Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of domestic violence. Reader discretion is advised.
An X (formerly Twitter) user is calling out Blake Lively for her “cruel” response to an It Ends With Us domestic violence question during a recent interview. The interview is one of the many controversies surrounding her new movie, It Ends With Us. The film is based on Colleen Hoover’s TikTok-famous book of the same name.
During a virtual conversation with Blake Lively and her co-star Brandon Sklenar, reporter Jack Hamilton asked her a question concerning domestic violence, which happens to be the film’s central theme. The actress responded to Hamilton’s question with a joke, which many believe was insensitive.
It Ends With Us drama escalates after Blake Lively’s bizarre response
Blake Lively’s bizarre response to a domestic violence question during an It Ends With Us interview has yet again sparked controversy. The “flip” and “cruel” response further escalates the drama surrounding her new film, which premiered on August 9, 2024. The predominant theme of Justin Baldoni’s movie, based on Colleen Hoover’s book It Ends With Us, is domestic violence. Lively plays the role of a florist named Lily Bloom alongside Baldoni’s Ryle Kincaid.
The Express Tribune reported that Blake Lively’s sarcastic response came during a promotional interview for her It Ends With Us movie with reporter Jake Hamilton. The virtual conversation took place between Hamilton, Lively, and her co-star and the film’s director at a press junket last week.
Addressing the subject of domestic violence, Jake Hamilton told Blake Lively, “For people who see this movie, who relate to the topics of this movie on a deeply personal level, they’re really gonna want to talk to you. This movie is gonna affect people, and they’re gonna want to tell you about their lives.”
Hamilton then asked Lively, “So if someone understands the themes of this movie and comes across you in public and they want to really talk to you, what’s the best way for them to be able to talk to you about this? How would you recommend they go about it?”
To this, Blake Lively responded, “Maybe asking for, like, my address, or my phone number. Or, like, location share?! I could just location-share you and then we could…” Ending her statement with a chuckle, the actress added, “I’m a Virgo. So I’m like, ‘Are we talking logistics,’ ‘Are we talking emotionally.'”
Several TikTok and X users were seemingly confused about Blake Lively’s response. Many viewers are firing at Lively for the “tone-deaf” publicity. Others have also called her “out of touch” in the latest It Ends With Us controversy.
Lively’s appearances during these PR events have also garnered significant criticism from viewers. One X user wrote, “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!”
However, Blake Lively has seemingly responded to the criticism since the vexed interview, per The Independent. The actress shared a message through an Instagram story. It stated, “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.”
Lively further wrote, “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.” Additionally, she shared a link to the National Domestic Violence Helpline.
Starring Blake Lively and Brandon Sklenar, It Ends With Us is now in theaters.