Expert Dissects Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds’ 'Stiff' Appearance At 'SNL 50'

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ appearance at the "SNL 50th Anniversary Special" has sparked conversation, with a body language expert weighing in on their on-screen chemistry and interactions.

The couple attended the star-studded event on Sunday night, posing for photos on the red carpet.

Their participation came at a particularly tense moment, as Blake Lively is currently involved in a legal dispute with her "It Ends With Us" co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, whom she sued for sexual harassment.

During the Q&A portion of the show, Reynolds appeared to reference the ongoing controversy in a playful exchange with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

When the duo asked him, “How’s it going?” the "Free Guy" star responded, “Great. Why, what have you heard?”

The moment, meant to inject humor into the situation, was analyzed by body language expert and author Judi James, who spoke to Daily Mail about the couple’s dynamic throughout the night.

According to James, their decision to make a public appearance amid a PR crisis was "brave to the point of reckless." She noted that while humor can be an effective way to diffuse tension, their body language suggested underlying awkwardness, particularly during the red carpet portion of the night.

"Appearing on a 'no holds barred' show like 'Saturday Night Live' when you're in the middle of a legal and PR battle can seem brave to the point of reckless, but humor and even self-effacing mockery can be a great diffuser," James explained.

She added that the ability to laugh at oneself is often seen as an attractive trait, helping to rebuild rapport with the public.

"Laughter relaxes the body and the mind and when you laugh with the person who has been put on the spot you regain those feelings of rapport that you might have had before," she stated.

However, she noted that on the red carpet, "there was less scope for laughter," leading to subtle cues of discomfort between the couple.

"He stands in a difficult pose as she walks out to join him, seeming to have one hand behind his torso while the other appears to clutch at the hem of his jacket," the expert added. "Blake holds one arm out in an intentional gesture, letting him know in advance that she's about to hug him, but her hand is bent in a limp angle to hint at potential wariness. There is a quick hair preen gesture as she grins at Ryan's face."

Once the pair came together to pose for photos, the expert noticed Blake "adopts a more confident and even defiant pose with her left hand on her hip and the elbow splayed outward."

Specifically, she noticed one moment "when both seem to be on the brink of applying some stiff, rictus social smiles before Ryan turns to whisper in Blake's ear to make her laugh and he adds to the ritual of support by performing a supportive tie-sign eyebrow flash as their heads part."

During the live broadcast, viewers witnessed what many perceived as an "awkward" exchange when Reynolds stood up to joke about the media frenzy surrounding their legal battle.

"Ryan stands to volunteer a question, adopting a performed look of boyishly bashful innocence with his brows raised and his eyes widened while his hands begin to wring in front of his torso," she explained of her analysis. "He looks keen here, with the part-smile on his face and he's clearly building to the non-verbal gag where he pretends to act out paranoia."

James explained that Reynolds’ exaggerated body language, his "boyishly bashful" raised brows, wide eyes, and anxious hand-wringing, was meant to lighten the mood and "break any tension around this first big appearance."

But, as Reynolds delivered his one-liner, James noted a shift in Lively’s demeanor.

"Her smile dies and her head snaps round and upward to look at him in either acted or genuine concern," she analyzed.

The body language expert went on to analyze how Lively's reaction suggested mixed emotions.

"Blake begins by performing a more complex narrowed-eye smile of good humor plus a closed-lip mouth smile with some puckering and pulling down that suggests mixed emotions," she said. "This converts to a wide smile and a laugh, but her expression changes quickly when Ryan makes his comment."

Reynolds and Lively's 'SNL' appearance comes as Lively continues to face a heated legal battle with  Justin Baldoni, which has a trial set for March 2026.