Colleen Hoover’s It Ends with Us film adaptation premiered in theaters last weekend, and has since become the topic of a massive media controversy and alleged feud between its main co-stars. The drama started when fans took notice that Justin Baldoni, director of the film, who plays opposite Blake Lively’s Lily Bloom, was absent from press tours with his castmates, and noticeably unfriended by several of the film’s stars, including Lively.
Amid the speculation about an off-stage feud, fans on social media began posting criticism, comparing how Baldoni and Lively promoted It Ends With Us off-screen. Where Baldoni considerably discussed the film’s themes of domestic violence and advocated for women, Lively completely misrepresented the film’s central themes.
Lively made It Ends With Us out to be a pseudo-rom-com, telling fans to wear their “florals” and bring their “girlies” to a movie that has powerful implications and emotional resonance for women everywhere. In doing so, she completely undermined the purpose of the film and book, and what it means for women. Where Baldoni spent the press tour educating, discussing and lamenting his difficult experience in playing an abuser, Lively spent the tour talking about her wardrobe and new haircare brand, Blake Brown.
In a movie with extremely serious and hard-hitting themes, Lively seemed to completely miss the mark. In an odd choice, she spent the press tour promoting her drink brand Betty Buzz and aforementioned haircare brand, as well as her husband Ryan Reynolds’ new film, Deadpool & Wolverine. Because of Lively’s weird promotional choices, most viewers didn’t even know that It Ends With Us had themes of domestic violence at all.
Fans have even gone as far as to say that Lively is avoiding the subject of domestic violence altogether and have referenced several interviews where the star dodges questions about the subject.
In one viral interview, Lively is asked what she would say to fans who approached her wanting to talk about the film’s hard-hitting themes or their own experiences. Lively answered with an off-kilter joke that left fans confused about her disconnected answer. In several of her interviews, fans have noted she seems out of touch, especially about domestic violence themes.
Another viral interview has also resurfaced from 2016 titled “The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job.” In the interview, Lively and Parker Posey, during their press tour for Cafe Society (2016) actively ignored Norwegian interviewer Kjersti Flaa after Lively negatively reacted to Flaa’s congratulating her on her pregnancy. Fans have since called her a total mean girl, dethroning the seemingly untouchable actress.
Allegedly, the drama started with creative differences between Baldoni and Lively on set, where Lively was not only the film’s star but also a producer. As a producer, Lively had differing opinions from Baldoni as to how the main character, Lily Bloom, should be portrayed.
Though Baldoni has been mostly free of criticism, insider reports said Baldoni made Lively uncomfortable on set. Specifically, the source referenced Baldoni allegedly offended Lively by asking about her weight, as he had to lift her in a scene and did not want to aggravate his previous back problems. According to the source, Lively felt Baldoni fat-shamed her postpartum figure.
Since the drama began, Baldoni has hired crisis PR manager Melissa Nathan, who represented Johnny Depp during the Amber Heard trial. Lively herself has taken to social media, reposting an interview from the press tour, as well as writing a post advocating for domestic violence victims.
“It Ends with Us is a story of the female experience. All the highest highs, and lowest lows. And we are so proud of it,” Lively said in the post.
Neither star has addressed each other directly, contributing to the continued speculation of a growing feud. For now, fans have continued criticizing Lively and bringing countless examples to light of the actress’s apparent mean-girl moments and weird behavior.
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