A Journalist Shared A 2016 Interview With Blake Lively That Made Her Want To Quit Her Job, And People Are Horrified (2024)

First of all, there have been widespreadrumors of a feud between Blake and Justin Baldoni, who starred in and directed the movie.

According to various reports, a power struggle seemingly developed between Blake and Justin during filming, and continued well into post-production.

In fact, the Hollywood Reporter claimed that Blake commissioned her own cut of the film that ultimately went head-to-head with Justin’s vision.

This was news to the movie’s credited screenwriter, Christy Hall, who told the Hollywood Reporter at the same event: “As a writer, probably the most difficult scene for me to crack was the rooftop scene. I have to say, Colleen wrote it perfectly. I wish I could have just lifted it from the pages and put it in the film, but it's a little too long for film language."

In a subsequent interview with People, Christy said that she wasn’t aware of Ryan contributing to the scene, and that he may have been behind “a couple of little things” that she’d seen in the final version that she’d thought were improvised during filming.

"There were a few little flourishes that I did not write, but I assumed that they had been improvised on set,” she explained.

Justin also fueled growing speculation that Blake and Ryan had bulldozed him out of the project when he admitted that he wouldn’t be interested in directing a sequel for the movie.

He told Entertainment Tonight: “I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct. That’s what I think."

While Justin has been sure to center survivors in his press interviews and focus attention on the complex nature of the storyline, Blake has been accused of dismissing the important themes of the movie with lighthearted quips about her character’s job as a florist and female friendship.

“Grab your friends and wear your florals!” Blake enthusiastically exclaimed in one off-the-mark promotional video for the movie.

Blake was also sure to encompass florals in her outfit to an event for her drinks company, Betty Buzz, which she directly linked to It Ends with Us with a “Betty Blooms” theme. She later wrote on Instagram: "When your company throws a florist-themed party for your movie.”

The star also launched her new haircare line amid promotion for the film.

Nonchalantly draped over a sofa, Blake sarcastically asked: “Do you mean, like, asking for my address, or my phone number, or location share? I could just location-share you!”

Needless to say, the whole situation has left a bad taste in people’s mouths, with one popular tweet reading: “Whatever is going on with the It Ends With Us drama, it is extremely weird for Blake Lively to turn the promotional tour of a domestic violence drama into a platform for her to strengthen her fashion plate status & her and Ryan Reynolds' power couple clout.”

“Blake lively forgetting her character is a victim of domestic abuse and instead trying to give the entire press run a silly goofy barbie moment while justin baldoni is using his press time to talk about the importance of stopping the cycle of abuse is why I’m always on his side,” another states.

Kjersti posted a video simply called “The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job” to her popular YouTube channel earlier this week, and viewers have been left horrified by the four-minute-long footage.

In the clip, Blake is promoting the Woody Allen movie Café Society, and is joined by her costar Parker Posey. The movie came out in July 2016, and the interview would have taken place at around the same time.

Blake had announced her pregnancy at the Met Gala that May, but appears to take offense when Kjersti starts the interview by congratulating her on her “little bump.”

“Congrats on your little bump,” Blake mockingly retorts to Kjersti, who visibly isn’t pregnant.

Kjersti then comments on how “visually amazing” she found Café Society, which is set in the 1930s — meaning that the costumes are a key part of the production.

“I would,” Kjersti awkwardly replies, but Blake does not acknowledge her and continues to look only at Parker while she pointedly talks about all of the men’s costumes in the film.

Appearing to purposefully exclude Kjersti from the conversation, Blake and Parker go on to use up much of the interview time to have an in-depth conversation about their male costars' outfits.

Blake seemingly actively avoids making eye contact with the reporter, and even when she does look away from Parker, she is looking off-camera rather than at Kjersti.

Once Kjersti's interview time is up, both Blake and Parker appear to roll their eyes and pull a face as she leaves.

“Wow, they’re rude I totally understand that this was an uncomfortable situation to be in. I think most people would have felt the same way. I can literally feel the bad energy through the screen. (and that’s NOT created by you) There’s nothing wrong with your questions at all here,” somebody else wrote.

“Oh wow, those girls were not even addressing the interviewer,” another added. “Good for the interviewer for not getting sucked into their crass behavior.”

“When she immediately pretended to be offended by the clothes question? Insane behavior. Really showing her true colors,” one more wrote.

While another viewer pointed out: “Asking about wardrobe for a period piece movie is a normal question! I’m so sorry they treated you this way.”

The video also made its way over to Reddit, where the consensus was much the same.

Another wrote: “Blake was so instantly defensive, immediately rebuffing the warm compliment from the female interviewer about her public pregnancy and basically calling her fat in return? Gesturing at her stomach and saying, ‘I like your little bump too’, WTF? The mortification I would feel if a celebrity with the kind of physical beauty and social status of Blake Lively basically body-shamed me on camera in response to a gentle, well-intentioned compliment is unimaginable.”

“She had already announced her pregnancy months before this. And costume plays a huge role in period pieces. I’m not understanding the need to be so incredibly rude to the interviewer. Like she barely even looks at her,” somebody else agreed.

While one more commented: “I don’t like the way they’re only talking to each other and not engaging with the journalist, almost acting like she’s not there.”

Blake has not publicly commented on any of the mounting scrutiny that she is facing, but she did post domestic violence helplines to her Instagram story on Tuesday.