Blake Lively has been at the center of debate following the promotion of her latest movie, It Ends With Us . The star, known for her playful interactions with her spouse Ryan Reynolds , has encountered criticism for her approach to publicizing the film, which explores the sensitive topics of domestic abuse and interpersonal violence.
Social media platforms have been filled with compilations featuring Lively's interviews, where she appears to adopt a lighthearted tone without explicitly addressing the weighty themes explored in the movie. The film, adapted from Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel and TikTok sensation, chronicles the life of Lily Bloom, portrayed by Lively, as she becomes entangled in a relationship with an abusive partner, Ryle Kincaid, played by Justin Baldoni .
The backlash against Lively has primarily focused on her simultaneous promotion of a new haircare line during the film's publicity tour, her encouragement for moviegoers to "bring their florals" - reminiscent of the "wear pink" trend associated with last year's Barbie campaign - and her seeming aversion to directly discussing the issue of domestic violence.
This controversy unfolds against the backdrop of alleged tensions between Lively and Baldoni, with reports suggesting that the director has enlisted the services of Johnny Depp 's crisis manager and public relations veteran, Melissa Nathan, according to Deadline .
Lively's social media accounts have been flooded with comments from critics who believe she has misinterpreted the seriousness of the subject matter. Commercial tie-ins promoting the film have also raised eyebrows, particularly the actor's themed cocktails, including one named "Ryle You Wait" after a character in the film who physically assaults Bloom.
In response to the mounting criticism, Lively took to Instagram Stories on Tuesday, Aug. 13, to share the message, per The Independent : "One in 4 women aged 18 and older in the US alone have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Intimate partner violence affects all genders, including more than 12 million people every year in the United States. Everyone deserves relationships free from domestic violence." She also provided a link to the National Domestic Violence Helpline as a resource.
Some observers argue that the Gossip Girl alumna is being unfairly targeted, suggesting that she simply interprets her character differently from her male co-star, Baldoni, whose promotional appearances for the film have struck a markedly different tone.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight , Baldoni responded to congratulations with solemnity, stating, "No, this isn't my night. This is a night for all the women who we made this movie for." He elaborated on the film's purpose, saying, "If a Lily Bloom in real life can sit in this theatre and maybe make a different choice for herself than was made for her, maybe she sees herself on that screen and chooses something different for herself, that's why I made the movie."
During another appearance on CBS Mornings , Baldoni emphasized the need to shift the conversation around domestic violence: "The question that's always asked is, 'Why did she stay?' And that's the wrong question, we need to be asking ourselves, 'Why do men harm?'" However, rumors of discord between Baldoni and Lively persist, with many cast members, including Lively, reportedly not following the director on social media platforms.
Lively has attempted to provide context for her interpretation of the character, explaining to TNM , "I think she's so much more than just a victim of domestic abuse. That's something that happened to her, but nothing any one person did to her can define her." She continued, "She's a woman of multitudes, she's an entrepreneur, a shop owner, an artist, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a sister, a lover. She's all of these things. And so to get to play a woman who gets to experience so many things and all the colours of the human emotion was such a gift."
Despite these explanations, viewers have labeled Lively as "shallow" for participating in a panel alongside co-stars Jenny Slate and Isabelle Ferrer, as well as author Hoover, where the conversation centered on lighter topics such as dream jobs and zodiac signs, without addressing the issue of domestic violence.
Critics have been particularly harsh regarding Lively's use of the movie to promote her haircare line. One commenter wrote, "Sure, she can see Lily differently. A woman's perspective is going to be different here... but nothing (and I do mean NOTHING) justifies or excuses Blake using this movie to push her haircare line. It's giving tone deaf, opportunistic, and out of touch."
In one particularly contentious moment, an interviewer asked Lively how she feels about people "who relate to the topics of this movie on a deeply personal level" approaching her in public. Lively responded, joking, "Like asking for my address or my phone number?" before explaining that she needs more details because she's a "Virgo." This exchange reportedly left her co-star Brandon Skenlar visibly uncomfortable.
Another critic blasted Lively's promotional approach, stating, "This is how Blake Lively is promoting her movie about escaping an abusive relationship and breaking the cycle of the abuse. Unhinged and tone deaf. This isn't Barbie!" They were referring to a clip where Lively encouraged viewers to "Grab your friends, wear your florals."
In the wake of the film's successful opening weekend, which saw it gross $50 million domestically, Lively took to Instagram once again to express gratitude to her supporters. She wrote, via People , "Thank you to everyone who came out to show that people WANT to see films about women, and the multitudes we hold. 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. We have been in celebration of this film and of getting a message so important out there to the masses. Thank you all for embracing It Ends With Us with the same love, pain and joy we had sharing it with you all."
Addressing the film's themes more directly, Lively shared a clip from the London premiere where she told BBC, "The movie covers domestic violence, but what's important about this film is that she is not just a survivor and not just a victim. And while those are huge things to be, they're not her identity. She's not defined by something that someone else did to her or an event that happened to her, even if it's multiple events. She defines herself." She added, "I think that that's deeply empowering to remind people that no one else can define you, no experience can define you -- you define you. I really feel like we delivered a story that's emotional and it's fun and it's funny and it's painful and it's scary and it's tragic and it's inspiring. And that's what life is."
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