Blake Lively gave Ryan Reynolds a good-luck kiss as the Hollywood A-list couple watched Wrexham’s blockbuster fifth-round FA Cup tie against Chelsea.
The Deadpool actor, 49, was pictured with his wife, 38, and club co-owner Rob Mac, 48, in their private box at the Racecourse Ground as Liam Rosenior’s Premier League side came to town.
Reynolds could be seen giving Lively a kiss and gesticulating before Wrexham took the lead twice in north-east Wales, with the Championship side later pegged back.
The actor wildly celebrated with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Mac – who flew in on a private jet for the match – after Sam Smith’s sensational opening goal.
They took the lead again through Callum Doyle after 79 minutes to spark pandemonium inside the 13,500-seater stadium, before Josh Acheampong levelled the scoring minutes later.
Lively, who remains embroiled in a legal battle with with her It Ends With Us co star Justin Baldoni, was also spotted looking shocked as Smith’s goal hit the back of the net in the first half.
Blake Lively gave Ryan Reynolds a good-luck kiss during Wrexham’s match against Chelsea
Reynolds watched on with Lively and Wrexham co-owner Rob Mac at the Racecourse Ground
Reynolds and Mac wildly celebrated together after Sam Smith opened the scoring for Wrexham
Lively looked shocked after Smith’s opening goal gave Wrexham a surprise lead in the FA Cup
The 38-year-old, who shares four kids with husband Reynolds, looked a world away from the stony-faced figure she has cut outside courthouses in America in recent times.
Lively, who has been spotted supporting the Red Dragons with Reynolds on numerous occasions, has alleged Baldoni sexually harassed, defamed and smeared her – with a trial due to take place in May. Baldoni, who denies the claims, has already had his own $400million defamation lawsuit against Lively dismissed by a judge.
Lively is by Reynolds’ side as Wrexham hope to claim a second Premier League scalp this season, after already having beaten Nottingham Forest on penalties in the third round of the competition.
Victory over Chelsea would represent a watershed moment for the club, who have battled their way back into the English Football League under the stewardship of Reynolds and Mac (formerly McElhenney), following the actors’ shock takeover five years ago.
While Wrexham have previously played Chelsea as part of their pre-season tours of the United States in 2023 and 2024, the FA Cup clash marks the first competitive fixture between the sides.
Reynolds discovered Wrexham had been drawn against the Blues while he was with Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman, and posted a video of his shocked reaction when the draw was made.
‘Wait, wait, wait – we’re at home to Chelsea?,’ Reynolds asked at the time. ‘That’s what you wanted,’ Jackman responded before the two men high-fived.
‘Yes, f***!’ Reynolds said, adding a shocked ‘what the f***?’ as the reality of the fixture sunk in.
‘Chelsea at the Racecourse,’ Reynolds finished in near-disbelief.
Chelsea boss Rosenior has been keen to ensure his side are not on the end of an upset, saying pre-match: ‘We know it’s going to be a really, really difficult game.
‘It’s a club that’s on the rise, and there’s a good energy and a good vibe around. It’s hard to play against that. We take the game really seriously. For us, it’s an opportunity to win a trophy.’
On the other hand, Parkinson – who has won three successive promotions with Wrexham since taking the post in 2021 – has urged his players to harness their ‘underdog spirit’.
Reynolds was all smiles as he arrived in north-east Wales for the blockbuster fifth-round tie
Wrexham co-owner Rob Mac was also seen arriving after jetting in for Saturday’s FA Cup tie
The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star greeted staff after disembarking his private jet
‘It’s like any game, really,’ he said. ‘You’ve got to look at the opposition, how they play, how they build from the back, their key strengths in the game, and adapt at times towards that.
‘Of course, you’re always concentrating on picking our team and getting us to play and to function to the best of our ability.
‘That underdog fighting spirit has got to be there because we know we’re up against a team that are Club World Champions and they’ve got a lot of talent.
‘However, It’s all about us giving a really good account of ourselves, and we’ll see where that takes us on the night.’
After beating Forest in January, Wrexham knocked out fellow Championship side Ipswich Town to find themselves in fifth round for the first time since 1997.
Chelsea also had to contend with Championship opposition to make it to this stage, comfortably beating Hull City 4-0 in the fourth round last month.
The Blues have won eight FA Cups in their history. Meanwhile, Wrexham’s most famous night in the competition came in 1992, when they beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Racecourse Ground.
