Hollywood loves a good rivalry. Usually, they’re manufactured by PR teams to sell tickets or cooked up by fans on Reddit who spend too much time analyzing 0.5-second clips of award show seating charts. But when it comes to Blake Lively and Scarlett Johansson, the fascination isn't about a direct "feud" over a movie role. It's about a man. Specifically, Ryan Reynolds.
If you’ve been on the internet lately, you've probably seen the tiktok theories. People love to frame this as a "stolen husband" narrative, but the truth is a lot more nuanced—and honestly, a lot more "adult"—than the gossip rags suggest.
The Green Lantern Intersection
Let’s go back to 2010. The world was a different place. Ryan Reynolds was married to Scarlett Johansson. They were the ultimate "cool" couple—private, slightly indie, and intensely guarded about their marriage. At the same time, Ryan was filming Green Lantern with Blake Lively.
She was the "It Girl" of the moment, fresh off the success of Gossip Girl and dating her co-star Penn Badgley.
Basically, you had two of the most famous people on the planet playing love interests on screen while their real-life marriages and relationships were quietly fracturing. Reynolds and Johansson announced their split in December 2010. Lively and Badgley had ended things just a few months prior in October.
The timing? It was tight. Tight enough that people started whispering.
Did things overlap?
Rumors have persisted for over a decade that the "spark" between Blake and Ryan started on that set while he was still technically with Scarlett. Ryan has always maintained they were just "buddies" for a long time. In a 2016 interview with SiriusXM, he famously said they didn't realize there was a romantic connection until a year later during a double date—where they were each dating other people.
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Imagine that. You’re on a date with someone else, but the person sitting across from you is the one you’re actually vibing with. Awkward for the dates? Absolutely. Great for a rom-com script? Definitely.
Why Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively are Forever Linked
You’ve got to feel for Scarlett in this specific historical vacuum. She and Ryan were married for two years (2008-2010). They rarely appeared on red carpets together. They didn't do the "Instagram husband" thing because, well, Instagram barely existed.
Then along comes Blake.
Suddenly, Ryan is the king of the public tribute. He’s posting hilarious birthday roasts. He’s gushing about her at the Met Gala. The contrast between the "Private Ryan" of the Scarlett years and the "Public Ryan" of the Blake years is jarring. It’s led to this persistent idea that Blake is the "true love" and Scarlett was just a "starter wife," which is kinda reductive and unfair.
Scarlett’s rare comments on the matter
Scarlett doesn't talk about Ryan often. She’s moved on—she’s been married twice since then and is currently with SNL’s Colin Jost. But when she does speak, she’s surprisingly gracious.
In a 2023 episode of the Goop podcast, Gwyneth Paltrow brought up Ryan, and Scarlett simply said, "He's a good guy." No salt. No shade. She’s also hinted that their marriage failed because they were both too young (she was 23 when they wed) and perhaps too competitive as two actors with rising careers.
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The 2024-2025 "It Ends With Us" Connection
The names Blake Lively and Scarlett Johansson popped up in the same sentence again recently for a very weird reason: Justin Baldoni.
During the chaotic press tour for It Ends With Us in 2024, rumors of a rift between Blake Lively and her director/co-star Justin Baldoni went nuclear. While Blake was dealing with the fallout of that drama, Scarlett Johansson happened to be working with Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, for her own directorial debut, Eleanor the Great.
When asked about the Lively-Baldoni drama in early 2025, Scarlett called the timing "weird" but remained professional. She didn't take the bait to bash her ex-husband’s wife. In fact, she praised Wayfarer for being supportive of her own project.
It’s proof that while the internet wants a "Catfight 2.0," these women are mostly just living their lives in the same very small, very wealthy zip code of the industry.
Why the "Feud" Narrative Still Persists
People love a villain. In the Blake/Ryan/Scarlett triangle, fans often try to cast Blake as the "homewrecker" and Scarlett as the "scorned woman." But if you look at the evidence, there isn't any.
- No Public Spat: In 15 years, there hasn't been a single recorded instance of them being rude to each other.
- The Age Factor: Scarlett has admitted she didn't understand marriage at 23. Ryan has admitted he wasn't ready then, either.
- The Friendship Foundation: Blake and Ryan's marriage works because they were friends first. That doesn't mean his marriage to Scarlett was a "mistake"; it just means they weren't the right fit for the long haul.
Honestly, the most interesting thing about their "connection" is how different their brands are. Scarlett is the edgy, indie-turned-superhero powerhouse. Blake is the lifestyle mogul, the fashion icon, the "girl next door" who lives in a farmhouse in New York. They occupy different lanes.
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Actionable Insights: Navigating the Noise
If you’re following this story or similar celeb "beefs," here is how to separate the PR from the reality:
- Check the Timeline: Celebrity divorces often take months to announce after the actual split. Just because someone starts dating "quickly" after a public announcement doesn't mean they cheated.
- Look at the Sources: If a story says "a source close to the actress," it’s often a plant. If the actors themselves are saying "he's a good guy" or "we're friends," believe them until they give you a reason not to.
- Respect the Evolution: People change. Ryan Reynolds at 32 (with Scarlett) was a different person than Ryan Reynolds at 48 (with Blake).
- Ignore the "Team" Mentality: You don't have to pick a side. It's possible to love Scarlett’s filmography and still think Blake and Ryan are a great couple.
The reality is that Blake Lively and Scarlett Johansson are two successful women who happened to love the same man at different points in their lives. One marriage ended, another began, and everyone involved seems to have found their version of a happy ending.
If you want to understand the "beef," the best place to look isn't in the tabloids—it's in the way they both refuse to give the tabloids what they want. They stay silent, stay professional, and keep winning. That's the real Hollywood power move.
Instead of looking for drama that isn't there, look at the career trajectories. Scarlett is moving into directing; Blake is expanding her "Betty Buzz" empire. They’re both doing just fine without a feud to sustain them.
To get the most accurate picture of celebrity relationships, always prioritize direct quotes from long-form interviews over "insider" snippets found on social media. The nuances of a marriage—and its ending—are rarely captured in a headline.
Next Steps for the Reader:
- Check out Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut Eleanor the Great to see her work behind the camera.
- Compare the early career choices of both actresses—Lost in Translation vs. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants—to see how their professional "brands" were built from the start.
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