Blake Lively received criticism from fans after her husband Ryan Reynolds said she comes from a ‘working class’ background in a new interview.
The Gossip Girl actress, who is 37 years old and comes from a family of actors, has sometimes been referred to as a ‘nepo baby.’ Reynolds, who is 48, mentioned her in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter while discussing their parenting of their four children.
Reynolds revealed that he and the actress make an effort to provide their children — James, aged 10, Inez, aged eight, Betty, aged five, and Olin, aged one — with a normal upbringing away from the public eye, despite their successful careers in the spotlight.
He expressed, ‘We aim to offer them a typical life as much as possible. I try not to make them aware of the differences between their childhood and mine or my wife’s.’ Reynolds emphasized the importance of giving their children a sense of normalcy.
‘We both grew up very working class, and I remember when they were very young, I used to say or think, like, “Oh God, I would never have had a gift like this when I was a kid,” or, “I never would’ve had this luxury of getting takeout,” or whatever.’
However, fans quickly blasted the ‘ignorant’ claim, referencing Lively’s Hollywood veteran parents and her suburban upbringing in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Blake Lively, 37, was blasted by fans after her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, said she comes from a ‘working class’ background in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter; seen in 2022
Lively hails from a family of entertainers, including her Hollywood veteran parents – late father Ernie Lively, who was an actor and director, and mom Elaine Lively, an actress and a talent manager; seen with her parents in 2012
Her late father, Ernie Lively, was an actor and director, and her mother Elaine Lively was an actress and a talent manager.
The veteran actor died from cardiac complications in 2021.
Blake previously discussed growing up on sets. She made her acting debut at age 10 in the 1998 film ‘Sandman,’ directed by her father.
She attended Burbank High School, where she was a cheerleader, choir member, and class president.
She has an older brother, Eric, and three half-siblings: Lori, Robyn, and Jason, from her mother’s previous marriage. Her siblings have also worked in the entertainment industry.
Blake’s older brother’s talent agent secured her several auditions one summer, and she landed a role in the iconic 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants at just 16 years old.
After The Cut reposted Ryan’s quote from THR interview on Instagram, fans quickly called out his working class assertion.
One wrote: ‘Quick search: She grew up in Tarzana and then went to Burbank High. Her whole family was in the entertainment business. She was cast in Sisterhood for the Traveling Pants while she was a teen. It’s giving at least middle class. Anyway none of that matters bc she’s rich and insufferable now. Bye.’
‘You keep using that word, “working class.” I do not think it means what you think it means.’
Blake previously discussed growing up on sets. She made her acting debut at age 10 in the 1998 film ‘Sandman,’ directed by her father; seen with her parents in 2016
Blake attended Burbank High School, where she was a cheerleader, choir member, and class president; seen in a yearbook photo
Blake’s older brother’s talent agent secured her several auditions one summer, and she landed a role in the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants at just 16 years old; seen in a still
Her late father’s big screen credits included small roles in Passenger 57, Turner & Hooch, Showdown In Little Tokyo and Mulholland Falls, and he made guest appearances in a string of TV shows including The X-Files (pictured), The Dukes of Hazzard, Seinfeld and The West Wing
Fans quickly blasted the claim, referencing Lively’s parents and her suburban upbringing in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles
‘Just because her parents worked, doesn’t make them working class’
‘You keep using that word, “working class.” I do not think it means what you think it means’
Another added, ‘Working class people don’t get married on plantaaaaations’ in reference to their 2012 nuptials at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Many also drew comparisons between Blake and Victoria Beckham, who claimed she came from a ‘working class’ background on the 2023 ‘Beckham’ documentary, prompting her husband David Beckham’s now viral response, ‘Be honest’
Beckham felt that his wife’s background was not as humble as she implied, as her father owned a Rolls-Royce
‘Honey her sister was already an actress, and ya’ll got married on a plantation. This is giving posh spice in the David Beckham documentary. “Tell the truth” lol’
Another quoted a famous line from Sex and the City, writing, ‘Charlotte, we don’t say things like working class anymore’
‘More and more I’m learning that rich people say “working class” when they mean “had a salary”‘
‘Omg yes like how the working class totally get married on plantations! So casual. So proletariat, comrade!’
‘I needed a good laugh thank you,’ someone else chimed in
‘The ignorance of those two needs to be studied,’ another wrote
‘Stop trying to make Relatable Blake happen, it’s NOT going to happen’
Another added, ‘Working class people don’t get married on plantaaaaations’ in reference to their 2012 nuptials at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
‘Just because her parents worked, doesn’t make them working class.’
Many also drew comparisons between Blake and Victoria Beckham, who claimed she came from a ‘working class’ background on the 2023 ‘Beckham’ documentary, prompting her husband David Beckham’s now viral response, ‘Be honest.’
Beckham felt that his wife’s background was not as humble as she implied, as her father owned a Rolls-Royce.
‘Honey her sister was already an actress, and ya’ll got married on a plantation. This is giving posh spice in the David Beckham documentary. “Tell the truth” lol.’
‘Be honest (david beckham voice),’ one fan wrote.
‘The ignorance of those two needs to be studied,’ another wrote.
‘Stop trying to make Relatable Blake happen, it’s NOT going to happen.’
Another quoted a famous line from Sex and the City, writing, ‘Charlotte, we don’t say things like working class anymore.’
‘More and more I’m learning that rich people say “working class” when they mean “had a salary.”‘
The Los Angeles native’s parents were crucial in kickstarting her successful acting career; seen in 2005
Ernie, who passed away in 2021, even starred alongside his star in her breakout role in The Sisterhood of Travelling Pants franchise (pictured in 2008)
‘Omg yes like how the working class totally get married on plantations! So casual. So proletariat, comrade!’
‘I needed a good laugh thank you,’ someone else chimed in.
Lively’s name has been on everyone’s lips following the release of her new film, It Ends With Us, based the best-selling Colleen Hoover novel of the same name.
Amid relentless fan interest over her rumored rift with her on-screen love interest, Justin Baldoni and getting accused of ‘trivializing’ domestic violence while on her latest press tour, the actress has suffered from PR nightmare over the past months.
This includes substantial backlash over her ‘mean girl’ behavior and comments in multiple resurfaced interviews over the years, including the use of the transgender slur ‘tranny’ in several unearthed videos.
A number of social media users have pointed out that many of her out of touch comments could be traced back to her privileged background as the daughter of a talent agent and famous actor.
While it is not common knowledge that she is a ‘nepo baby,’ her family is filled with others entertainers, including her four older siblings.
Blake’s late father made his Hollywood debut with a small role in The Waltons in 1975 and went on to enjoy a steady acting career with his final role coming in the independent film Phobic, released in 2020.
After playing his famous daughter’s on-screen dad in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, he reprised the character for the movie’s 2008 sequel.
Lively was also a respected acting coach as was his wife Elaine, whom he married in 1979, and Blake has credited watching her parents teach with inspiring her own acting career.
Reynolds made the comment as he discussed parenting their four children: James, 10, Inez, eight, Betty, five, and Olin, one; seen with two of their daughters in 2016
‘We try to give them as normal a life as possible. I try not to impose upon them the difference in their childhood to my childhood or my wife’s childhood. We both grew up very working class,’ he shared; Ryan and Blake pictured with his mom Tammy in 2023
Ryan’s late father, James Reynolds, was a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman, who later retired and worked as a foods wholesaler. Meanwhile his mom worked in retail sales; Pictured with his parents in 2005
Lively’s other big screen credits included small roles in Passenger 57, Turner & Hooch, Showdown In Little Tokyo and Mulholland Falls.
He also made guest appearances in a string of TV shows including Falcon Crest, The X-Files, The Dukes of Hazzard, Seinfeld and The West Wing.
While Blake comes from an entertainment family, her husband’s late father, James Reynolds, was a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman, who later retired and worked as a foods wholesaler.
He passed away in 2015 at the age of 74, after living with Parkinson’s disease for nearly 20 years.
Meanwhile his mother, Tamara Lee, worked in retail sales.
