Ryan Reynolds Is Being Accused Of “Trying To Be Relatable” After Claiming That Both He And Blake Lively Grew Up “Very Working Class”
The longtime couple, who have been married since 2012, share four children: Betty, James, Inez, and Olin.
On Dec. 13, Ryan told The Hollywood Reporter that he and Blake are trying to give their kids “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,” he said before claiming that he and Blake grew up “very working class.”
“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,” Ryan said.
“Then I realized that that’s not really their bag of rocks to carry. They’re already very much in touch with gratitude and understanding the world enough to have a strong sense of empathy,” he added.
While Ryan’s parents worked as a retail salesperson and police officer, his claim that both he and Blake “grew up very working class” has since caused a stir online, with several furious internet users pointing out that Blake had an objectively privileged upbringing.
If you didn’t know, Blake grew up in Tarzana, a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles, and went to the highly-rated school Burbank High, which was attended by several more notable celebrities.
Her late father, Ernie Lively, was an actor and director, while her mother, Elaine Lively, was a talent manager. All four of her siblings have pursued careers in the acting industry, and Blake was just 17 when she landed her first prominent role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
With this in mind, several internet users were left pretty annoyed when Ryan claimed that Blake grew up “very working class” and quickly came through with a ton of receipts that suggest otherwise.
“She grew up in an affluent area of Los Angeles with her late father, Ernie Lively, an actor and director, while her mother, Elaine Lively, was an actress and a talent manager,” one person pointed out.
“Working class upbringing and Elie Saab prom dress never go hand in hand. Also was that an en-suite bathroom???” someone wrote as they drew attention to video footage from Blake’s high school prom.
The exclusive footage released by Access Hollywood shows that Blake rocked up to her prom in a luxury designer Elie Saab gown and got dolled up in her lavish, all-pink bedroom that featured a chandelier and seemingly an en-suite bathroom.
Several internet users have since accused Ryan of “trying to be relatable” and attempting to “cosplay as normal.”
“Jesus Christ just go enjoy your rich life, stop trying to come off as relatable to the rest of us,” one person wrote. “Things out-of-touch rich people say,” another commented.
“Why do ridiculously wealthy people deny their privilege like this??” someone questioned, while another said, “Nothing more cringe than celebrities and elites trying to be relatable.”
“I guess working class means something different to everyone these days,” one person said. “Does he think ‘working class’ just means that they had jobs?” someone else questioned.
“Rich people mix up having a job with being working class. ‘I’m a CEO, I’m working class!’” one user wrote, while another added, “I don’t get this, do they genuinely think that’s a working class upbringing or are they lying to seem relatable to the normies.”
David hilariously interrupted Victoria as she claimed that her family was “very working class.” He told her to “be honest” and share what car her dad dropped her to school in — and it turns out, it was a Rolls Royce.
Referencing the viral moment now, one person said in response to Ryan’s comments, “Be honest (david beckham voice),” while another said, “Okay Victoria Beckham.”
