Blake Lively turned 39 on August 25, and Ryan Reynolds chose the special occasion to give fans an uncommon look behind the scenes of their usually private family world. The 49-year-old actor posted a series of personal images showing Lively alongside moments involving their children.
Reynolds made it clear from the beginning that his wife’s birthday is a major event in their household. “August 25 is like the Super Bowl for this family,” he wrote, before wishing a happy birthday to the person he described as the finest human being he knows.
His message quickly became more sentimental as he reflected on the qualities he admires most in Lively. Reynolds praised her courage, intelligence, kindness and warmth, saying he realizes how fortunate he is that she came into the world. Naturally, he also slipped in some of his familiar humor, joking that whenever he bumps his head, it is her life rather than his own that flashes before his eyes.
The photographs accompanying the tribute added another personal layer to the birthday post. While some showed Reynolds and Lively as a couple, others captured private family memories involving their children. Such images are relatively unusual, as the pair have generally tried to keep their four children away from constant public attention.
Reynolds and Lively have been married since 2012 and are raising daughters James, Ines and Betty, along with their son Olin. Before beginning his life with Lively, Reynolds was married to actress Scarlett Johansson.
The affectionate birthday celebration comes after a particularly challenging stretch for Lively. Since late 2024, the actress has been involved in a highly publicized conflict with Justin Baldoni, her director and co-star in It Ends With Us. Lively accused Baldoni of inappropriate conduct during the production, including allegedly showing her images involving his wife and bringing intimate content into the screenplay on multiple occasions. Baldoni rejected her claims.
The disagreement soon developed into a wider legal fight. Baldoni brought a defamation case against Lively, Reynolds and The New York Times after the newspaper covered the allegations. He later made private messages and footage from the production public, intensifying scrutiny of the dispute and prompting widespread discussion about events behind the scenes of the movie.
During the controversy, Lively became less visible publicly and temporarily pulled back from professional activities. In May 2026, she and Baldoni ultimately reached a settlement. More recently, reports stated that Lively was set to receive $407,000 in compensation, considerably below the $8 million she had originally requested.
After months dominated by legal headlines and public controversy, Reynolds’ birthday message presented a very different side of the couple’s world. Instead of focusing on the turmoil surrounding them, his tribute centered on Lively as his partner and mother of their children, while the rarely shared photographs offered a glimpse of the family life they have created together during their years of marriage.
