Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s Sudden Surge in Joint Charity Events Amid Legal Battle with ‘It Ends With Us’ Director Justin Baldoni: Is Their Do-Gooder Image a Calculated Cover for a Bid to Influence Hollywood’s Power Structure Behind Closed Doors?

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s Sudden Surge in Joint Charity Events Amid Legal Battle with ‘It Ends With Us’ Director Justin Baldoni: Is Their Do-Gooder Image a Calculated Cover for a Bid to Influence Hollywood’s Power Structure Behind Closed Doors?

In a whirlwind of flashing cameras and heartfelt speeches, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have recently emerged as Hollywood’s golden couple of philanthropy, ramping up their joint appearances at charity events with an almost uncanny timing. From galas supporting children’s hospitals to fundraisers for environmental causes, the pair—known for their blockbuster films and picture-perfect family life—have been spotted hand-in-hand, doling out smiles and hefty donations. But as their legal battle with It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni intensifies, a provocative question looms: Is this sudden surge in do-gooder optics a genuine outpouring of altruism, or a meticulously crafted smokescreen to bolster their influence in Tinseltown’s shadowy power corridors?

The legal saga pitting Lively and Reynolds against Baldoni erupted late last year when Lively filed a bombshell complaint with the California Civil Rights Department on December 20, 2024, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign during the production of It Ends With Us. Baldoni fired back with a staggering $400 million defamation lawsuit in January 2025, naming both Lively and Reynolds, alleging they hijacked his passion project and sought to dismantle his career. The courtroom drama, now slated for trial in March 2026, has spiraled into a Hollywood spectacle, complete with leaked texts, dueling narratives, and a cast of A-list allies. Amid this chaos, the couple’s pivot to high-profile charity work has raised eyebrows—and suspicions.

Since the legal fireworks began, Reynolds and Lively have been omnipresent at charitable gatherings. In February 2025, they co-hosted a star-studded fundraiser for the SickKids Foundation in New York, raising millions for pediatric care—an event Reynolds hyped on Instagram with a cheeky caption: “Helping kids and eating pizza: my two superpowers.” Days later, they appeared at a climate action gala in Los Angeles, pledging a seven-figure sum to renewable energy initiatives. By March, they were cutting ribbons at a community center opening in Vancouver, Reynolds’ hometown, with Lively beaming beside him in a floral gown that screamed “wholesome.” The frequency and visibility of these outings mark a stark uptick from their previously sporadic charitable endeavors, prompting whispers that this is less about goodwill and more about winning the court of public opinion—and perhaps something bigger.

Critics argue that the timing is too convenient to be coincidental. “This reeks of a PR playbook,” says Alexandra LaManna, a former White House spokesperson turned communications advisor. “Blake and Ryan have spent years cultivating an image as Hollywood’s most likable power couple—witty, relatable, untouchable. Now, with their reputations under