Alessandra Ashford

This summer, the movie It Ends With Us, based on the book by the same name drew controversy for the press tour and promotion. Despite the movie being about the very sensitive topic of domestic violence, much of the promotion has been insensitive, making the movie seem like a lighthearted rom-com.

This summer, It Ends With Us, a movie based on the book by the same name, struck controversy for the handling of serious topics portrayed in the book and movie. The book, written by Colleen Hoover and released in 2016, touches on the very real and serious problem of domestic violence and abusive relationships. It Ends With Us tells the story of Lily Bloom, played by Blake Lively, and her relationship with her abusive partner, Ryle Kincaid, played by director Justin Baldoni. Despite the serious topic of the franchise, Lively undermined the severity of domestic violence and did not promote the movie in a professional way.

Lively came off as tone deaf in an interview with celebrity interviewer, Jake Hamilton, on his show Jake’s Takes. Lively was asked how she would respond to fans of hers who related to the themes and material in It Ends With Us and wanted to speak with her.  Lively responded to the question with a joke, asking, “What are you asking for my address? My phone number? I can location share you.” Instead of discussing the important topics in the book and movie, Lively seemed very comfortable making jokes, showing how unprofessional she can be. The fact is, Lively needs more media training when it comes to these types of serious less rom-com movies. Her making jokes and trying to lighten the mood, as well as continuously turning the topic of conversation back onto herself, just made things uncomfortable. 

Further, Lively has used the press tour of It Ends With Us to promote the launch of her hair and alcohol brands. On Aug. 4, Lively released her hair care brand Blake Brown Beauty in the midst of promotion. Later on, she released her alcohol brand, Betty Booze. After the products were released Lively claimed she didn’t mean for the promotions to overlap. Lively’s hair care was set to be released sometime in February but got postponed until August. The timing of the release of Betty Booze is inappropriate as domestic violence and alcohol are often linked.

As promotion for the movie continued, Lively was asked what her favorite part about this movie was on the red carpet for the movie premiere in New York. She blatantly dodged the question to talk about fashion, noting that she noticed people with crystals on their teeth, asking if it was “a fashion thing.” It seems like certain cast members lost the true sight of the film’s purpose: to raise awareness about domestic violence. Lively also said on the official It Ends With Us TikTok for viewers to: “wear your florals, grab a friend,” when going to see the movie, making it sound as though it is a lighthearted rom-com, instead of a serious movie about abuse. Since abuse is such a serious topic, trying to play the movie off like it is just a rom-com is really upsetting. With Lively being so well known, her fans claim that how she handled the entire promotion will negatively affect her career and will continue to as time goes on.

On the contrary, Baldoni, Lively’s co-star and director, has shown his dedication to the message of the film in interviews by talking about ways people can contribute to foundations that help victims of domestic violence, as well as putting resources into his social media bios. When asked about the film, he makes an effort to remind people that he wanted to raise awareness about a very serious topic that many people face. In addition, he praised his colleagues for their hard work, while Lively tended to talk about herself. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Baldoni complimented Lively for being a “wonderful collaborator,” and a “powerhouse creative.” He has been very professional throughout the press tour showing how well media-trained he is and how much he cares about the message of both the book and movie

As more interviews resurfaced, fans continued to criticize Lively’s approach to the promotion. In interviews, she dodges questions pertaining to the movie and doesn’t discuss how to learn more about domestic violence. By trying to be relatable, it’s abundantly obvious that Lively did not consider the consequences of her actions. When it comes to a movie talking about serious topics like domestic violence, the kind of media training that occurs is very important, and to ensure that sensitive topics are treated with respect. 

If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic violence you are not alone. The National Domestic Abuse Hotline is available at 800-799-7233. Their hours are 24/7 and is available in multiple languages.