Ryan Reynolds showed up solo for Stephen Colbert’s emotional Late Show farewell – and according to insiders, that was not accidental.

While fans immediately noticed the absence of Blake Lively beside her husband during the star-packed finale, sources now claim Reynolds intentionally attended alone to avoid turning Colbert’s big night into a tabloid circus.

“The show had zero problem with Blake attending,” one insider reportedly said. “She was welcome and fully expected at one point. Ryan simply decided it would be better if he flew solo.”

Translation? One red carpet photo could have hijacked the entire evening.

The actor joined a parade of celebrity appearances that included Paul Rudd, Bryan Cranston, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon and even Paul McCartney.

But insiders say Reynolds was fully aware that any appearance from Lively would instantly dominate social media chatter, especially given the ongoing scruitny surrounding her recent legal dispute with Justin Baldoni over It Ends With Us.

“The attention would shift away from Stephen Colbert’s goodbye and straight onto the controversy,” one source explained.

That legal matter recently settled, with both sides issuing a joint statement emphasizing workplace respect and closure, but public interest in the fallout has not exactly cooled down.

“Blake’s image is extremely polarizing right now, and Ryan knows it,” another source claimed. “He didn’t want Stephen’s final show overshadowed by gossip or backlash.”

Reports also suggest that the Gossip Girl alum has been selective with public appearances lately, with insiders noting she’s been carefully managing her visibility.

“Blake knows exactly how powerful a perfect photograph can be,” one source said. “Right now, silence is part of the strategy.”

For now, that strategy meant Ryan Reynolds walking in alone – and instantly becoming the story, even while trying not to be one.