Starting with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively whose appearance on Sunday night at the SNL50 was not announced ahead of time. Both have hosted before, but not since 2009, although you’ll recall, Blake was supposed to be the first host this season until she backed out when all the drama broke up after the release of It Ends With Us. One more layer to the intrigue here – SNL is more home to Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson than it is to Ryan and Blake. But then again, the undisputed king of 8H is Lorne Michaels who knows good gossip. And getting Ryan and Blake to make their first red carpet appearance since all these lawsuits started flying back and forth is Lorne’s flex above all else. 

 

As for that joke… 

 

Obviously planned, from Blake’s reaction to Ryan’s timing – which was perfect – and not surprisingly it’s only added to the online discourse around these two with those who are predisposed to hating them calling the moment inappropriate and the usual media outlets fueling the mess. Like Page Six, the Daily Mail, and of course TMZ claiming to have sources at the event who were “confused” about why Ryan and Blake were there. Which says more about these so-called sources than anything else because everyone at this point knows that Lorne personally oversaw that guest list and probably loves controversy more than anyone else. I would love to see what would happen if SNL and Vogue had a joint event and the invitation decisions were made between Lorne and Anna Wintour. Write a sketch about that, show! Or a faux documentary!

 

Does their appearance at SNL50 and that joke make a difference? I can’t see how it does. Those who are already against them were never going to change their minds about them. Those who aren’t as, um, invested still won’t be that invested. And for Ryan and Blake, well, she in particular has been in hiding for weeks. She can’t hide much longer with Another Simple Favor premiering at SXSW in three weeks. This kind of alleviates the pressure ahead of that event. And, well, on the SNL carpet, where it was wall-to-wall  stars, a PR advisor in this situation may have signed off on it because Ryan and Blake were just one of so many and not necessarily the main event. There are maybe only three or four times, if that, that you can do this in New York where Ryan and Blake are based: Met Gala, Tonys, maybe the VMAs if they’re in NYC. 

 

Next up, Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas, what? The Daily Mail published photos of them having dinner last Thursday, the night before Valentine’s, and of course suggested that maybe it was romantic – even though they were joined by their representatives. Still, eyebrows were raised. PEOPLE was quick to play it down over the weekend and then yesterday, Ana was seen in Rome with her boyfriend (photos attached), Manuel Anido Cuesto, the stepson of the president of Cuba who many consider a dictator. This is a controversial relationship for which Ana has been widely criticised so I’m curious… would it have been worse or better if she was really dealing with Tom Cruise, not related to a corrupt government but connected to a cult?! 

 

Finally, something a little more wholesome? After one of the BAFTA events on the weekend, Glen Powell and Lily James were seen leaving together. 

These two have known each other a while, having starred in The Guernsey and Literary Potato Peel Society in 2018. Friends to lovers is always a popular romantic trope though. Maybe now is the time?