Internet suddenly turns on Blake Lively

The backlash against the It Ends With Us actress has been swift and intense, but more importantly why is it happening?

OPINION

Blake Lively has found herself at the centre of some intense backlash across social media over the last week following the release of It Ends With Us.

What should be a moment of celebration for the star after millions flocked to see the movie in its opening weekend, a rare feat for a female-centric drama, has turned into every clip of her being posted online facing an influx of negative comments.

But what’s the truth behind the hate train? Let’s get into it for a second; grab a hot drink, get comfortable and buckle up.

Following the promotional tour for It Ends With Us, you’d be forgiven for thinking the movie is about Blake Lively’s wardrobe and her haircare line. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.

It all began when Lively started on the promotional trail for It Ends With Us, and appeared to be promoting the film as a fluffy rom-com.

For those not in the know about the book the film is based on, Lively’s character is forced to grapple with a tragic domestic abuse situation, and the novel became so popular because of how many women it resonated with around the globe.

However, while director and co-star Justin Baldoni has spent every interview discussing the heavy themes tackled in the film and how they were approached with sensitivity and care, Lively has instead described the film as a “big, beautiful summer movie” and focused more on the outfits she wears in scenes, the fact she persuaded pal Taylor Swift to lend a song for free, and boasting about her husband Ryan Reynolds writing a scene.

Justin Baldoni has been praised by fans for the way he’s tried to promote the film. Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images.

“Big, beautiful summer movie is crazy, this is literally a film about domestic violence what’s wrong with her?” commented one angry fan.

“Does this woman let anyone else talk during these press tours, my god,” remarked another.

“We get it babe you’re friends with Taylor Swift and your husband is Ryan Reynolds. Congrats. How about we take a moment to talk about domestic violence now, Blake?” ranted a third.

One incredibly telling viral clip on social media has shown the distinct difference in Baldoni and Lively’s efforts to promote the film.

When asked if this is “his night”, Baldoni told a female reporter on the red carpet – at the premiere where Lively refused to be in the same room as him, so much so they had to watch the film in separate theatres – “No, this isn’t my night. This is a night for all the women who we made the movie for. This isn’t just a movie about love and hope, we don’t shy away from the issue at its heart, domestic violence. We need to ask ourselves, why do men harm women like this?”

The film has become a huge success, but has seemingly sidelined director and co-star Baldoni. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.

The viral clip then cuts to Lively gushing about wearing Britney Spears’ dress at the premiere and telling the same reporter “how much” it means to her, before going on to insist that “no one can be defined by an experience they have”.

This film is a moment for both women and men who have their lives impacted by domestic violence to see themselves and their experience represented on-screen. What it’s not is a tool for Lively to promote her new haircare line which has seemingly become an integral part of the promotional tour, and to remind everyone that she’s married to Deadpool.

Unfortunately for Lively, her feud with Baldoni has become the number one talking point over the last week, and her behaviour on the promotional tour has sparked the vast majority of fans to take the actor-turned-director’s side.

Baldoni was forced to rock up to the premiere alone, and while the writer of the book and Lively’s co-stars laughed and cosied up to the former Gossip Girl star, Baldoni was shunned and made to watch the film in a screening room on his own with this wife.

Rumours have suggested Baldoni – who owns the rights to the book – and Lively clashed over how to represent the story on-screen, and it sparked a war behind the scenes where Lively and Reynolds ended up delivering their own cut of the film to the studio.

The original poster for the film. Picture: Instagram.

The poster used in the end to promote the movie. Picture: Instagram.

Even more tellingly, Baldoni’s original poster for the film that he shared on Instagram gave the impression of it being a serious drama, while the one the studio picked – and Lively shared – to promote heavily instead featured the actress smiling front and centre.

On Wednesday, almost a week after the movie’s release and following the intense backlash, Lively finally shared a statement on Instagram addressing domestic violence, but the oddly impersonal story post simply came too late.

“Too little too late,” said one fan on TikTok, with another commenting: “This is so weirdly impersonal”.

While it’s likely we’ll never quite know the full truth behind what really went down between the two stars, what has become clear to many of us is that using the promotional tour for a movie about domestic violence to promote your haircare line, your husband and your friendship with Taylor Swift is, questionable at best, and downright uncomfortable at worst.