Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds has publicly declared his appreciation for employees who challenge his opinions, a stance that emerges as his wife Blake Lively remains engaged in a significant workplace legal dispute with her co-star Justin Baldoni.
A Philosophy of Constructive Conflict
The 49-year-old Deadpool actor shared his management philosophy during a discussion at The Wall Street Journal CMO Council Summit last Tuesday. Speaking with WSJ Leadership Institute Chair Maryam Banikarim, Reynolds emphasised that multiple competing ideas are essential for any healthy company to function properly.
"I'm screwed if people start agreeing with me because I'm the boss or something," Reynolds stated frankly. The A-list actor, who runs his own production company Maximum Effort alongside ventures in liquor, communications and sports, explained that he actively encourages dissent among his team members.
Reynolds revealed he physically becomes ill when he senses people are falsely agreeing with him due to his celebrity status. He prefers when staff respond to his ideas with constructive criticism: "Yes, Mr. Reynolds, it is s*** - but what if we added this and that and this and that, and this and that?"
From Passive Performer to Proactive Leader
The actor reflected on his more passive approach earlier in his career, describing his mentality around 15 years ago during films like 2008's Definitely Maybe and 2009's The Proposal as "Yes, sir; no, sir; how high can I jump, sir?" despite holding strong opinions he often kept to himself.
Reynolds said the accountability he faced as a leading man - regardless of whether he voiced his opinion - ultimately pushed him to take more control on sets. "They don't say 'This producer's movie flopped' or 'This director's' - that's me," he noted. "So if I'm going to be on that headline, I'd like to be the architect of my own demise or success."
He even expressed regret about not taking firmer leadership on the set of 2011's Green Lantern, a film he says his two-year-old son Olin "watches ... every f***ing day."
Personal and Professional Challenges
Reynolds' comments about workplace dynamics arrive amid his wife Blake Lively's ongoing legal battle with her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni. The film, which earned $148 million domestically and $350 million globally in 2024, has seen its success overshadowed by serious allegations between its stars.
In December 2024, Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional stress. Her legal claims include allegations that Baldoni body-shamed her and orchestrated a smear campaign to damage her reputation.
Baldoni subsequently filed a $400 million lawsuit this past January naming Lively, Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane, though this was thrown out of court in June. All parties have denied the allegations against them, and barring major changes, Baldoni and Lively are scheduled to face off in court next spring.
As a father of four children with Lively, Reynolds also expressed concern about how his public persona affects his family. "When I go outside, I get pats in the back, and it's a selfie parade, and I oblige everyone, pretty much, and my kids only see that," he said, explaining that he makes conscious efforts to discuss his failures with them to provide balance.
