In a notable instance reflecting the intersection of Hollywood and social media, Blake Lively has found herself at the center of a firestorm regarding her promotional methods for the upcoming movie, “It Ends With Us.” The film, which addresses the weighty subject of domestic violence, has sparked significant controversy, particularly over Lively’s approach to its marketing. Instead of focusing on the solemn themes of the film, she has chosen to keep the press tour light-hearted, much to the chagrin of many fans and critics alike.
Adding fuel to the fire, Indian producer Rhea Kapoor recently waded into the discourse with a comment on Blake Lively’s Instagram profile. Kapoor’s defense of Lively, while passionate, has received a less-than-welcome reception on Reddit, where users have sharply criticized her stance.
Kapoor’s comment read: “The commentary on the marketing of the film is so sad. More power to Blake, Colleen, and the producers for promoting the crap out of this movie. As a filmmaker, we know how difficult it is to bring real women’s stories into the mainstream and share them with as many people as possible. Celebrate women that we see every day who have been through this and come out stronger and embrace their light. Normalize telling their stories instead of throwing them into a box. You want to shame the actress for wearing pretty dresses for the press tour instead? What was she supposed to do? Hide at home in sweats? A great way to ensure even fewer of these stories are told. And so what if she promoted her brand, she’s a businesswoman, and she’s doing press, God how judgmental. Are. We.”
Kapoor also praised Lively for taking on a film about domestic violence, stating, “A movie about DV just opened to 40 million dollars.”
Despite Kapoor’s well-meaning support, the reaction from Reddit users has largely skewed negative. One Reddit user provided context to the feud, highlighting that Blake has treated the promotion more like a romantic comedy than a serious drama about domestic violence.
. They wrote: “For context, Blake is promoting the movie she starred in ‘It Ends With Us,’ which is centered around domestic violence. However, so far she has been promoting the movie as though it’s a rom-com, promoting her hair care brand alongside, her alcohol brand too (in which a drink is named after the main character, in a pun-like fashion), her husband and her are styling it to be a power couple PR strategy with Deadpool also side by side. There are rumors of a rift with her co-star and director Justin Baldoni (there’s heavy PR mudslinging from her team with a lot of allegations of body shaming and inappropriate behavior from him). There are also rumors she cozied up to the studio to get her version of the film released instead of his.”
The user went on to criticize Lively’s attitude towards the film, saying, “Why star in a movie about DV if you are going to treat and promote it without the seriousness of the subject matter it deals with? With an alcohol brand no less? It’s like, ‘Oh domestic violence, abuse, and assault? Well, at least you have one less worry with my shampoo line which will guarantee great hair days even when something traumatic happens,’ like attitude which people are bashing her for.”
Another user expanded on the body shaming allegations, recounting that Lively’s PR team was involved in releasing stories alleging the director/co-star asked the on-set trainer about her weight due to a chronic back issue. Another incendiary topic discussed was Lively’s wedding on a plantation, a location with a history steeped in slavery and suffering. “Just to add to the body shaming thing … her PR shot itself in the foot by releasing stories saying the director/co-star asked the on-set trainer for her weight ’cause he has a chronic back issue and wanted to train properly for scenes where he has to lift her. Like this plantation Barbie (she chose to get married on a plantation – which has a tremendously bad history of being places where slaves were employed and treated brutally and poorly, they are not places of celebration at all) has her nose in the air and treats people very poorly. Blake and Ryan both are problematic & I kind of was giving them a pass till now but with the drama coming out of It Ends with Us … yeah I am done with them both they are not good people,” one user complained.
The critiques didn’t stop at Lively. Some Reddit users also directed their ire at Kapoor. One user snarkily commented, “Why is it always a Kapoor? Does she think she will get noticed by Ryan & Blake and then Sonam will invite them to dinner?” Another user added, “Women like Rhea and Blake come from privilege. They have no idea how the actual world works.”
As the controversy continues to unfold, it underscores the challenges and expectations faced by celebrities and filmmakers when promoting works that tackle sensitive subjects. The debate around Lively’s promotional tactics for “It Ends With Us” shows how pivotal media strategy can be in shaping public perception and fostering meaningful dialogue on critical issues.
