Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds spent Oscar weekend in Nashville. They stayed at the GOOP recommended Hermitage Hotel. Am told by readers who saw them there that they were casual and “impossibly gorgeous” together. Also rather low key. No pap photos have emerged of the two (so far). And no paps were around when they were in Savannah, Georgia on another minibreak two weeks ago. They seem to be checking off destinations across the USA. Like a travel love bond.

After a few days away, Blake and Ryan are now back in New York. Blake was shot on the set of Gossip Girl while he stays home at her apartment. He’s a frequent visitor to the gym that’s attached to her building. So they’re fully living together now. From what I understand, it’s legit. That doesn’t mean she’s not above exploiting it for her purposes, but it’s a real relationship. And very serious.

As for why she put a control brake on her famewhoring - she’s content now that it’s out there and confirmed, right in Scarjo’s face, that she and Ryan are a solid situation. Public relations strategery of course is always in service of results. What’s the motivation then? In Blake’s case, it’s a wise move right now to scale back the romantic shenanigans because it’s time to focus on the actual work.

In LA this weekend I asked about how Blake is in Savages. As you know, they’re so confident in Savages, they moved it up from a September release to a summer open. And according to several people I spoke to, Blake’s performance in the 3rd act is supposedly off the chart. Like really, really strong.

You can imagine me, my face, as they’re telling me this. Eyes rolling, then closing, then rolling again. I was not one of those who felt that she was good in The Town. I thought she was the same in The Town. But there they were, people who are nowhere near Blake’s payroll, who in fact have clients who compete with Blake on opportunities, and who’ve been reliable sources before on other stories, insisting that that is indeed the word.

I remain sceptical. That said...how the f-ck did Blake Lively acquire such an impressively competent publicity team. And why isn’t that press team helping out Taylor Kitsch?