Sutton Foster and Blake Lively have not developed a close, one-on-one friendship despite the long-standing bond between their partners, an insider told the Daily Mail.
The source described the actresses as "mostly acquaintances" who are friendly but do not confide in one another or spend time together without their famous partners, actors Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. Jackman and Reynolds have been close friends for nearly two decades after meeting while filming X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2007.
The insider told the Daily Mail that "when it comes to Blake's one-on-one with Sutton, they’ve never had a deep and meaningful friendship" and that there is "no real affinity" between the two. While the couples occasionally go out together and have double-dated, the source said Foster and Lively have not formed a relationship where they confide in each other or spend time together independently.
The report highlighted differences in the actresses' careers and public profiles as factors. Foster, 50, is known for Broadway work and roles that skew toward mature theater audiences. Lively, 38, rose to prominence in films such as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and as Serena van der Woodsen on the CW series Gossip Girl. The source characterized Foster as leading a quieter life in New York City — noting a fall tour that includes smaller markets — while describing Lively as maintaining a higher-profile presence on red carpets and in celebrity circles.
The Daily Mail piece also referenced episodes of intense media scrutiny each woman has faced. Following Jackman’s separation from Deborra-Lee Furness in September 2023, media coverage included allegations surrounding Foster; the report said Foster kept a lower public profile during that period. Lively’s recent publicity included matters connected to the film It Ends With Us and a public dispute reported in some outlets; the Daily Mail noted that she continued to appear publicly with support from celebrity friends.
Despite the lack of a deep personal connection between Foster and Lively, the source emphasized that the couples remain supportive of one another. Jackman and Reynolds are slated to reunite on screen in the upcoming comedy Boy Band, written by and starring Reynolds, in which the two will play former boy-band members reuniting in middle age. The insider compared the actresses’ relationship to other high-profile pairings that are largely defined by their partners — saying the women are "bonded by their men but also have their differences."
Reynolds has publicly praised Jackman’s work ethic and influence on his career in the past, and the two have been visible in each other’s lives and projects for years. The Daily Mail reported that the current dynamics between the actresses have not put strain on Jackman and Reynolds’s friendship; the source said the men are not concerned about whether their partners are close.
Representatives for Lively and Foster were contacted by the Daily Mail for comment, according to the report. The accounts cited in the story came from an unnamed insider speaking to the Daily Mail, and the portrayal in that report reflects the source’s characterization of the relationships among the four.
The couples’ public and private interactions will continue to draw interest as Jackman and Reynolds prepare to appear together in Boy Band and as the principals maintain high profiles in film and theater. The depiction of Foster and Lively as cordial but not close underscores how friendships among celebrity couples can differ from the well-publicized bonds of the actors themselves.