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Brandon Sklenar, one of the actors of It Ends with Us, addressed the ongoing social media backlash against the film's female stars. On August 20, the actor took to Instagram to share a post that contained his message. He urged internet users to be factual about their opinions and think deeply before spreading hate online.
Brandon Sklenar’s post came after rumors alleging a riff between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were circulating online. However, none of them addressed the rumors.
“Colleen and the women of this cast stand for hope, perseverance, and for women choosing a better life for themselves. Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about. It is, in fact, the opposite of the point,” the 34-year-old actor wrote.
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Fans have expressed disappointment with the way the female stars conducted themselves while promoting It Ends with Us. Social media users expressed frustration over Lively's and author Colleen Hoover’s promotion of the film as another blockbuster.
Additionally, the actress was criticized for allegedly not discussing the movie’s larger theme of domestic violence and instead promoting her business brand, Blake Brown Beauty.
Brandon Sklenar addresses drama surrounding It Ends with Us
According to the New York Post, Brandon Sklenar is the only actor from It Ends with Us to speak out amid the swirling rumors. The speculation began when the director, Justin Baldoni, did not attend any of the press conferences with his fellow actors. At the New York premiere on August 6, Baldoni and Blake Lively were reportedly in different theaters.
In his Instagram post, Brandon Sklenar did not explicitly highlight whether there was any behind-the-scenes drama between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. He mentioned that the objective of creating the film was not dismantled, even if there might have been some issues.
“What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from what our intentions were in making this film. It’s been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online,” Brandon Sklenar wrote.
The actor further stated that the movie was meant to inspire, validate, and recognize the efforts of women. Amid all this social media clamoring, the director hired Melissa Nathan, a crisis relations manager.
The movie It Ends with Us is based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling book of the same name. Blake Lively plays the role of Lily Bloom, a character in an abusive relationship. Opposite Lively, Justin Baldoni played Ryle Kincaid, Bloom’s partner and abuser. Brandon Sklenar played the role of Atlas Corrigan, an ex-lover of Bloom.
The movie was a box office hit for Sony Pictures, crossing the $100 million mark in just 11 days.
