Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have a wonderful relationship filled with sarcastic jokes and amazing birthday surprises. The two are such a sweet couple and always among the top of US’s favorite celebrity couple.
They’re one of the few couples whose intimate moments can’t be spun in a negative way, as is often done by the paparazzi. Every photo they take and every speech they make in front of the camera is genuine and considerate. Even how they raise their children and encourage family values is something to be admired; it definitely catches the attention of their fans. While they like to maintain a private personal life, they also don’t shy away from the spotlight, even engaging in playful banter with each other on social media from time to time.
So what’s their life like behind the scenes? While there’s plenty to know about this romance story couple, there are also several things that only true fans would know… And luckily, we’ve got the goods when it comes to these lovebirds.
20. THEY FIRST MET ON THE SET OF GREEN ‘LANTERN’ WHEN THEY BECAME FAST FRIENDS
Funny enough, Lively and Reynolds are not the only ones who met (and eventually fell in love) on the set of a movie they were both starring in. While filming Green Lantern, the two were with other people but had become friends almost immediately. They continued to be friends for two years before finally deciding that there was a far deeper connection, ultimately bringing them together despite their separate relationships.
In an interview, Lively told Entertainment Tonight that she considered her husband to be her “best friend” and treats him as such, which is the mark of a truly unbreakable relationship.
19. …AND HAD FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER WHILE WITH OTHER PEOPLE
Even more interesting, the two stars didn’t get together immediately after each of their respective relationships ended. Lively was dating Penn Badgley, who she co-starred with on the CW’s Gossip Girl, and Reynolds was married to now ex-wife Scarlett Johansson. Although they were free and solo, their friendship came first which led them to go on a double date — with other people! While they were on the date, the two realized that the only two who were making a real connection were themselves, and the rest is history.
In an interview on Sirius XM, Reynolds said the date was ‘awkward’ because they were ‘just like fireworks coming across.’
18. REYNOLDS BECAME A PIE-SMUGGLER FOR HIS WIFE
It’s no surprise that these two would likely do anything for each other and for their family, and Reynolds has certainly proven that… in the form of pie, for instance. We can imagine that it’d be hard to say no to a face such as Blake Lively’s, which is why we don’t blame him at all for (mildly) breaking the law in order to bring food across the border for her.
Apparently, Canada’s pies are definitely high on Lively’s favorite foods list and since Reynolds would go to the ends of the earth for her, Canada is a far safer, and closer, bet. Keep it up, Reynolds… your pie shenanigans are totally safe with us!
17. THEIR FIRST DAUGHTER HAS A NAME THAT’S SPECIAL TO RYAN REYNOLDS
The couple had their first child roughly one year after they were married, and they named her James. This name holds a special place in both of their hearts, as it was the name of Reynold’s late father. Naming a child after a parent isn’t an unusual thing to do and it gives them a beautiful story and meaning, not to mention something personal to both them and their family. After having a troubled relationship with his father, we can imagine that doing this was a proud moment for his family and a truly wonderful way to pay tribute to his dad.
16. THEIR WEDDING WAS KEPT UNDER WRAPS
As it should have been. Wedding ceremonies are a sacred practice and something that truly only matters to the two who are partaking in marriage vows. Many people cater to the idea of big, over the top weddings in order to please others without first pleasing themselves. Reynolds and Lively did the exact opposite, keeping their wedding private and under wraps. Their wedding took place on September 9th of 2012 and there are few well-known details about the ceremony, other than where it took place, who planned it, and who performed there. Unlike many others, they’ve managed to keep their personal life just that — personal.
15. THEY BOTH SHARE A HARDCORE LOVE FOR GOOD FOOD
While we’re sure the two have their hands full raising a family, that doesn’t mean they don’t make time for themselves or for their romance. This was made ever so clear when Lively uploaded a photo from her husband’s 40th birthday at a restaurant called O Ya. She included a cute caption, which read, “We fell in love at your restaurant in Boston. We stay in love at your restaurant in NY.” The two clearly have an affinity for not only sharing incredible food together but also for making memories while doing so… They’re proof that making time for date nights is so important.
14. THEY BOTH WANTED TO EXPAND THEIR FAMILY
While some stars shy away from having kids due to their constant spotlight and lifestyle, Reynolds and Lively are definitely not your average actors. The two lead as normal a life as possible and admitted back in 2013 that they definitely want a large family. There’s no discomfort or awkwardness when it comes to this, as Reynolds is one of four and Lively is one of five siblings. It’s a desire that they both share and although they’ve been told they’re crazy for it, Reynolds disagrees. In an interview with Details, he said,”We’ll only know when we’re there, you know? We’ll walk through that fire pretty happily, I think.”
13. IN TYPICAL BLAKE-RYAN FASHION, THEY HAVE A HILARIOUS LABOR STORY
While Reynolds doesn’t hesitate to joke around on his social media accounts, you have to expect that some of that joking does translate to his personality in real life. Supposedly, Lively took the lead on her first labor and was the one who drove her husband to the hospital rather than the other way around. To make matters even worse (or more amusing, now that they can finally look back on it), Reynolds supposedly played “Let’s Get It On” on the way there. Super cute and mildly hilarious story, but one that we’re sure his wife didn’t find entirely laugh-worthy at the time… Whoops.
12. THEY HAVE THEIR QUIRKS, INCLUDING A STRANGE PET PEEVE
We knew there was something that had to annoy Lively and, lo and behold, there is… Just kidding! This annoyance is typical and something any relationship would have, albeit a bit weird. According to Buzzfeed, Lively admitted that one thing she can’t stand about her husband is when he does a “movie trailer voice.” It’s definitely an unusual pet peeve but in all honesty, it’s something we’d totally expect. According to his fans and those who have heard it, it’s near perfection — unless you ask his wife, who is obviously not the biggest fan of her husband’s super silly voice acting.
11. BLAKE HELPED HER HUSBAND MEND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER
Reynolds has spoken before about the troubled relationship he had with his late father, and it’s something that Lively helped to mend. In an interview with Mr. Porter, he said, “My dad was a tough guy. This is not meant to be some sob story – everyone carries their own bag of rocks around, and I am no different in that regard – but growing up in my house, it was never relaxing or easy.” He admitted that both naming his first daughter after his father, as well as the two having the chance to meet, made him incredibly happy in the long run.
10. SOCIAL MEDIA IS THEIR WAY OF KEEPING THINGS FUN
Neither of them has any hesitation when it comes to poking fun at each other on social media and they’ve made that known more than once. In fact, there are plenty of articles devoted to Reynold’s and Lively’s best roasts of each other, including ongoing humor battles between the two that revolve around birthday posts. It’s no surprise that Reynolds is hilarious, both in his on-screen roles and in real life, but it was a pleasant surprise to find out that Lively can definitely match his wit tweet for tweet. And oh boy, does she! It’s one of the many things we look forward to, especially since Reynolds consistently chronicles the life of a dad on his pages.
9. TRUE ROMANTICS, THEY’VE BOTH GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR GIFTS TO EACH OTHER
Everyone knows that it’s not the gift that matters but rather, the thought behind it. However, when it comes to the relationship these two stars have, both are balanced perfectly. Their gifts are rarely anything over the top and come in the form of something meaningful rather than expensive — which truly says a lot about their feelings for each other. Lively once gifted her husband with a book of short stories that those closest to him had written, while he returned the favor for his wife by tracking down her favorite teacher to record a message for her. These two are something truly special.
8. THEIR TRIBECA DANCE WAS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A ROMANCE MOVIE
All it takes is seeing these two in action to know that when they look at each other, there seems to be no one else in the room with them. This is seemingly true of their Tribeca dance as well, which Reynolds discussed in an interview with GQ. After asking his future wife if she wanted to dance, about midway through the song, he realized that’s when things were far more serious. “No one was in there, so it was just totally empty. And it was just one of those moments where halfway through the dance, it was like, ‘Oh, I think I just crossed a line,'” he told GQ.
7. THEIR WORK SCHEDULES NEVER OVERLAP AND IT’S THE KEY TO THEIR FAMILY TIME
You’d think that as actors, they’d have little to no say in when they work — but this simply isn’t the case for Lively and Reynolds. When asked how they manage to balance being actors as well as raising a family, Lively says that they simply don’t work at the same time so that one of them is always at home with their children. She told People magazine that if one of them needs to go away, they always go as a family, and it’s rarely for more than a day. Having separate schedules that never overlap with each other is a great way for them to remain as much a part of their kids’ childhoods as possible.
6. THEY WERE FRIENDS FOR A SOLID TWO YEARS PRIOR TO DATING
Everyone says that the key to a great relationship is to build it on a solid foundation of friendship first, and that’s exactly what these two did. They were friends for roughly two years before they realized they were meant to be much more than that, as is obvious by how tremendously their friendship blossomed after this fact was acknowledged. From meeting on the set of Green Lantern to remaining friends through two separate relationships, and even going on the same double date with two different people, they’re simply flawless together. Even while raising two children, the two continue to be each other’s best friend.
5. THEY PARTICIPATE IN CHARITY WORK TOGETHER FOR CAUSES THEY’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT
Charity work is something that many celebrities are involved with, but these two are unique in the sense that they contribute to their shared passions together. They no doubt support each other as well in their pursuit of various causes, but they’ve both partaken in charities that families with disaster relief, children who are part of low-income families, and they’ve both done their share of hospital work. They also both support Child Rescue Coalition and Lively works on her own separate charities as well. We talk a bunch about power couples but if anyone definitely nailed it, it’s these two.
4. ANY AND ALL RUMORS ARE FAIR GAME FOR THEIR JOKES AND SARCASM
When it comes to constant humor, it’s something these stars have down pat. There really aren’t too many Hollywood couples who are as evenly matched as Lively and Reynolds, and that’s beyond obvious once they get started on social media. In addition to Reynold’s constant hilarity, Lively has bitten back a few times with her witty banter, firing back some totally appropriate responses to her quippy husband.
The recent favorite was their birthday posts, during which they each posted a photo of the other — with most of them cropped out. Touché, Reynolds-Lively household. But really, we wouldn’t have expected anything less.
3. THEY ALWAYS FIND BALANCE ON THE RED CARPET
According to Bazaar, Lively goes above and beyond when it comes to her husband’s recognition on the red carpet. During his Premiere for Deadpool, she not only wore a black sequin dress with a maroon sash but went the extra mile to accessorize with things Deadpool himself would be proud of. On her nails were painted a mini Deadpool as well as an X-Force design, and that was nothing compared to her sequin clutch, which resembled perfectly the cassette tape from the movie. Reynolds is equally as supportive, though, constantly ensuring that his wife is stealing just enough of the spotlight.
2. BOTH OF THEM BEING ACTORS ACTUALLY HELPS THEIR RELATIONSHIP
Anyone who has ever had an engaging and honest conversation with someone in their job field likely knows how nice it is to share that experience with someone who just seems to get it. Now, imagine being married to someone like that, and you have Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. In an interview with Good Morning America, Lively actually discussed this topic and said that it has both its pros as well as its cons. One of the pros, however, was the fact that they can both motivate each other as well as understand one another when necessary, even if it’s something you never really get used to.
1. THEY STILL EXCHANGE COMPLIMENTS, EVEN YEARS LATER
In addition to being the best of friends, knowing when to support and encourage your significant other is always so important. It’s no surprise to hear that Lively and Reynolds still admire each other so much, so many years later. While Reynolds will say that the key to a happy and healthy marriage is, of course, a good sense of humor, we suspect it goes much deeper than that. The two show no hesitation when it comes to complimenting each other and definitely do not shy away from doing it in the public eye. They both admire different aspects of each other, which is truly a beautiful thing.