January 8, 2025: Ryan Reynolds has insisted women are “held to a different set of standards”.

The 48-year-old actor – who is married to fellow star Blake Lively – has claimed women both in the industry and in every day life have to “hide their strength” in order to succeed.

Speaking as he presented the best film of the year prize to ‘Wicked’ at the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala on Tuesday (07.01.25), he said: “‘Wicked’ is indeed wicked, It dares to centre on two powerful women.

“It examines a nuanced, complex relationship which has resonated with people for over two decades on stage…

“Stories about women seem to be held to a different set of standards, and that is to say that they’re often held to the standards women are held to in life.

“You must be perfect. You must must hide your strength. You must shape-shift or placate.”

Meanwhile, WME has rubbished the idea that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively pressured the talent agency to drop Justin Baldoni.

The 37-year-old actress recently accused her ‘It Ends With Us’ director and co-star of sexual harassment, and the talent agency has now denied claims made in Justin’s countersuit that Ryan and Blake pressured the company to drop him as a client.

In a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter, WME said: “In Baldoni’s filing there is a claim that Reynolds pressured Baldoni’s agent at the ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ premiere. This is not true.

“Baldoni’s former representative was not at the ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ premiere nor was there any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client.”

WME dropped Justin on December 21, hours after Blake launched a lawsuit against him for sexual harassment.

Blake accused her former director of causing her “severe emotional distress”.

The actress – who played Justin’s on-screen love interest in ‘It Ends with Us’ – subsequently told the New York Times newspaper: “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”

Justin has denied the allegations and has since launched his own countersuit against the New York Times, accusing the newspaper of publishing Blake’s “self-serving narrative”.