Ryan Reynolds Opens Up on How Legal Battle with Justin Baldoni Is Impacting His Business Ventures

Ryan Reynolds, the star and producer behind hits like Deadpool and Wolverine, recently addressed the ongoing legal conflict involving his wife Blake Lively and actor Justin Baldoni—and its impact on his diverse business empire.

In a profile for the TIME100 Companies issue published June 26, Reynolds, 48, spoke candidly about the swirling “online discourse” surrounding the high-profile legal battle and what it means for his bottom line. “I can read something that says, ‘He should be drawn and quartered.’ I could read something that says I should win a Nobel Prize. Both are meaningless,” Reynolds said. “None of us are comprised of our best moments. None of us are defined by our worst moments. We are something in the middle.”

Navigating a Tumultuous Year

The legal drama centers around Lively’s December 2024 sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, 41, alleging misconduct on the set of their film It Ends with Us. Baldoni denied the claims and filed a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively, Reynolds, and their publicists of extortion and defamation. After months of legal back and forth, a federal judge dismissed both Baldoni’s countersuit and his separate lawsuit against The New York Times for its coverage of the complaint.

Pressed on how the situation has affected his personal and professional life, Reynolds emphasized the importance of integrity and accountability in his work relationships. “The people that I work with know me, so there’s never a question of anything like that. If you operate with some degree of core values and integrity, they’re going to help you up. If you’re an a–hole, they’re not. And that’s pretty simple,” he said.

Despite the ongoing legal complexities—including Baldoni’s decision not to amend certain claims but to pursue other legal avenues—the case is slated for trial in March 2026. Recently, the judge denied Lively’s motion to keep private her communications with Taylor Swift about the film, adding another layer to the proceedings.

Balancing Business and Personal Challenges

Beyond acting and producing through his company Maximum Effort, Reynolds has significant stakes in various businesses such as Mint Mobile, 1Password, and the Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC. The TIME article noted that Reynolds and Lively, who appeared during the interview to offer snacks, declined to comment in detail about the legal saga.

Reflecting on how he maintains balance amid public scrutiny, Reynolds credited conflict-resolution workshops he attended in his twenties. “Conflict resolution changed my life in a way that I can’t quantify,” he shared. “You don’t have to agree with the person. You can empathize, you can validate. You can do all those things and get closer to them without having to just blindly agree or win or lose.”

As the legal battle continues to unfold, Reynolds’ remarks reveal a focus on resilience, integrity, and the pursuit of equilibrium both in business and personal life—qualities that have long defined his multifaceted career.