Deadpool star presented best film award to Wicked at National Board of Review Awards gala. Ryan Reynolds spoke about women’s stories being “held to a different set of standards” at the National Board of Review Awards gala as the actor marked his first public appearance since his wife Blake Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni.
![[Jonathan Bailey, center, and Ethan Slater, right, in a scene from ‘Wicked’]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/11/19/21/Film_Review_-_Wicked_18954.jpg)
The Deadpool star, 48, presented the best film award to Wicked, which he praised for its women-focused message. “Wicked is indeed wicked. It dares to centre two powerful women. It examines a nuanced, complex relationship which has resonated with people for over two decades on stage,” Reynolds said.
![[Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in ‘It Ends With Us’]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/08/07/16/Film_Review_-_It_Ends_With_Us_53247.jpg)
“Stories about women seem to be held to a different set of standards, and that is to say that they’re often held to the standard women are held to in life. You must be perfect. You must hide your strength. You must shapeshift or placate.”. Praising Universal Pictures and chairman Donna Langley, he added: “But Donna Langley and Universal, they know where and with whom to place their trust, and it paid off in this film.”.
Directed by Jon M Chu, Wicked tells the heartwarming story of two young witches as they navigate their way through university and learn about true friendship. Later known as the Wicked Witch of The West, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is a green-hued extraordinary witch who faces many obstacles because of her differentness and forms a bond with Glinda (Ariana Grande), the opposite of Elphaba in most ways – popular, loved and blonde.
