Hugh Jackman could be forced to ‘ditch’ close pals Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively over bitter legal battle

Hugh Jackman put on a loved-up display with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at the weekend, but that could all be set to change.

Despite his close relationship with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, it’s been revealed that Hugh Jackman could be forced to distance himself from the pair over their legal woes.

Lively and Ryan are currently locked in a bitter legal row with Justin Baldoni, with the pair suing each other in what has became a very public battle of Hollywood giants.

However, while Lively and Reynolds have experienced a strong public backlash from some corners of social media, Aussie star Jackman has remained firmly by their side.

At the weekend, a very loved-up Lively and Reynolds hit the carpet for a screening of her upcoming film, Another Simple Favour.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively posing with their close pals Emily Blunt, Hugh Jackman and Stanley Tucci. Picture: Getty.

The pair posed for numerous pictures with their arms around each other while smiling and laughing with close pal Jackman, who has experienced backlash of his own in recent months.

Jackman also posted a group photo with the couple, director Shawn Levy, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci on his Instagram stories, writing in the caption: “I couldn’t love these people more if they were my own blood”.

However, despite their close bond, it’s been claimed that Jackman could be forced to back off publicly should Lively’s legal battle fall in Baldoni’s favour.

“Hollywood actors are often obsessed with protecting their image and profitability, so the fact that Hugh is supporting Blake and Ryan publicly likely means that he doesn’t anticipate doing so will hurt his own brand,” said PR expert Nicole Moore during an interview with Fox News Digital.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have faced backlash over their loved-up display over the weekend. Picture: Getty.

“There has been extensive media coverage on the close friendly relationship between Hugh and Ryan, so it would likely appear weird to the public if Hugh didn’t support his friend.

“If the lawsuit ends up going in Baldoni’s favour and the public starts to see Blake and Ryan as perpetrators of harm due to the verdict, that’s likely when Hugh will need to distance himself from the couple in order to protect his image,” she added.

It comes as Reynolds and Lively faced criticism for putting on a brave face over the last week as she promotes her new movie in the face of the backlash surrounding Baldoni.

Kara Schmiemann of Red Banyan PR told Fox News Digital, “This type of strategy, flooding the market with appearances as an attempt to show normalcy and appear[ing] unbothered or unaffected by the drama, is typically not well-advised in crisis response planning”.

“While there is certainly a time and place for this approach, and it can sometimes be very effective, in this case it doesn’t allow for the heat to die down.

“The public can be forgiving, but they need time and a reason to forgive and forget. Blake and Ryan seem to be continuing to fan the flames, and it is not landing particularly well for all circles,” said Ms Schmiemann.

“If the PDA-filled images were all that the public saw, their PDA would have definitely helped their image amid the ongoing Baldoni lawsuit drama, because they have always been celebrated as a Hollywood ‘it couple’ with an amazing relationship,” relationship expert Nicole Moore said.

“The issue for Blake and Ryan’s image is that a large portion of the public no longer gets their information solely from media outlets but from social media and online commentators.”

Originally published as Hugh Jackman could be forced to ‘ditch’ close pals Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively over bitter legal battle