n 2007, a new show debuted on the television landscape titled Gossip Girl. It chronicled the lives of wealthy teenagers living on the Upper East Side of New York City. They enjoyed a relatively carefree existence with minimal parental supervision. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the show resonated with younger audiences and garnered a dedicated following. After a successful six-year run, Gossip Girl concluded, propelling Blake Lively to stardom. Although her film career has not been parti-cularly prolific, her impeccable sense of style and approachable personality endeared her to the public.

Coupled with her high-profile relationships, Blake solidified her status as a beloved celebrity.
She then starred in a movie with Ryan Reynolds, embarked on
a whirlwind romance, and ultimately tied the knot. Their union has since flourished into an ideal Hollywood love story, complete with the arrival of several adorable children.

Beyond their acting careers, the couple has also ventured into entrepreneurial pursuits. Blake launching Betty Buzz, a line of non-alcoholic sparkling mixers. She also announced the launch of her own hair care brand called Betty Buzz, focusing on clean, effective hair products inspired by her love for beauty and self-care. Blake has also partnered with several high-profile brands over the years, including Gucci, Chanel, and L’Oréal. Her collaborations often extend beyond simple endorsements, as she is known for her input on campaigns and brand strategy.

All this backstory has a point. But before we jump into why Blake Lively has gone from being an A-list celebrity to the current bad press following her, let us talk about one other person.

In 2014, Jane the Virgin, a groundbreaking American tele-novela, burst onto the scene, quickly capturing audiences’ hearts. Despite featuring a relatively unknown cast at the time, the show’s unique blend of comedy, drama, and satire propelled its stars to newfound fame. Justin Louis Baldoni, one of the series’ leading men, emerged as a beloved figure in the industry, renowned for his genuine and approachable demeanor—starring in a female-centric show created by women. Following the conclusion of Jane the Virgin, a few years later, Justin embarked on other ventures including developing a male-focused talk show titled Man Enough. The series aimed to explore the complexities of masculinity in today’s society. It was released as a video show on digital platforms and later expanded into a podcast format.

The show gained attention for its thoughtful exploration of masculinity and its impact on society, fostering important conversations about gender roles and expectations. Beyond his television endeavors, Baldoni also ventured into film. He directed and produced Five Feet Apart, a poignant drama that chronicled the lives of two teenagers living with cystic fibrosis.

So, now we know who is Justin Baldoni as well as Blake Lively. Let us talk about one more person before launching into the topic that has taken Hollywood and the Internet by storm.

Justin was present at the premiere but had no pictures with Blake or the main cast. It was just him on his own. He was also the only person who consistently addressed the film’s actual themes of domestic violence, gaslighting and emotional abuse. Blake Lively’s thoughtless comments seemed dismissive of the film’s serious subject matter. Furthermore, her decision to plug her hair product line during promotional events was particularly inappropriate.

The year 2016 saw the publication of American author Colleen Hoover’s novel, It Ends With Us. Drawing inspiration from her own parents’ relationship, the book delves into the complexities of domestic violence and emotional abuse. The novel resonated deeply with readers, garnering immense popularity and exceeding sales of one million copies worldwide. By 2019, it had been translated into more than twenty languages, further solidifying its global reach. Following this wave of success, Colleen Hoover penned a sequel in 2022, titled It Starts With Us, offering readers a continuation of the captivating story.

Actor, director and producer, Justin Baldoni, who read the novel was so captivated by its story that he secured the film’s rights before any other parties became involved. When Blake Lively later discovered the book and expressed a desire to star in the adaptation, Baldoni was happy to collaborate, as was Colleen Hoover. Despite some initial skepticism about Lively’s suitability for the role (as the lead character is a bit younger), Lively’s passion and dedication to the project convinced him. Together, Baldoni and Lively joined forces to bring this fan-favourite book to the big screen.

Blake signed on, not only to star in the film, but also to co-produce the film, while Justin was set to star, direct and produce. Collen Hoover also came aboard as an executive producer.

The idea was to adapt the book into a film. But the core themes within the book such as domestic and emotional abuse as well as gaslighting were part of the film, a significant part. One might think that a film dealing with such heavy subjects would be marketed with careful consideration. It’s not an easy topic, and not everyone will read the book to understand the movie’s subject matter.

Therefore, it’s important to convey the film’s true nature through appropriate promotional materials. Unfortunately, certain interviews featuring tone-deaf comments like “Go with your friends in flowery dresses” or “put a flower in your hair and go together”—similar to the trend of dressing in pink for Barbie—may have misled audiences into believing the film was a lighthearted romantic comedy.

Instead, viewers were confronted with a realistic story exploring themes of domestic violence, abuse, and trauma. Moreover, during the film’s promotional campaign, the lead actor, director, and producer Justin Baldoni, was notably absent from many events. His absence from promotional photos alongside Blake Lively and the rest of the cast raised eyebrows as well. At the film’s premiere, Blake appeared with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, who had apparently rewritten a scene without consulting the original scriptwriter. And instead of a picture of Blake and Ryan with Justin, it was all about Blake and Ryan, creating the image of a power couple with simultaneous movie releases, potentially distracting from the serious nature of It Ends with Us.

Justin was present at the premiere but had no pictures with Blake or the main cast—just him on his own. He was also the only person who consistently addressed the film’s actual themes of domestic violence and emotional abuse.

Despite his involvement as director, producer and lead actor, Baldoni maintained a respectful and professional demeanor throughout the promotional campaign, avoiding any negative comments about Blake Lively. Before this incident, I personally admired Blake Lively, but her actions during the It Ends with Us promotion have left me questioning my admiration. Her thoughtless comments seemed dismissive of the film’s serious subject matter. Furthermore, her decision to plug her hair product during promotional events was particularly inappropriate. Despite Justin Baldoni’s multiple roles as director and lead actor, it seems that Blake, as the film’s producer and lead star, exerted significant influence over the production. Reports suggest that she was unhappy with the final cut of the film and brought in the editor from Deadpool and Wolverine to make additional changes. Both Justin’s original version and Blake’s revised version were reportedly shown to a focus group, and the audience ultimately preferred Justin’s original vision, which is now available in theaters.

Amid the swirl of media stories and negative feedback, Blake Lively seems to be taking steps to repair her image. Although her focus might not be on the film itself, she appears to be concerned about the criticism of her behavior and comments.

This experience could serve as a valuable lesson for her, encouraging reflection on her actions and the importance of sensitivity and professionalism in public life. Perhaps this could inspire her to shift the focus away from self-centeredness and place greater emphasis on the film and its subject matter, rather than on herself. Or atleast, one can hope.