Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds’ Marriage Reportedly Struggling

The It Ends With Us drama with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has affected Lively greatly. She still has a big fandom, but a lot of people have turned on her, and everywhere, people have picked sides on the matter. It reportedly even affected some of her friendships, like that with Taylor Swift, who reportedly didn’t invite her to her wedding.

But what about her marriage? Ryan Reynolds has been standing by her throughout the whole scandal, and the two have stepped out as a couple multiple times since the settlement was announced. But reportedly, behind the scenes, it has taken a toll.

Related: Here are all the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Texts and Emails 

An insider told HeatWorld about the couple: “The last thing they want is for people to think the pressure is getting to them, but there is no denying it’s been an incredibly difficult period. Putting on this over-the-top show of being fun and carefree for the cameras is being seen as very contrived by those in their orbit because the reality is they’ve been absolutely battered by this. Every time they think they’re turning a corner, another setback lands on their doorstep.”

It’s a reference to how the two have been seen out and about in New York, seeming carefree while stepping out for date nights. Put on a brave face and all of that.

“They finally got a win when the judge ordered Justin’s side to cover her legal fees, and they are really trying to frame that as a huge victory, but no one’s buying that. There is just no denying the turmoil this ordeal caused them; it completely upended their lives. They can make all the happy social media posts and pose for all the happy selfies, but of course, this has taken a big toll; even the most solid marriage would feel the pressure under these circumstances. The question is, how much longer can they take this?”

And will the scandal follow them professionally, too? Particularly Blake? “Before all this happened with [Justin] Baldoni, Blake saw this movie as a major comeback opportunity. She was genuinely excited and believed it would make her a rom-com queen and catapult her into a more prominent position in the Hollywood pecking order. Instead, it turned into this epic fiasco that has damaged her reputation and spilt over onto Ryan as well,” the source said.

Lively has one upcoming project, the action comedy The Survival List, which she will also produce. Meanwhile, Reynolds seems to be focused on his upcoming movie Mayday, which he will star in and produce. But they’re both trying to rebuild their image.

“They are essentially back at the drawing board now, trying to figure out how to roll with the punches and rebuild from this. That’s a huge reason why they’re working so hard to project a positive image for the cameras; they’re trying to show the world that they’re still standing and still united. But make no mistake, things are grim behind the scenes; this whole situation weighs heavily on both of them. It’s no exaggeration to say it was hanging over their lives like a black cloud.”

And reportedly, it’s not just the loss of friends like Swift, but the way their images have been affected that really hurts. “For a couple that is hyper image-conscious, that is arguably the worst part, even worse than the financial hit. Whether they admit it publicly or not, criticism gets under their skin.

At the same time as they’re dealing with all of this, they still have four young children to raise; the pressure is enormous. But as tough as things are, they are still very committed to getting through this together. The big and unspoken challenge, though, is that finding a path back from where they are now is likely to be a very long slog.”