Ryan Reynolds' decision to poke fun at his wife Blake Lively's explosive scandal with Justin Baldoni has 'minimised’ her claims, and could dissuade abuse victims from coming forward, experts have claimed.

Lively, 37, broke cover to attend Sunday night's SNL50: The Anniversary Special with her husband, marking her first major event since she filed a lawsuit against her It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni, 41, accusing him of sexual harassment late last year.

During the broadcast, Reynolds made a joke as he took part in a Q&A with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

'I have a question,’ he said, to which Fey replied: 'Oh Ryan Reynolds, how's it going?'

In an apparent nod to the maelstrom of headlines, he responded: 'Great - why, what have you heard?'

The reaction from viewers was predictably brutal, with many accusing the Hollywood power couple of using their clout to claw back public favour after months of bad headlines.

Shari Botwin, LCSW and author of Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing, warned Reynolds may have ‘stepped out of line’ with his quip, and that his decision to make light of his wife’s serious accusations 'distances’ him from Lively.

'Jokes about sexual harassment reinforce rape culture, and further silences victims,’ she told DailyMail.com exclusively.

'It minimizes and discredits their experience, perpetuating the idea that "no one will believe me or take me seriously."

'Joking about sexual harassment insinuates that the victim is to blame, making it even more unlikely that someone will come forward. It normalizes and excuses this type of behaviour.’

She continued: 'Reynolds may have stepped out of line by mocking his wife's lawsuit. People tend to joke about issues involving sexual violence because they are uncomfortable, or they do not understand the impact.

'Jokes made by Reynolds about his wife's lawsuit minimizes her claims and distances Reynolds from being her partner in a situation that is Blake's alleged reality.'

Elsewhere, Manhattan psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert said Reynolds may have been using humour to ‘navigate an uncomfortable situation’ as his ‘quick wit is a hallmark of his personality'.

He added: 'However, when dealing with something as serious as sexual harassment allegations, there’s a fine line between using humour as a coping tool and appearing to minimise the gravity of the issue.

'While his intention may not have been harmful, public figures have to be mindful of how their words can be interpreted, especially on sensitive topics.' 

Lively made headlines when she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment in a bombshell lawsuit last year. 

The actress filed an 80-page civil complaint with the California Civil Rights Department on December 20, before officially filing a federal lawsuit on December 31.

Baldoni fired back with a $400 million countersuit in which he accused Lively, Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane of defamation and extortion.

In her filing, Lively alleged that Baldoni showed her explicit videos and photos of other women, openly discussed his struggles with pornography, and made inappropriate remarks about her appearance and weight.

She also claims he 'improvised physical intimacy' during a scene without prior discussion or choreography.

One incident reportedly involved Baldoni 'discreetly biting and sucking on Ms. Lively's lower lip' during multiple takes, allegedly insisting on reshooting the scene repeatedly despite Lively's clear discomfort.

The lawsuit alleges Baldoni made sexual inquiries, including asking Lively if she and her husband experienced simultaneous climaxes — a question she reportedly found intrusive and refused to answer. 

Lively also accused the former Jane The Virgin star of entering her trailer while she was nude, and letting his 'friends' watch her film intimate scenes, along with other activities that created a 'hostile work environment'. 

She also accused him of hiring a crisis PR team to engage in a 'multi-tiered' plan to 'destroy' her reputation after she and Reynolds complained of the 'repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behaviour' on set.  

Baldoni has denied the allegations, while Lively, Reynolds and Sloane have denied the accusations made in litigation by the actor. 

He claimed in court filings they made efforts to usurp and undermine his input as the director of It Ends with Us.

Video footage obtained by DailyMail.com also appeared to pour cold water on Lively's recollection of events during the scene in which she accused him of forcing her to reshoot kisses.

Baldoni's legal team launched a website to disprove Lively's claims, publishing private communications such as text messages that were included in court filings detailing his interactions with the actress and Reynolds during the making of the movie.

The couple, who share four children, have faced a wave of hostility amid the ongoing feud, with his SNL joke doing little to dispel the growing dislike towards them.

Kevin Costner’s reaction to the unexpected skit went viral, with the Oscar winner appearing to grimace at Reynolds' casual handling of the serious allegations. 

'The rest of us are Kevin Costner,' wrote one social media user. 'Blake and Ryan have some explaining to do. Also, what they did to Justin Baldoni is not funny at all. #SNL50.'

Another chimed in: 'Did I see Kevin Costner sitting next to here [sic]? He didn’t look too impressed when Ryan Reynolds made his sh*t joke.'

Sources told DailyMail.com that the joke was not well received backstage, with some attendees 'apprehensive' about mingling with the couple amid the ongoing scandal.

Baldoni has yet to publicly react to Sunday night's skit.