Sony Praises Blake Lively for 'Advancing the Conversation Around Domestic Violence' amidIt Ends With UsPromo Backlash

Mar. 15, 2025

Blake Lively at the London premiere ofIt Ends with Uson Aug, 8, 2024 (L) and as Lily Bloom in the film.Photo:Gareth Cattermole/Getty; Sony Pictures New Zealand Official/Youtube

Gareth Cattermole/Getty; Sony Pictures New Zealand Official/Youtube

Sony Pictures is praisingBlake Lively’s “passion and commitment to advancing the conversation around domestic violence” withIt Ends With Usamid some backlash she’s received for her promotion of the drama.

Lively, who co-produced and stars in the film as florist and domestic-violence survivor Lily Bloom, has been criticized online for what some feel has been a “tone-deaf” approach to promoting a movie surrounding serious themes.

“I’m very confused. You missed the entire purpose of the movie. I’m sad and disappointed,” one comment read on a recent lighthearted"Girl Talk" promo videothat Lively, 36, posted to her Instagram grid, where she talks with Hoover, 44, plus costarsJenny SlateandIsabela Ferrer.

On Wednesday, Aug. 14, Tony Vinciquerra, Sony Pictures Entertainment chair-CEO, praised Lively, tellingThe Hollywood Reporterin a statement, “Blake’s passion and commitment to advancing the conversation around domestic violence is commendable. We love working with Blake, and we want to do 12 more movies with her.”

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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni inIt Ends with Us(2024).Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel,It Ends With Usdebuted in theaters with a$50 million opening weekendat the domestic box office. While it currently holds a 57% rating onRotten Tomatoes, its Audience Score sits much higher, at 93%.

“Blake, Colleen and so many women put so much effort into this remarkable movie, working selflessly from the start to ensure that such an important subject matter was handled with care,” Vinciquerra also toldTHR, adding that “audiences love the movie.”

On her Instagram Stories Tuesday, Aug. 13, Lively thanked her fans for supportingIt Ends With Usand the film’s “important” messages, as well asshared a clipof herself speaking about the movie’s themes on the red carpet at the London premiere.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni inIt Ends with Us(2024).Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures

“Everyone deserves relationships free from domestic violence. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides confidential support 24/7/365,” Lively continued in the post,adding a link to the hotline, plus: “For immediate help text “START” to 88788.”

“Like, asking for my address, or my phone number, or, like, location share?” she quipped. “I would just location share you, and then we could [talk]. I’m a Virgo, so like, are we talking logistics, are we talking emotionally?”

But on a serious note, Lively went on, “What’s been beautiful about this movie is that, unfortunately, we all know at least [one person] who [has] experienced this.”

“And the beauty of this has been to see people, and to see this movie alongside women who haven’t experienced this — thank goodness — go, ‘Whoa, I fell in love, too. I saw the red flags, but they didn’t look red; they looked kinda fuchsia and cute. But you know, I ignored them,' " she added.

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively at the premiere ofIt Ends With Usin New York City on Aug. 6, 2024.John Nacion/Variety via Getty (2)

John Nacion/Variety via Getty (2)

Lively has been embroiled inrecent reports of frictionwith Baldoni, 40, which reportedly also extends to much of the main cast.

Notably, the director has been largely absent from grouped promotional appearances, including at theNew York City premiere, where he didn’t pose with his costars or introduce the film ahead of the screening. Additionally, Lively, Hoover, Slate, 42, Ferrer, 24, and Sklenar, 34, do not follow Baldoni back on Instagram.

There have also been reports of creative clashes behind the scenes, which allegedly led to two different cuts of the movie emerging, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.

“All is not what it seems,” a set source told PEOPLE about the rift. “There ismuch more to this story. The principal cast and Colleen Hoover will have nothing to do with him.”

Baldoni hassince hiredcrisis public relations manager Melissa Nathan of The Agency Group amid reports of his alleged behavior on set.

source: people.com