With the recent release of her new movie, “It Ends With Us,” Blake Lively has been the talk of the media, but it’s not all sunshine and flowers as one may expect.
Whether you know her from “Gossip Girl” or “Green Lantern,” Blake Lively is an actress we all know! Her rise to fame has been a steady course but it may be in decline following recent controversies. These include her marketing decisions for her new movie about domestic violence, “It Ends With Us.” and recently resurfaced interviews which showcase what some are calling rude behavior.
The movie “It Ends With Us” is about a woman named Lily, played by Blake Lively, and her story to end the generational curse of domestic abuse. Considering the film’s themes, some are saying Lively has been insensitive and self-centered while discussing the film. For example, Lively continues to promote the movie by saying “Grab your friends and wear your florals!”
Also raising eyebrows is how at the premiere of the movie, it’s easy to see that the entire cast is doing interviews and press together while one very important cast member goes alone.
Blake’s director and her co-star, Justin Baldoni, has frequently been seen alone talking more about the reason behind why the book was brought to life: to help women reach out to get help. This is in comparison to how many viewers called out Lively for being tone-deaf by promoting the movie as if it were just another Rom-Com, straying away from the tough topic the film and book are centered around.
Additionally, when asked in an interview how people who relate to the movie can ask her about it, she jokingly replied “Do you mean, like, asking for my address, or my phone number, or like my location share? I could just location-share you!”
Reaching out for help is a tough thing to do, especially for help against someone you love. Someone who has been through domestic violence may see this clip and think she doesn’t take this sensitive topic seriously but instead treats it as a joke for people to reach out.
Coincidentally, around the time of this bad press, a past interview was released. Back in 2016, while on a press tour for the movie Cafe Society, Lively and her co-star, Parker Posey, were interviewed by Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa. At the time the interview was filmed, Lively was expecting her second child with husband Ryan Reynolds. Flaa congratulated Lively on her pregnancy by saying “Congrats on your little bump!” Instead of the usual “thank you,” Lively replied with a sarcastic, mocking response.
The interviewer then proceeded to ask about the film’s wardrobe since it was set in the 1930s, so the cast would be dressed in old Hollywood glamor. However, Lively responded with an annoyed tone, “I wonder if they ask the men about their wardrobe?” Flaa’s responded with “I would.” Lively then continued having a side conversation with her co-star about the question and completely ignored the interviewer. Throughout the interview, Lively doesn’t engage with the interviewer but will answer the questions by talkibg about it with Posey.
The interview is titled “The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job.” Though this interview was filmed 8 years ago, it was never uploaded until August 10th. Kjersti Flaa described the interview as “the most uncomfortable interview situation I have ever experienced.”
A few days later, Flaa shared an explanation video of why she posted the interview and how she is doing now. The reason is because another journalist reached out with a similar story so they compared notes and realized this behavior is not okay—whether it’s from a celebrity or not. Flaa shared this interview made her nervous in other interviews, saying “It affected me for a while because it made me nervous when I was interviewing other people.”
Celebrities aren’t only protected by management but also by fans. People online have expressed their support for both sides saying the reporter shouldn’t have asked those kinds of questions but also saying that Lively should’ve been more professional instead of acting like a teenager.
Many PR experts say this could jeopardize Lively’s career–interviewers may no longer want to interview her specifically, but it all brings attention back to her. In this industry, unfortunately yet fortunately, bad press is good press.