Ryan Reynolds Says This Painting From Blake Lively Is Priceless—And the Story Behind It Is Pure Gold

For Ryan Reynolds, the most meaningful gift he has ever received from his wife, Blake Lively, isn’t a flashy car or a diamond watch—it’s a painting. But not just any painting.

The piece, commissioned by Lively in 2019, captures Reynolds’ childhood home in Vancouver in exquisite detail, complete with whimsical personal Easter eggs: his old paper route for the Vancouver Sun, the lawn where he once waged playful battles with his brothers, and even his comedic hero, John Candy, smiling from the front page of the painted newspaper.

“The house in the painting is my childhood home… There are a lot of Easter eggs in the painting, including my idol, John Candy on the front page of the newspaper,” Reynolds wrote on Instagram when he first shared the gift. In true Reynolds fashion, he added that in the event of a fire, he’d grab the painting first—“then come back for Blake.”

The home it depicts no longer stands, making the artwork both a memorial and a love letter to the place and people who shaped him. Lively’s gesture reflects a deeper truth about her character: she has an extraordinary gift for honoring the histories of those she loves, transforming memory into something tangible and lasting.

While Lively is widely known for her acting career—rising to fame as Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl before taking on roles in The Age of Adaline and A Simple Favor—and for her entrepreneurial ventures with her mixer brand Betty Buzz, it is her empathy, thoughtfulness, and philanthropy that quietly define her legacy. The painting for Reynolds is one example of how she channels that empathy into action, crafting a gift that goes beyond sentiment to become a piece of personal history.

Her generosity extends far beyond her marriage. Lively has been a vocal advocate for children’s rights, working closely with the Child Rescue Coalition to combat child exploitation. Alongside Reynolds, she has made substantial contributions to racial justice and immigrant advocacy, including a $2 million joint donation in 2019 split between the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. In 2022, they pledged to match up to $1 million in donations to aid Ukrainian refugees, and they’ve supported homeless youth through Covenant House and racial justice initiatives with another $1 million gift to the NAACP LDF in 2021.

Her causes span women’s rights, AIDS research through amfAR, autism awareness, and disaster relief. More recently, she has lent her voice and resources to survivor-led organizations combating domestic violence and harassment—advocacy work that, even amid personal legal challenges, has earned her the respect of activist groups for her resilience and commitment.

In an industry where extravagant gestures often grab headlines, the story of Reynolds’ painting stands out for its intimacy. It’s not about the price tag—it’s about the time, thought, and love poured into capturing a husband’s past in a way that will endure for a lifetime. For Blake Lively, the true art lies in connection, and for Ryan Reynolds, that makes it priceless.

If you want, I can also create a magazine-style human interest feature with a warmer, narrative opening that paints the scene of Reynolds first receiving the gift—it would give the piece a more cinematic, emotional hook.