Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been falling out of favor with the public over the last few years, largely due to the former Gossip Girl star’s legal battle against It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni.
And their good friend Hugh Jackman has also seemingly dropped in the public’s rank too, partly because of his association with the couple, and also due to his silence in her aforementioned lawsuit.
Additionally, some people have sided with Jackman’s ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness following their divorce, amid reports she was blindsided by his controversial romance with Sutton Foster. According to reports, Lively and Reynolds allegedly knew about the rumored affair before Deborra-Lee did, which only fueled the public backlash. And then, of course, there are those who simply disapprove of everything surrounding the situation – including Reynolds and Jackman’s friendship, Jackman and Foster’s relationship, and more.
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Hugh Jackman Recalls Helping Blake Lively With Her Dress At The Met Gala
The Greatest Showman star is once again being slammed online, this time for bragging about helping the Age of Adaline actress with a 'wardrobe malfunction' at the Met Gala on Monday night.
The Deadpool & Wolverine actor made the comment during an interview on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, saying: "My good friend Blake said, 'Dude, I need some help with the dress. I think this, this, there's a hook in there.'"
He then acted out texting, and added: "And I'm like, 'OK. Ryan, is this cool? Are we good?' And he says, 'Go for it, brother.'"
Social media users quickly called out the anecdote, with many accusing Jackman of trying too hard to defend or support Lively amid the backlash surrounding her and Reynolds, while others pointed out that he stayed quite silent when Lively was in the thick of it, much like some of her other famous friends such as Taylor Swift.
Others thought the joke came across as tone-deaf given the ongoing conversations around feminism, consent, and Lively's public image.
Reddit Comments
"He's never been more fake and performative and I've never been more disappointed," slammed one Reddit user. "Wow, he said this recently? My good friend Blake? Is he a moron?" asked a second, in disbelief, as a third said: "A liar and a cheat just like Blake (Ryan)."
"I personally think he shared that anecdote 1) to show that Blake had friends at the Gala and 2) to tell a tasteless joke alluding to consent, the lawsuit, and what a gentleman he is. It's tone-deaf (what a pattern!) and dumb, and Hugh looks like a fool," a fourth chimed in.
"Regardless of his intent, and maybe it was calculated, it seemed to imply he needed Ryan's, not Blake's, consent to touch her," a fifth pointed out, adding: "Crazy whether it's because he thinks women can't call their own shots without a man or because he worries how she will relay it to her man."
A sixth echoed: "She asked him for help. Wouldn't that be enough? If she knew her husband didn't want men touching her, wouldn't she have asked a woman instead? I guess she didn't get that memo."
A seventh also felt the same way, and said: "This is such a pathetic joke honestly. Blake Lively has spent the last two years saying she is a champion for women's rights, but then everyone's supposed to laugh at the idea that Hugh Jackman needed to call Ryan Reynolds for permission to touch her dress? Like she's a piece of property he has to sign off on? Imagine being a grown woman and your husband being treated like the official manager of who can touch your shoulder for two seconds."
"It's just reinforcing the narrative of the playful, authentic love language of the Lively-Reynoldses, and what fun, loyal super-celebrity friends they have," concurred an eighth.
"This is the cringiest thing I've ever seen omg. Bin Lively and Megamind have to be the dumbest humans on planet Earth to think this is positive PR. I hate her even more now," criticized a ninth.
A tenth concluded: "This is so weird. He has publicly distanced himself from both Blake and Ryan over the last year, has said absolutely nothing about supporting Blake during this 'difficult time' in her life, and now he's on talk shows saying he was helping her get ready for the Met Gala? There are literally no photos of him or Sutton with Blake at the Met either."
