Blake Lively's excruciating exchange with Seth Meyers comes back to haunt her as she prepares for a return to the TV circuit on his show - nine years after their awkward encounter

Daily Mail​

01-05-2025

Blake Lively will return to NBC Studios for a reunion with chat show host Seth Meyers on Thursday evening, nine years after their last meeting got off to a less than promising start.
The beleaguered actress is returning to the talk show circuit - ostensibly to promote the release of her new film, A Simple Favor - after a tumultuous six month fallout from the release of her last.
Lively, 37, is currently embroiled in an ongoing and highly publicised legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni - which began when she sued him for sexual harassment and launching a smear campaign against her in December.
Ongoing proceedings have been exacerbated by a rumoured fallout with A Simple Favor co-star Anna Kendrick, who is understood to be concerned by the impact Lively's public spat is having on promotional duties for their latest film.
Just how impactful might be reflected in her forthcoming chat with Meyers, her first TV interview since dividing fans by initiating legal proceedings against Baldoni.
She may well be hoping for an easier ride, after her last chat with Meyers began with the host congratulating her on her pregnancy - before she'd even confirmed it
And she may well be hoping for an easier ride, after her last chat with Meyers began with the host congratulating her on her pregnancy - before she'd even confirmed it.
Lively - now a mother-of-four - was in the early stages of her second pregnancy while appearing on the show in 2016, and was yet to publicly announce she and husband Ryan Reynolds were expecting another baby.
Seemingly unaware of his imminent faux-pas, Meyers began: 'You have a baby at home, and you have another baby on the way, congratulations.'
'What makes you say that?' asked a stunned Lively as nervous laughter rippled through the studio audience. 'You know, you're not supposed to say that to a woman.'
Confirming the pregnancy, she added: 'Yes, you're guessing correctly. This is not brownies - I'll let you off the hook.'
Her imminent TV appearance comes after Marvel asked to be removed from legal proceedings and to quash a subpoena over the Nicepool character in Reynolds' Deadpool & Wolverine - which Baldoni previously claimed was 'bullying.'
Marvel has also asked for 'a protective order prohibiting the disclosure of Marvel's confidential documents by any party or other non-party in this action.
'Alternatively, Marvel requests that the Court stay the return date of the Subpoena and related document requests until after the Court decides the pending motion to dismiss of Counterclaim Defendant Ryan Reynolds.'
In the film Deadpool & Wolverine, Reynolds notably portrayed the character of Nicepool alongside other stars such as Hugh Jackman.
Nicepool was a 'variant' who sported a man-bun - which was also similar to a past hairstyle that Baldoni had worn.
In a scene, Nicepool makes a comment about Ladypool (played by Lively) and said, '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 responded, 'I don't think you're supposed to say that,' to which Nicepool added, 'That's okay I identify as a feminist.'
The comments seemingly referenced Baldoni referring to himself as a feminist in the past.
Lively had also given birth to her fourth child shortly before filming It Ends With Us - which Baldoni both starred in and directed. In her lawsuit, the actress claimed that he had 'criticised her body and weight.'
Lively is currently embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni - which began when she sued him for sexual harassment and launching a smear campaign against her in December.
On Monday, Baldoni's own legal team sent in a response to Marvel's recent request.
In a letter to the judge, obtained by PEOPLE, his lawyers stated that Marvel 'did not meet and confer with us "in a good faith effort to resolve this dispute."'
Baldoni's legal team wrote: 'On April 2, 2025, Marvel sent the Wayfarer Parties a letter containing its objections to the Subpoena, which are the same objections set forth in its recent letter-motion.
'On April 7, 2025, my office met and conferred with Marvel's counsel via telephone about the objections, and although we attempted in good faith to address Marvel's purported concerns about confidentiality and relevancy, Marvel's counsel interrupted us, refusing to engage in that discussion.'
They added, 'Instead, Marvel's counsel interjected and stated he merely wanted to know what documents the Wayfarer Parties "really" needed, regardless of the Subpoena's demand for all documents concerning: (a) the creation, development, modification or portrayal of Ryan Reynolds' "Nicepool" character from Deadpool & Wolverine; and (b) Justin Baldoni.'
Lively has slowly been stepping back into the spotlight and recently made an appearance at the star-studded Time100 Gala in New York City.