- Blake Lively faces backlash for her promotion of 'It Ends With Us' amid feud rumors.
- Lively's lighthearted approach contrasts with costar Justin Baldoni's serious promotion of the film.
Blake Lively was always likable. Until that is, the public decided she wasn't.
The 36-year-old rose to fame playing New York socialite Serena Van der Woodsen on "Gossip Girl."
Over the years, the actor has become the ultimate Hollywood golden girl, having been celebrated for her fashion, her friendship with Taylor Swift, and her sarcastic sense of humor shown in playful online jabs at her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
But in recent weeks, public opinion has shifted with Lively widely criticized for the way she promoted her new movie, "It Ends With Us."
Lively's image is faltering
The film — adapted from the book of the same name by Colleen Hoover — tells the story of Lily (played by Lively), a florist who experiences domestic abuse by her partner, Ryle (played by Justin Baldoni). Lively also produced the film, and Baldoni directed it.
As rumors of a feud between Lively and Baldoni surfaced during the press tour, fans online pointed out the contrasting ways they promoted the film.
@lesliee.mg both actors did a great job in their roles. But the difference in their press tour spoke very loud about their views on the movies real issue. #itendswithus #iewupresstour ♬ take a moment to breathe. - normal the kid
Baldoni — who did most of his press solo — was praised for highlighting the serious topics raised in the movie. Meanwhile, Lively was bashed for her lighthearted approach, telling fans to "grab your friends" and "wear your florals" to the movie theatre.
The film's release also coincided with the promotion of Lively's beverage line, Betty Buzz, and hair line, Blake Brown.
A promotional email for Betty Buzz, obtained by The New York Times, described how to make "It Ends With Us" inspired cocktails using Lively and Reynold's products.
On August 4, Lively shared an Instagram photo of herself standing in front of a floral backdrop with a sign that reads "Betty Blooms" — a nod to both Lively's company and the film's protagonist.
"I've got a dream! When your company throws a florist themed party for your movie," Lively wrote in part of the caption.
"Love you Blake but you are definitely tone deaf. The promotion on this film is a complete slap in the face to every woman who has endured domestic violence," reads the top comment, which has 21,550 likes at the time of writing.
Another wrote: "Blake Lively's Acting Career Ends With Us."
The discourse reached new heights last week when journalist Kjersti Flaa released a clip from her 2016 interview with Lively, which she titled: "The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job."
Flaa kicked off the interview by congratulating Lively, who was pregnant at the time.
"Congrats on your little bump," Flaa said.
"Congratulations on YOUR little bump," Lively responded.
Speaking to MailOnline on Friday, Flaa said Lively's comment "was like a bullet" as she was struggling with infertility.
Later in the interview, Lively reprimanded Flaa for asking a question about clothes. Commentators described the comment as hypocritical, as Lively seemed enthused to discuss fashion on her current press tour.
It's not too late to mend things, experts say
Lively has yet to respond directly to the criticism. However, on August 13, she shared a National Domestic Violence Hotline resource on her Instagram Stories.
"1 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 wrote, according to USA Today.
Experts who spoke to Business Insider said that the Instagram statement alone will not mend the actor's reputation.
Desislava Dobreva, a branding strategist, told Business Insider that she suspects Lively's team "is currently analyzing the situation and will likely advise silence — the strategy most Hollywood stars adopt when they believe they won't be affected long-term."
Dobreva and Jake Holyoak, managing director of PR agency One March, told BI that they would advise Lively to address the backlash with a more detailed public statement.
In one interview, Lively was asked how fans who understand "the theme of this movie" can talk to her about it. She gave a seemingly sarcastic response.
"Are you asking for like, my address or my phone number? Or my location share? I could just location share you," she said, laughing.
Speaking about the interview in her podcast, the celebrity commentator Brett Cooper said Lively's joke implied that "normal people are not worth her time and shouldn't be in her circle."
"Why did you think that was the correct way to respond to that question?" Cooper said.
Dobreva said Lively's sense of humor isn't an issue, but she must learn to balance it with the more serious nature of the film when doing interviews.
"It's important that she stays true to her brand while showing dedication to the role," Dobreva said.
Lively joins a long list of Hollywood darlings who have faced cancellation or blows to their reputation, from Lana Del Rey to Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson. But those with the same star power as Lively rarely stay down for long, according to Holyoak.
"Blake Lively's reputation doesn't have to be permanently damaged. Hollywood has seen numerous stars bounce back from controversies, provided they handle the situation with authenticity," he said.
"By addressing the backlash head-on and demonstrating growth, she can rebuild her image. The key is transparency and action—if she can turn this moment into an opportunity for positive change, the public is likely to forgive and move on," he added.
Representatives for Blake Lively did not immediately respond to a request for comment.