Ryan Reynolds has always been known his sharp wit and silly but ultra-supportive relationship with his wife, Blake Lively, but fans believe he took things to a new level in Deadpool & Wolverine. And this joke? It seems personal.
Fans revisiting the super hero movie have noticed that one joke in particular stands out, with many suggesting it is a pointed dig at Justin Baldoni, the actor and director who was working on It Ends With Us alongside Lively during the same timeframe.
The moment in the film features “Nicepool,” a Deadpool variant with a man bun—something Baldoni made part of his signature look for years. Played by Reynolds, Nicepool gushes over “Ladypool,” played by Lively, saying, “Oh my goodness, wait ’til you’ve seen Ladypool. She is gorgeous. She just had a baby too and [you] can’t even tell.” Deadpool cuts in with, “I don’t think you’re supposed to say that.” Nicepool, not missing a beat, replies, “That’s okay. I identify as a feminist.”
While Nicepool pokes fun at the self-proclaimed feminist who is actually more into the performance of it all than actually being an ally to women, some fans felt it was a bit more pointed than that. Baldoni has established a reputation as a self-proclaimed feminist, making grand statements about allyship and accountability.
Lively filed a lawsuit in December 2024 accusing Baldoni of harassment and retaliatory tactics after she spoke up about his behavior during the filming of It Ends With Us. Among her claims were comments Baldoni allegedly made about her postpartum body, attempts to include gratuitous sexual scenes in the film, and a lack of proper safeguards like an intimacy coordinator. Even more disturbing, Lively alleges Baldoni orchestrated a smear campaign against her through his PR team.
Baldoni has denied all accusations and filed a $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times, labeling Lively’s allegations as “manipulative” — a far cry from his 2018 statement to SheKnows, where he emphasized believing women while promoting his new Facebook Watch Series, Man Enough: “We need to have empathy and recognize that women coming forward to share their stories takes tremendous courage.” In light of Lively’s allegations, Baldoni’s words seem like lip service, as he contradicts his call to ‘believe women’ by suing the outlet that published Lively’s evidence-filled allegations against him.
Reynolds, ever supportive of his wife, highlights this irony in the film, with Nicepool nailing the ‘male feminist’ and “wife guy” persona — roles fans now associate with Baldoni.
Before you go, click here to see actors who have spoken out about pressure to get naked for a role.
