'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On April 25, 2025, Journalist Kjersti Flaa gave her insights on Blake Lively's harrowing story about her mother, shared at the TIME100 Gala.
On Thursday, April 24, Blake Lively stepped out at the TIME100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, accompanied by her mother Elaine Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds, after her inclusion in TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2025, under the "Titans" category.
At the TIME100 Gala, Blake Lively shared an emotional story about how her mother was nearly killed by a coworker before Blake was born, and how a woman on the radio going through something similar helped save her. But journalist Kjersti Flaa questioned why Blake told the story, saying it was really her mother's to share.
Trending
Flaa pointed out the timing of narration, questioning why Blake "didn't tell this story when she was so criticized during It Ends With Us, the whole press tour" for not talking about Domestic abuse.
She further pointed out the possibility of the story being fake, adding:
"Blake Lively has told a lot of stories previously, as we've all found out, that haven't always been factually correct."
Kjetri Flaa went on to criticise Blake for allegedly using her mother's story to portray herself as a victim.
"I feel like Blake Lively is just desperate to look like a victim, and now she's using her mom to make her look more like a victim."
Despite the criticism, Flaa empathized with Elanie Lively and expressed that if she truly went through this, it would undoubtedly be "traumatizing."
"I feel this was just a PR stunt"— Kjersti Flaa calls out Blake Lively for plotting the speech
In the same video, Kjersti Flaa accused Blake Lively of plotting the TIME100 Gala speech with her PR team, aiming to relate to people going through the same circumstances and appear a "victim."
"All of us have mothers with stories, and I feel this was just a PR stunt. I'm sure they sat down and, like, talked about this before it happened, and said, you know, how can we create this powerful speech." Flaa said.
She suggested this as an attempt to "win over the public" amid Blake's ongoing legal feud with It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni.
"She[Blake Lively]was like, oh! I'll talk about my mother and her suffering because you know I am a victim, and then she's trying to relate to everyone else who's a victim and say that as women we stand together, we don't stand with you, and this is just another attempt to win over the public." Kjersti Flaa added.
Flaa further pointed out Blake Lively's contradictory public persona, suggesting that while the It Ends With Us actress has claimed that she has suffered financial loss and trauma, despite this, she is seen attending red carpet events and promoting her upcoming movies.
"That doesn't look good, if she's[Blake Lively] going to claim in court that she had all these damages and trauma, but she's totally fine going on red carpets. She was in London last week or two weeks ago for Another Simple Favor, so she has movies coming up, so where are the damages, Blake Lively? I don't see them." Flaa continued.
Blake Lively's speech at the TIME100 Gala
Blake Lively attended the TIME100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, where she honored Willie Elaine McAlpin, her mother, with a heartfelt 5-minute speech, as reported by Variety.
"My life was influenced most by my mother, Willie Elaine McAlpin, who’s here with me tonight, an eternal optimist who’s always leaving me messages, hoopin’ and hollerin', Life’s just a bowl of cherries," Lively said.
After introducing her mother to the crowd, the 37-year-old actress revealed a story about her mother's abuse by a workplace acquaintance.
"My mom never got justice from her work acquaintance who attempted to take her life when she was the mother of three young kids — years before I was born," Lively continued.
Lively further shared that her mother was saved by a woman speaking on the radio, who was going through the same circumstances.
"she has always credited her beating heart today with the story she heard from another woman in a similar circumstance, speaking on the radio as my mom drove home one day.”
The Another Simple Favor actress continued:
"The woman painfully and graphically shared how she escaped, and because of hearing that woman speak to her experience instead of shutting down in fear and unfair shame, my mom is alive today, she was saved by a woman whose name she’ll never know."
Lively gave credit to the anonymous woman on the radio who helped save her mother's life, stating:
“I am alive, and standing with you all here today, being honored, because of a woman whose name I’ll never know, I'm here, my mom is here, because that woman not only survived, but she told others how.”
Relating to her personal experiences of "pain" and "trauma," Lively offered words of strength to women, stating, "We can make it to the end alive, physically or emotionally, and we will and we do, and we thrive, Lively finished in her speech. “Never underestimate a woman’s ability to endure pain. Life’s just a bowl of cherries.”
Born on August 25, 1987, Blake Lively is the mother of James, 10, Inez, 8, and Betty, 5, whom she shares with actor Ryan Reynolds.
