" William Blake lively draw a blank her graphic symbol is a victim of domestic abuse . "
Warning: Discussion of abuse.
As rumors swirl about the cast and crew ofIt Ends with Ushaving a potentialrift, it’s worth noting how differently its stars —Blake Livelyand Justin Baldoni — have promoted the controversial project.
The movie is based on a Colleen Hoover novel of the same name and follows flower shop owner Lily Bloom (played by Blake) as she navigates an abusive relationship with Ryle Kincaid (played by Justin). It’s a story about the generational cycle of domestic violence, and the extent of which both the book and the movie succeed in tackling this subject has been brought under scrutiny.
Rumors of a feud between Blake and Justin, who also directed the movie, emerged after TikTok and Reddit users noted that much of the movie’s stars, including Blake and Colleen,do not followJustin on Instagram.
Justin also did not appear with his cast members on the premiere red carpet or in other promotional material, which heexplained: “This isn’t my night — this is a night for all the women who we made this movie for. This is a night for Blake, this is a night for Colleen. I’m just so grateful that we’re here, five years in the making.”
Sources then told theHollywood Reporterthat Blake commissioned her own cut of the movie, but it’s not entirely clear whether or not this would have led to a falling out. When asked about directing a sequel, Justinsaid, “I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct. That’s what I think."
What we do have concrete evidence for is how Blake and Justin have respectively promoted the project, which warrants discussion. Starting with Blake, the most obvious part of her press tour has been her floral looks, which evoke her character’s name and profession.
Blake also wore florals for her crossover event with her drinks company, Betty Buzz, which she tied into the movie with a “Betty Blooms” theme. “When your company throws a florist themed party for your movie,” she wrote onInstagram. Blake alsolaunchedher own haircare line amid promotion of the movie.
Another key part of Blake’s press forIt Ends with Ushas been discussing her husband,Ryan Reynolds, alongside his release ofDeadpool& Wolverine. Ryanworkedon the movie, though Blake appeared to somewhatinflatehis writing contributions. Ryan also appeared in askitwhere he jokingly interviewed Blake’s other love interest in the movie, played byBrandon Sklenar, which Blake also shared on her Instagram.
Elsewhere on Blake’s Instagram is apromotional videowith Brandon where they make the hot chocolate cookies from the movie. She alsoshareda lighthearted “girl talk” video from her apartment with other female creatives on the movie, adding in the caption, “I’m gonna be sad when marketing is over and I don’t have excuses to sit on my couch dressed up with you ladies.”
Blake has alluded to the movie’s darker themes at times.“I didn’t have any hesitations [with taking the role],” she toldExtra. “She had a lot of life experience and was still susceptible to not seeing something that she should see, given her past… I just fell in love with Lily and I really wanted to tell her story, and to be able to tell it in a way where I was able to have such authorship was really important to me.”
Let’s contrast this with the tone with which Justin has approached the movie, which has been decidedly more serious. His Instagram bio directly links to No More, an anti-domestic abuse nonprofit that was the “charitable partner” of themovie. Justin worked with them in his depiction of violence in the movie, and he has sported their pin alongsidetaggingthem innumerousotherposts.
Indeed, speaking about abuse has been the focus of Justin’s press. “The message is the most important thing. That’s why [Colleen] wrote the book,” he toldToday. “I was always thinking about the outcome and the why, and the one woman I was making this for who would sit in that theater and maybe not go back to her abusive relationship.”
“The question that’s always asked is, ‘Why did she stay?’ That’s the wrong question. What we need to be asking ourselves is, ‘Why do men harm?'” Justin said in an interview with CBS that he shared on hisInstagram, adding in the caption, “This was not an easy story to tell, and yet it was profoundly important. I’ve learned so much.”
The difference in approach between Blake and Justin has not gone unnoticed. Take a cursory glance through Blake’s Instagram:
There has been further backlashacrosssocial media:
Whatever is going on with the It Ends With Us drama , it is extremely uncanny for Blake Lively to turn the promotional hitch of a domesticated violence drama into a platform for her to fortify her manner plate position & her and Ryan Reynolds ' powerfulness couple poke .
blake lively forgetting her character is a dupe of domesticated abuse and instead trying to give the entire pressure bleed a pathetic wacky barbie second while justin baldoni is using his press time to spill about the grandness of stopping the cycle of abuse is why I ’m always on his side
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger as a result of domestic violence, call 911. For anonymous, confidential help, you can call the 24/7National Domestic Violence Hotlineat 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or chat with an advocate via the website.
UPDATE Blake shared aBBCinterview clip from a London screening of the movie last week onto her Instagram story. In the clip, she says, “This movie covers domestic violence, but what’s important about this film is that she is not just a survivor and she’s not just a victim and while those are huge things to be, they’re not her identity.”
“Thank you to everyone who came out to show that people WANT to see films about women, and the multitudes we hold,” she added. “It Ends With Usis 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.”
She then linked to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, along with some statistics about abuse.
