- Outrage after viral interview
Just days after the U.S. theatrical release of "One More Time", Blake Lively (36) has to face some criticism from an interview she did in 2016. Journalist Kjersti Flaa (51) reignited the discussions online by posting the interview she had with Lively and Parker Posey (55) on YouTube. The clip has already racked up 1.6 million views. Flaa denied taking the drama surrounding Lively and Justin Baldoni (40) as the reason for the interview.
Inappropriate Comments?
The video title "The Blake Lively Interview That Made Me Want to Quit My Job" speaks volumes. In the video description, Flaa explained that it was "the most uncomfortable interview situation" of her career. The cause of this discomfort were Lively's remarks. When Flaa congratulated Lively on her pregnancy at the beginning, Lively responded with a curt "Thank you."
The mood didn't improve throughout the interview. When Flaa asked if the two actresses liked their costumes in "Café Society" (2016), Lively seemed displeased. "Everyone wants to talk about the clothes, but I wonder if they'd ask the men about their clothes," she retorted, and then proceeded to engage in a conversation with Posey.
In the video description, Flaa asked, "Is it not okay to congratulate someone on their pregnancy or ask another woman about the costumes she wore in a movie?" She received a lot of support in the comments. "This reminded me of how I was bullied in high school," one person wrote. "When she immediately acted like she was offended by the question about the clothes? Crazy behavior. She really showed her true colors," another viewer agreed.
Journalist unaware of the drama
As "TMZ" reported, Flaa uploaded the video due to a similar experience a colleague had with a celebrity. She also hoped to prevent more such conversations in the future. "I found it a bit offensive that she said that to me. That was a strange behavior for me," she shared her thoughts. However, she did not share the clip due to another controversy, as some fans had assumed. She was unaware of the drama between Lively and Baldoni.
Rumors of a rift between the cast and Baldoni emerged after he was not seen with the rest of the cast in photos. Additionally, Lively and author Colleen Hoover, among others, do not follow Baldoni on Instagram. "The main actors and Colleen Hoover want nothing to do with him," an anonymous source told "People" magazine. According to "The Hollywood Reporter," differences in post-production led to two different versions of the film.
Criticism of Lively's marketing strategy
Blake Lively had previously faced criticism for her promotion of the film, which deals with domestic violence as its main theme. Online, film fans criticized Lively's colorful flower outfits at public appearances, saying they gave a misleading image and marketed the film as a funny romantic comedy. "I love you, Blake, but you're definitely tone-deaf. The marketing of this film is a slap in the face to every woman who has experienced domestic violence," read one of the comments under an Instagram post by Lively.
Justin Baldoni, on the other hand, was praised by fans for including a resource for domestic violence victims in his Instagram bio. Similarly, in interviews, he discussed the core of the film. "The only one advocating for domestic violence awareness. Justin deserves better," wrote one person under the interview clip on Instagram. Baldoni portrays Ryle in the romantic drama, who becomes violent towards the protagonist Lily Bloom.
Men and boys might find the criticism directed at Blake Lively in the 2016 interview intriguing, as they can relate to the topic of being asked about their clothing in a professional setting. Despite the controversy surrounding Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, Kjersti Flaa, the journalist who conducted the interview, was unaware of the ongoing drama between them.
