What makes a relationship tick?
An open dialogue? Truth, honesty and love? Mutual respect? Good sex?
Well, according to actress Blake Lively, a solid friendship is at the core of any successful relationship, and it's something she knows all too well since marrying her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, five years ago.
Having first met on the set of the superhero film Green Lantern in 2010, the former Gossip Girl lead admitted her and the Canadian Deadpool star were fortunate to be friends before they started dating.
'In other relationships, if something came up, I would call my girlfriends, or my sister, and say, "Hey, this is what he did – what should I do?"' she tells Glamour magazine.
'Whereas with him (Reynolds), we were friends for two years before we were ever dating. And I treat him like my girlfriend,' she gushed.
As parents to daughters two-year-old James, and 10-month-old Ines, Lively admits the Hollywood pair have been able to come over obstacles in their relationship because of the unwavering support she receives from her husband, and vice versa.
'I'm like, "Hey, this happened. It upset me. This is how I feel. What do I do?" And he does the same for me. He treats me like his best buddy,' she revealed.
However, she warns fans not to believe everything her 40-year-old hubby says in interviews about their family, as he boasts a slight tendency to make up 'scenarios' for comic effect.
'He may as well work for the National Enquirer,' she joked. 'When he says "my daughter", he's never ever talking about her. Everything is a completely made-up scenario, having a tendency to make up 'scenarios' for comic value.
'He'll run them by me sometimes just to make me laugh. But, oh, I'm so in love with him when he writes that stuff. I mean, I'm in love with him most of the time, but especially with that,' she adds.
I mean, we get it Blake, you love him. We all do.
Yesterday, the actress – who is set to star in female-led espionage thriller The Rhythm Section – set tongues wagging with a candid shot of her on the set of a new project, covered in green goo.
Could an appearance alongside Reynolds in Deadpool 2 be on the cards? After all, she has been spotted supporting Ryan on the set of the second superhero franchise in recent weeks.
Who knows, but one thing's for certain – Blake is seriously loved up right now.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
