Baldoni's lawyers filed a response, calling Lively's gag order attempt an "intimidation tactic" and "tactical gamesmanship."
A judge later ordered that they both follow New York's Rules of Professional Conduct, which limit speaking to the press.
On Tuesday, Lively filed an amended complaint that documents a slew of new details in addition to her original claims of sexual harassment, retaliation and infliction of emotional distress.
In the 141-page complaint that was filed late Tuesday in New York federal court, Lively claimed there are two other actresses involved with the film that are willing and prepared to detail their own experiences with Baldoni that made them "uncomfortable on set."
"The complaint includes significant contemporaneous evidence that Ms. Lively was not alone in raising allegations of on-set misconduct more than a year before the Film was edited; as well as evidence detailing the threats, harassment, and intimidation of not just Ms. Lively, but numerous innocent bystanders that have followed defendants' retaliatory campaign," Lively's attorneys Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb told Fox News Digital in a statement.
In response, Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, told Fox News Digital the claim is "hearsay."
"Our clients have been transparent in providing receipts, real-time documents and video showing a completely different story than what has been manipulated and cherry-picked to the media," Freedman said in a statement. "Our clients have taken this matter and these issues very seriously, notwithstanding the jokes made publicly by the plaintiff and her husband. Her underwhelming amended complaint is filled with unsubstantial hearsay of unnamed persons who are clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims."
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