Blake Lively reveals key 'rule' she and Ryan Reynolds follow to keep 12-year marriage thriving

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: After 12 years of marriage, Blake Lively has shared the one rule she and her husband Ryan Reynolds constantly adhere to to maintain the spark in their union.

The 47-year-old 'Deadpool' actor and the 36-year-old mother of four are no strangers to the spotlight, but they have made it quite clear that they will not allow the glitz and glamour of life in the fast lane to interfere with their romantic relationship, per Daily Mail.

Blake Lively reveals key rule of prioritizing personal life over work

During an appearance on Amber Tamblyn's Substack show 'Further Ado' on February 22, the 'Gossip Girl' alum revealed that she and her husband had an early agreement to put their relationship before their careers, per Entertainment Tonight.

The couple has revealed that, despite their hectic schedules as Hollywood celebrities, they never book jobs at the same time, and they say that this strengthens their marriage.

Blake pointed out that the couple has been abiding by their rule to put their personal lives first since they started dating.

She also admitted that although she and her husband value their profession, they never want it to get in the way of their relationship.

She said, "When Ryan and I got together, we made a rule not to work at the same time. So that we could always prioritize our personal life."

The actress said that it has occasionally been challenging for her and Ryan to follow their agreement, particularly in the beginning when she was continuously filming and they just started dating.

Blake added, "That takes working really hard when we're not. Just like financial planning and sustaining that — it takes balance."

"I'm used to working hard and going and going and going and going and not stopping. Especially, Gossip Girl was six years of my life, and we were sometimes shooting three episodes at once," she remarked.

In a 2019 interview with PEOPLE, Ryan provided more clarification on the rule.

He said at the time, "Blake and I don't do movies at the same time. If she is doing a movie in Thailand and I am doing a movie in Vancouver we would just never see each other. We operate as a unit, and that works really well for us."

"The kids stay with us, and the family stays together, and that is where home is. So if we are in Spain or Utah or New York, as long as we are together, we're home."

Balancing parenthood and work schedules

Regarding how the couple balances parenthood with their careers, Ryan spoke candidly to PEOPLE in October 2023 about how he and Blake instilled in their four children the value of "self-awareness."

The actor remarked at the time, "I think it’s more about talking to them about everything. It’s genuine when I say I take a huge interest in their days and how things are going."

He went on, "For me, the best time of my day is walking them to school and walking them back. I think as parents, we are so much better equipped to handle the rigors of childhood through our kids now than when I was a kid."

"It’s just totally different now. People are much more self-aware. And that’s the thing we sort of hang our hat on the most is self-awareness with our kids. Not be happy, not be anything, just be self-aware and welcome everything in," Ryan said.

The couple, who constantly brag about their lives with four children while referring to their house as a "zoo," appear to be finding success in putting their relationships first.