Ryan Reynolds has avoided hosting SNL for 15 years (here's why)

Ryan Reynolds is one of the most bankable movie stars on the planet. He's headlined multiple franchises throughout his career, and he's slated to return as Deadpool in the upcoming Marvel blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine. Reynolds' comedic sensibility makes him a no-brainer for a sketch show like Saturday Night Live, but there aren't any plans for him to host.

In fact, Reynolds has only hosted the sketch show once, in 2009. The episode he appeared in was well received, and the actor's profile has only risen since then, so there's been some confusion as to why it hasn't happened again. Well, according to In Touch, there's a very specific reason why. And it has to do with Reynolds' ex-wife, Scarlett Johansson.

A source claims Reynolds wants to avoid his ex-wife

A source close to Reynolds told the outlet that the actor has been avoiding another hosting gig on SNL because he does not want to have an awkward encounter with Johansson's current husband, Colin Jost. Jost is the co-anchor of Weekend Update, and has been one of the head writers on the show since 2012.

"It's no secret in Hollywood that Colin wields an enormous amount of influence behind the scenes of that show," the source claimed, before noting that Johansson regularly attends the SNL wrap parties:

"Scarlett is a regular presence at the show’s wrap parties and through her once-in-a-while surprise cameos. It’s territory... that Ryan has basically surrendered to them as a power couple."

The source also cited the younger SNL cast

The source also pointed to the changing landscape of Saturday Night Live as another reason that Reynolds doesn't want to return. "The one time he hosted a decade and a half ago he was surrounded by a cast that were true peers of his," they noted. "Now the show is fronted by a cast that includes actors twenty years younger than him."

This is speculatory, of course, as the source is never named, and Reynolds has never spoken about his feelings toward Jost and Johansson as a couple. It is intriguing that someone with his particular set of skills has avoided a show that seems perfectly suited to highlight them, however.

What do you think? Would you like to see Reynolds take the plunge and return to SNL in the future?