There is no denying the fact that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are one of the most celebrated couples in Hollywood. This might be attributed to their massive social media presence and the frequent banter between the stars online. As they share every little happiness with their fans, it is natural for some controversies to brew.
In 2018, The Proposal actor faced criticism after he posted a tweet supporting the all-Black cast of Black Panther. The Green Lantern actors received flak for their choice of a controversial wedding venue.
What Was The Issue With Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s Wedding Venue?
Ryan Reynolds found the seemingly beautiful wedding venue on Pinterest: the mansion featured in the 2004 hit romantic movie The Notebook, located in the Boone Hall Plantation. However, little did the Free Guy actor know about the history of the place, infamous for housing a cluster of nine original slave cabins known as Slave Street.
Ryan Reynolds apologized for choosing a random wedding venue on Pinterest without digging into its past. The Adam Project actor later stated they had another event at home and regretted the whole mistake in an interview:
“A giant f**king mistake like that can either cause you to shut down or it can reframe things and move you into action. It doesn’t mean you won’t f**k up again. But re-patterning and challenging lifelong social conditioning is a job that doesn’t end.”
Despite having represented a horrific past that destroyed lives, the Boone Hall plantations were marketed by wedding planners as a beautiful beginning for married couples. Notably, Blake Lively was also accused of making ignorant passive racial remarks in the past.
Ryan Reynolds’ Mistake Also Brought Blake Lively’s Racial Past Into Light
Alongside Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively also issued an apology to her fans. The Age of Adaline actress, who was earlier accused of cultural appropriation, took to Instagram:
“We’re ashamed that in the past we’ve allowed ourselves to be uninformed about how deeply rooted systemic racism is.”
In the past, the Gossip Girl actress was criticized for posting a caption “L.A face with an Oakland booty,” which was seen as an attempt to appropriate Black culture. In another incident, a blog written by the actress for her online magazine Preserve was accused of being racist. The article titled “The Allure of Antebellum” spoke supportively about the gracious ‘slave-owning’ Southern belles in the pre-Civil War times.
However, it seems like the two actors have moved past their critical mistakes and are now extra cautious about making such grave lapses in judgment in the future.
Source: The List
