Ryan Reynolds allegedly came up with the idea for his joke about wife Blake Lively’s “It Ends With Us” feud with Justin Baldoni on the “SNL 50” anniversary special.
“Saturday Night Live” cue card guy Wally Feresten claimed the “Deadpool” star was the brains behind the now-infamous wisecrack during an appearance on the “Fifi, Fev and Nick” podcast Tuesday.
“He had a different line in rehearsal and he pitched that to replace it,” Feresten claimed of Reynolds. “That was his idea.”
The longtime “SNL” staffer added, “We wouldn’t want to do anything too controversial unless they were in on it.”
However, a source close to Reynolds denied the claims to The Post, as did NBC.
Reps for the actor did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
During the anniversary special, Reynolds, 48, was seated alongside Lively, 37, in the audience when he stood up to participate in a segment with comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
“Ryan Reynolds! How’s it going?” he was asked.
The “Deadpool & Wolverine” actor then hinted at his wife’s headline-making legal drama as he responded, “Great! Why? What have you heard?”
The next day, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman weighed in on Reynolds’ joke, admitting he was “surprised” by the couple’s “latest move.”
“I’m unaware of anybody, frankly, whose wife has been sexually harassed and has made jokes about that type of situation,” Freedman said on “Hot Mics with Billy Bush” on Monday.
“I can’t think of anyone who’s done anything like that,” he added. “So it surprised me.”
An insider later told Page Six that Baldoni’s legal team may use Reynolds and Lively’s high-profile outing to defend the “Jane the Virgin” alum.
“Justin is taking this lawsuit in all seriousness and isn’t making a public mockery out of it,” the source told us Monday.
Meanwhile, Hollywood insiders thought the couple’s attendance at the anniversary special “was not a good look” amid their legal battle with Baldoni.
Reynolds’ joke on “SNL 50” also did not sit well with several fans of the late-night sketch comedy.
“Gross. So they’re supporting the bullies too,” one user commented on a social media clip of moment.
“SNL has always been sooo problematic. Highlighting the abusers while making fun of the victims. Remember when they made a skit about the Try Guys & Ned’s cheating? Yeah. Jokes at the expense of others. No integrity whatsoever,” another wrote.
Following backlash to their “SNL 50” appearance, Lively filed an amended complaint in New York federal court Tuesday evening, alleging that Baldoni’s actions on the “It Ends With Us” set made other women associated with the film uncomfortable.
