As the drama surrounding “It Ends With Us” continues to attract attention, older interviews featuring Blake Lively with various journalists have resurfaced online.
Lively, 36, and her co-star Justin Baldoni reportedly had “creative differences” during the production of the film, which is based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel. A source informed Us Weekly in August that there were “two camps on the film — team Blake and team Justin.” This reported discord allegedly led to a negative atmosphere on set, culminating in the two no longer speaking.
Fans of “It Ends With Us” seem to be choosing sides between Lively and Baldoni, with some media professionals sharing their past encounters with the actress that have surfaced anew.
Amid the buzz, Emmy-winning Chicago-based reporter Jake Hamilton interviewed Lively and her co-star Brandon Sklenar earlier this month. He asked Lively how fans should approach her if they wanted to discuss the film’s themes, particularly her character Lily’s abusive relationship. Lively’s response raised questions, as she humorously suggested, “Maybe asking for, like, my address, or my phone number. Or, like, location share?!” This remark sparked confusion and concern among fans, prompting Hamilton to clarify on a news broadcast that Lively proceeded to answer the question more seriously afterward.
In another instance, Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa released a video titled “The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job.” This video, recorded in 2016 during the promotion of “Cafe Society,” highlighted Lively’s seemingly dismissive response when Flaa congratulated her on her pregnancy. Lively’s comments about discussions focusing on women’s costumes in the film industry also drew criticism, particularly from Flaa, who called it hurtful due to her own struggles with infertility.
Two years later, Flaa spoke with Lively again for “A Simple Favor,” and reported that their interaction was more positive.
In a 2017 interview with DP/30 while promoting “All I See Is You,” Lively was asked if she felt free to explore different avenues in her career. The conversation included a quiz segment that Lively jokingly suggested, indicating a lighter tone.
Lively also faced backlash for emphasizing the floral themes of “It Ends With Us,” as her character is a florist, rather than addressing resources for domestic violence victims. One TikTok video promoting the film focused on floral fashion instead of serious discussions, prompting criticism. Following this, Lively made efforts to share resources for domestic violence survivors through her Instagram Stories.