Ryan Reynolds apologizes for plantation wedding with Blake Lively, Internet says ‘spend your life feeling filthy’
Social media is brutal and more so when you are a celebrity. Ryan Reynolds seems to get a first-hand taste of that. Recently during an interview with Fast Company, the 'Deadpool' star apologized for hosting his 2012 wedding to actress Blake Lively at a former plantation in South Carolina.
The discussion about the eight-year-old event started when the publication asked him about his statement about the blockbuster movie, ‘Black Panther’, termed ‘hypocritical’ in 2018. The film was appreciated for its Black cast and representation and Reynolds had tweeted in support of it. However, he was reminded of having his wedding at a former plantation. Explaining himself, the actor told Fast Company, “It’s something we’ll always be deeply and unreservedly sorry for.” He continued, “It’s impossible to reconcile. What we saw at the time was a wedding venue on Pinterest. What we saw after was a place built upon devastating tragedy. Years ago we got married again at home—but shame works in weird ways. A giant f**king mistake like that can either cause you to shut down or it can reframe things and move you into action. It doesn’t mean you won’t f**k up again. But repatterning and challenging lifelong social conditioning is a job that doesn’t end.”
According to the publication, Reynolds took action by focusing his philanthropy on social justice causes. The couple donated $200,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in June this year. The story states that Reynolds is reluctant to talk about their social justice support because he “worries that White celebrities too often drown out non-White voices, even if that's not their intention.”
However, the Internet isn’t ready to forget yet. A user tweeted, "I hope they spend the rest of their lives feeling filthy and pathetic. Weddings should be in backyards or Baptist churches. Everyone knows that."
I hope they spend the rest of their lives feeling filthy and pathetic.
— Howard Axelroark (@axelroark) August 5, 2020
Weddings should be in backyards or Baptist churches. Everyone knows that.
⚡️ “Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively 'deeply regret' plantation wedding” by @etalkCTV https://t.co/evJchH0ike
Another wrote: "Uh-oh... even progressive Hollywood darling Ryan Reynolds can't escape the Inquisition."
Uh-oh... even progressive Hollywood darling Ryan Reynolds can't escape the Inquisition. ⚡️ “Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively 'deeply regret' plantation wedding” by @etalkCTV https://t.co/oL0vdLYQ7z
— Miranda Veracruz de la Hoya Cardinal ◼️ (@RW_Crank) August 5, 2020
One opined, "Look, I like Ryan Reynolds, but this is yikes. I got married almost 15 years ago and if the word "plantation" came in while planning, I would have noped right out. Even the phrase "plantation wedding" is just a whole lot of WTF?!"
Look, I like Ryan Reynolds, but this is yikes. I got married almost 15 years ago and if the word "plantation" came in while planning, I would have noped right out. Even the phrase "plantation wedding" is just a whole lot of WTF?! pic.twitter.com/e6of7AZF6P
— Antifa Tech Support (@mialynneb) August 5, 2020
Another pointed out: "So slavery is “pinterest” wedding venue worthy... and you still got married there knowing it was a slave plantation beforehand... make it make sense @VancityReynolds @blakelively."
so slavery is “pinterest” wedding venue worthy... and you still got married there knowing it was a slave plantation beforehand... make it make sense @VancityReynolds @blakelively https://t.co/86wVLfkThn
— soleil thee anarchist (@grace_ibo) August 5, 2020
One user expressed, "Let me know when Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are burning down plantations, I don't have time to devote to tight, well-rehearsed apology blurbs placed in interviews about how they deeply regret huge plantation weddings, but actually they're secretly super woke."
Let me know when Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are burning down plantations, I don't have time to devote to tight, well rehearsed apology blurbs placed in interviews about how they deeply regret huge plantation weddings, but actually they're secretly super woke. pic.twitter.com/QpuGuJpaoC
— Adam Dorsey (@adamdorsey) August 5, 2020
Another said, "Honestly f**k ryan reynolds and blake lively. i don’t care about your apology, you were two adults who consciously decided to have a wedding at a plantation. you don’t deserve forgiveness for that. it wasn’t a mistake."
honestly fuck ryan reynolds and blake lively. i don’t care about your apology, you were two adults who consciously decided to have a wedding at a plantation. you don’t deserve forgiveness for that. it wasn’t a mistake.
— folk-lu (@spideysuitt) August 5, 2020
Another concurred, "Plantation Weddings are a thing. Therefore, I believe that Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively intended to marry on a Plantation. I wouldn’t care as much about their choice if they had owned up to their “intentions” of wanting it. But, to lie is willful omission."
Plantation Weddings are a thing. Therefore, I believe that Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively intended to marry on a Plantation. I wouldn’t care as much about their choice if they had owned up to their “intentions” of wanting it. But, to lie is willful omission. pic.twitter.com/3wROQTN8T5
— ❝ 𝕎𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕃𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕊𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕟 ❞ ♏ (@La_Bella_Amor) August 5, 2020
However, there were a few who came in support of the couple. One said, "Instead of getting mad at Blake lively and Ryan Reynolds for having a wedding at a plantation, get mad at the plantation for being a full-service wedding venture."
Instead of getting mad at Blake lively and Ryan Reynolds for having a wedding at a plantation, get mad at the plantation for being a full service wedding venture.
— Kathryn of Aragon (@TooColdKatie) August 5, 2020
Another said: "IMO, @VancityReynolds and his wife have nothing to apologize for. They had their wedding on a beautiful piece of real estate that at one time was a slave plantation but hasn't been for 150 years. What is exactly is the problem? And why apologize for it? And who frigg'n cares?"
IMO, @VancityReynolds and his wife have nothing to apologize for. They had their wedding on a beautiful piece of real estate that at one time was a slave plantation but hasn't been for 150 years. What is exactly is the problem? And why apologize for it? And who frigg'n cares?
— Kyle Shold (@Kyle_Shold) August 4, 2020
Recently, Ryan Reynolds took to Twitter to announce a new initiative supporting aspiring filmmakers from unrepresented communities, Group Effort Initiative. In the video posted on Twitter, he said, “Making a movie, well it’s a group effort. But for entirely too long, that group has systematically excluded Black, Indigenous, people of color and a whole host of other marginalized communities.” He said he is going to start a movie this fall and he is committed to bring about 10 to 20 trainees from the BIPOC community and other marginalized communities of all ages, adding, “These new recruits are going to be paid, housed and traveled out of my salary. They’re gonna spend their days on set learning from professionals, getting real life experiences that they can parlay into another job and then hopefully, if they’re not too disillusioned, a career in the film industry.”
The Group Effort Initiative is designed to invest in the talent and creativity of any and all under-represented communities who’ve felt this industry didn’t have room for their dreams. To register yourself, go to: https://t.co/DXMM9VuPhL #GroupEffort #MaximumEffort pic.twitter.com/TJ0FGUMe2l
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) July 31, 2020