The internet has a funny way of making mountains out of molehills, but every now and then, there’s actually some smoke where people see fire. If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or scrolling through entertainment news lately, you’ve probably seen clips from a Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick interview that look, well, a little tense.
It’s not just one video. It’s a series of moments spanning from the original 2018 press tour for A Simple Favor to the 2025 promotional cycle for the sequel, Another Simple Favor. Fans have spent hours dissecting every eye roll, every sarcastic "muffin," and every awkward red carpet avoidance. But is there a real feud, or are we just watching two women with very different personalities try to sell a movie?
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Honestly, the reality is way more nuanced than a simple "they hate each other."
The SXSW Moment That Set 2025 Ablaze
Let’s get into the most recent drama because it’s what everyone is talking about. In March 2025, the cast headed to the SXSW Film & TV Festival for the premiere of the sequel. On the red carpet, a reporter from Entertainment Tonight asked Anna Kendrick a pretty standard softball question: “What does it mean to be working with Blake Lively again?”
Anna didn’t gush. She didn’t talk about their "sisterhood" or how much she missed her. Instead, she gave a three-word response that launched a thousand conspiracy theories: “Oh, you know.” She said it with a shrug and kept walking.
Compare that to Blake’s response to the same question. Blake did what Blake does—she leaned into the charm. “Oh, it’s the best!” she told reporters. “I’m so happy to be here.” The contrast was jarring. You had one star being enigmatically dismissive and the other being perfunctorily bubbly.
Why the Timing Made Everything Worse
You can't talk about a Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick interview in 2025 without mentioning the elephant in the room: the Justin Baldoni lawsuit.
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By the time the Another Simple Favor press tour kicked off, Blake was deep in a messy legal battle with her It Ends With Us director. There were accusations of a "hostile work environment" and a "smear campaign." This followed months of "mean girl" allegations against Blake on social media.
During that same SXSW red carpet, a Variety reporter tried to ask Anna how the film was being "impacted by everything going on in the world." Everyone knew they meant the Blake/Baldoni drama. Anna’s response was legendary for its deflection. She joked about doing ayahuasca and losing the last year of her memory.
It was a clever way to stay out of the line of fire, but it didn't exactly scream "I'm standing by my co-star."
The History of the "Feud" Rumors
People forget that these rumors didn't start in 2025. They’ve been brewing since 2018. If you look back at their older interviews, the chemistry was always... let's call it "spiky."
- The Disney Princess Jab: In one viral 2018 clip, Blake lamented that she didn't have the right voice to play a Disney princess. Anna, who played Cinderella in Into the Woods, shot back with an exaggeratedly mocking, “Oh, muffin, it’s so hard being you!”
- The Taylor Swift Theory: There’s a long-standing rumor that the friction started over a joke Anna made about Taylor Swift in a 2016 interview. Blake is notoriously protective of her inner circle, and fans speculate that comment soured the relationship before it even began.
- The Poster Dispute: There were even reports from crew members (referenced on the Celebrity Memoir Book Club podcast) alleging that Anna was competitive about the first movie's poster, specifically regarding the digital editing of her appearance compared to Blake's.
Is It Just "Frememy" Energy?
Here is the thing about Anna Kendrick: her entire brand is built on being dry, sarcastic, and a little bit prickly. She’s the girl who writes a book called Scrappy Little Nobody. Blake Lively, on the other hand, is the quintessential Hollywood golden girl—high fashion, "perfect" lifestyle, and a very polished public persona.
When you put those two archetypes in a room together, it’s naturally going to feel like they’re speaking different languages.
Director Paul Feig has been the loudest voice trying to shut down the drama. He’s repeatedly called the feud rumors "total BS." At the London premiere in April 2025, Blake and Anna were finally pictured together, giggling and hugging.
Was it a genuine reconciliation? Or was it a "contractually obligated" show of solidarity to protect the movie's box office?
What This Means for "Another Simple Favor"
Despite all the headlines, the movie actually exists and is performing well on streaming. The "weird chemistry" that Anna Kendrick herself admitted to in a People interview is exactly what makes the characters of Stephanie and Emily work. They aren't supposed to be best friends; they're supposed to be two women who fascinate and repel each other in equal measure.
The fascination with the Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick interview says more about our obsession with celebrity friction than it does about their actual relationship. Whether they’re grabbing drinks in private or just tolerating each other for the paycheck, they’ve managed to create one of the most compelling on-screen duos of the last decade.
Key Takeaways for Fans
- Look for the subtext: Anna Kendrick’s humor is often mistaken for genuine animosity by people who aren't used to her dry wit.
- Context matters: The 2025 tension was heavily influenced by Blake Lively's outside legal issues, which the entire cast was likely coached to avoid.
- Check the source: Many "feud" stories come from unverified social media accounts or resurfaced clips taken out of context.
- Watch the movies: The best way to see how they actually interact is to watch the films—their on-screen tension is exactly what the director wanted.
If you’re tracking the latest on this, keep an eye on the upcoming trial dates for the Lively/Baldoni case in March 2026. That legal outcome will likely determine how much we see of Blake in the press over the next year, and whether we'll ever get a third installment of this twisty franchise.