Let's be honest, whenever two of Hollywood’s biggest stars share an "ex," the internet basically loses its mind trying to cook up a rivalry. For over a decade, people have been trying to pit Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively against each other. It’s the classic tabloid trap: the "cool girl" versus the "glamour girl," all centered around the fact that they both fell for the same Canadian with a quick wit.
But if you’re looking for a dramatic Real Housewives style showdown, you’re probably going to be disappointed.
The real story isn't about flying glasses of wine or snide remarks on the red carpet. It’s actually a much more nuanced look at how two women navigated the messy overlap of their professional and personal lives while the world watched for a crack in the armor.
The Ryan Reynolds Connection
You can't talk about Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively without mentioning the elephant—or rather, the Deadpool—in the room. Scarlett and Ryan Reynolds were the "it" couple of the late 2000s. They got married in a super-secret ceremony in 2008, back when Scarlett was just cementing her status as a global powerhouse and Ryan was still finding his footing as a leading man.
It didn't last. By December 2010, they were done.
The timing is what usually gets people talking. While Ryan and Scarlett were navigating the end of their marriage, Ryan was on the set of Green Lantern with a rising star named Blake Lively.
"We were buddies for a long time," Ryan told SiriusXM’s Entertainment Weekly Radio years later. He’s always insisted that their romance didn't spark until a year after the movie wrapped, during a double date where they were both actually with other people. Imagine being the other two people at that table. Ouch.
Did They Actually Feud?
The short answer? Not really. At least, not in public.
Back in 2011, Us Weekly ran stories claiming Scarlett was "pissed" that Ryan had moved on so quickly. There were rumors that she felt Blake had swooped in while the ink on the divorce papers was still wet. But honestly? Scarlett has never given those rumors the time of day.
In fact, she’s been remarkably classier than the tabloids would like. In a 2023 appearance on Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop podcast, Scarlett didn't shy away when Ryan’s name came up.
"We love a good Ryan Reynolds in our house," Paltrow said.
Scarlett’s response? A laugh and a simple, "He’s a good guy."
That’s a far cry from the "bitter ex" narrative people tried to push for years.
The Real Reason the First Marriage Ended
Scarlett has hinted at the actual friction in her marriage to Ryan, and it had nothing to do with another woman. She told Cosmopolitan that being with another actor is just... hard.
"There has to be a real understanding of how you share your time, especially when two people’s careers are going at the same rate. Or even if one person is more successful than the other, that also proves challenging. There may be a competitive thing."
Basically, they were both young, incredibly ambitious, and trying to be superstars at the same time. It’s a recipe for burnout, not a lifelong partnership.
The "Weird Timing" of 2025
Just when everyone thought the Scarlett-Ryan-Blake triangle was ancient history, 2025 threw a curveball. Blake Lively found herself in the middle of a massive PR storm during the release of It Ends With Us, specifically involving a rift with her director and co-star, Justin Baldoni.
The "weird" part? Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, was being backed by Wayfarer Studios—the very company owned by Baldoni.
Scarlett addressed this in a Vanity Fair profile in May 2025. She admitted the timing was "weird" but kept it strictly professional, noting that Baldoni’s team had been "super supportive" of her film. She didn't take sides. She didn't jump into the drama. She just stayed focused on the work.
Why We’re Still Obsessed
People love to compare these two because they represent different "eras" of Ryan Reynolds’ life, but that’s a pretty reductive way to look at two women with such massive careers.
Scarlett is a two-time Oscar nominee and a foundational piece of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Blake has built a lifestyle empire and turned herself into a marketing genius. They’ve both moved on to very different, seemingly very happy lives. Scarlett is married to SNL's Colin Jost, and Blake and Ryan have become the gold standard for "couple goals" on social media.
What We Get Wrong About Celeb "Feuds"
- The assumption of jealousy: We often assume women are constantly competing for the same man’s attention.
- Ignoring the timeline: Ryan and Scarlett were apart for a significant amount of time before he and Blake became a public item.
- Underestimating maturity: Sometimes, people just realize they aren't a good fit and move on without holding a decade-long grudge.
What You Can Learn from the Drama
The takeaway here isn't about which actress is "better." It’s about how to handle messy overlaps with grace.
If you find yourself in a situation where your ex moves on to someone else in your social or professional circle, take a page out of the Scarlett Johansson playbook. Don't engage with the gossip. Don't fuel the fire.
If someone asks about your ex ten years later, a simple "they're a good person" is the ultimate power move. It shows you’re settled, you’re happy, and you’re way past the point of letting old history dictate your current mood.
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Scarlett and Blake might never be best friends, and they don't have to be. They’ve both won in their own ways, proving that the best "revenge"—if you even want to call it that—is simply living a life that you actually enjoy.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Follow official trade publications like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter for updates on Eleanor the Great and Blake Lively’s upcoming projects.
- Listen to long-form interviews (like the Goop podcast or SmartLess) to hear these actors speak in their own words rather than through tabloid filters.
- Practice the "Scarlett Method" next time an ex is mentioned: keep it brief, keep it kind, and keep it moving.