Public perception is a fickle thing. One minute you’re the internet’s golden girl, the fashion icon of the Met Gala, and the next, a few minutes of Blake Lively video footage have people questioning everything they thought they knew about her. It’s wild how quickly the narrative can flip. Honestly, the fallout from the It Ends With Us press tour wasn’t just a "bad week" for Blake; it was a total collision between her carefully curated brand and the gritty reality of a film about domestic violence.
If you’ve been on TikTok or X lately, you’ve likely seen the clips. There’s the infamous "floral" promo, the uncomfortable 2016 interview that resurfaced out of nowhere, and the actual raw set footage released during her legal battle with Justin Baldoni. It’s a lot to process. But when you look past the headlines, what do these videos actually tell us about what happened on that set and during that tour?
The "It Ends With Us" Press Tour: A Tone-Deaf Disaster?
The controversy basically started with a flower. Or rather, a lot of flowers.
While promoting a movie based on Colleen Hoover’s novel—a story that centers on a woman surviving an abusive relationship—Blake’s vibe was... lighthearted. To put it mildly. She was seen in video after video telling fans to "grab your friends, wear your florals" and head to the theater.
It felt like she was promoting The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 3, not a heavy drama about cycles of abuse.
The "Address" Comment That Went Viral
One specific clip from an interview with Brandon Sklenar really set people off. The interviewer asked Blake how she’d feel if a fan, moved by the film's themes, approached her in public to share their own story of survival. It was a serious, empathetic question.
Blake’s response? She joked about the fan asking for her "address or phone number or like location share."
She giggled. The internet didn't.
Critics argued that she was dodging the actual weight of the subject matter to protect her "fun" persona. It looked dismissive. On the other side of the fence, Justin Baldoni was giving interviews that focused almost entirely on the trauma and the importance of the domestic violence message. The contrast was jarring. It made people wonder: did they even make the same movie?
The Resurfaced 2016 Interview: "The Most Uncomfortable Situation"
Just as the It Ends With Us drama was peaking, a ghost from the past appeared. Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa uploaded a video titled "The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job."
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This footage was from 2016, during the Café Society press junket.
The video starts with Flaa congratulating Blake on her "little bump" (Blake was pregnant at the time). Blake immediately snaps back with, "Congrats on your little bump," to the journalist, who was clearly not pregnant. It was tense. It was awkward. It was hard to watch.
Why did this footage matter ten years later?
- The "Mean Girl" Narrative: It reinforced the idea that Blake could be exclusionary. Throughout the rest of the clip, she and co-star Parker Posey talk over the interviewer, essentially ignoring her questions about the film's period costumes.
- The Timing: Flaa admitted she sat on the footage for years because she feared being blacklisted. Releasing it during the Baldoni feud was like throwing gasoline on a bonfire.
- The Context: Sources close to Blake later claimed the "bump" comment was rude because it was about her body, but the footage shows a journalist trying to be polite and getting shut down in a way that felt—to many viewers—unnecessarily cruel.
The Legal Battle: When Video Footage Becomes Evidence
Things took a much darker turn in late 2024 and early 2025. This wasn't just about "vibes" anymore; it was about the California Civil Rights Department. Blake filed a complaint against Baldoni, alleging a hostile work environment and sexual harassment.
In January 2025, Baldoni’s team did something unusual: they released 10 minutes of raw Blake Lively video footage from the set to the media.
The footage showed the two filming a slow-dance scene. No dialogue was scripted for the scene, so you can hear them talking as themselves. In the video, Baldoni leans in, kisses her neck, and tells her she "smells good."
Two Very Different Interpretations
This is where it gets complicated. Baldoni’s team released the video to show "mutual respect and professionalism." They pointed to the fact that Blake was laughing and joking about his nose right afterward. They argued the footage proved her claims were a "smear campaign."
Blake’s legal team had a completely different take. They called the video "damning evidence" of exactly what she described in her complaint. They argued:
- Lack of Consent: The touching and comments were improvised by Baldoni without prior discussion or an intimacy coordinator.
- The "Fawn" Response: Her laughter wasn't a sign of comfort; it was a "defensive measure" to keep the situation from getting even more awkward with her boss/director.
- Physical Boundary Violations: The complaint alleged he dragged his lips down her neck and flicked her lip with his thumb.
Watching that specific video footage is a Rorschach test. If you think Blake is a "creative hijacker," you see a director doing his job and a star being difficult. If you believe her allegations, you see a woman forced to endure unwanted physical contact while trying to remain "professional" on camera.
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Beyond the Scandals: What's She Doing Now?
Despite the legal "civil war" and the PR hits, Blake hasn't disappeared. By April 2025, she was back on the red carpet for A Simple Favor 2 (titled Another Simple Favor).
She looked radiant. She wore a mint Tamara Ralph gown. She smiled for the cameras.
It was a classic Hollywood pivot. The strategy seems to be: keep working, keep smiling, and let the lawyers handle the mess in the background. Her husband, Ryan Reynolds, has been right there with her, though he’s faced his own share of criticism for his alleged involvement in "rewriting" scenes of It Ends With Us and fueling the creative rift with Baldoni.
Actionable Insights: Navigating the Noise
When you're looking for Blake Lively video footage, it's easy to get lost in the sensationalism. Here’s how to actually weigh what you’re seeing:
- Consider the Source: Was the video leaked by a legal team? Posted by a disgruntled journalist? The intent behind the upload usually dictates the narrative.
- Look for Context: A 30-second TikTok "staring contest" clip is often edited to make a celebrity look mean. Search for the full interview to see the lead-up.
- Separate Art from Artist: You can love Gossip Girl or The Shallows while still being critical of how a press tour for a movie about domestic violence was handled.
- Watch the Trial Dates: The lawsuit is headed to trial in May 2026. That’s when the "he said, she said" will likely be replaced by actual sworn testimony and potentially more unreleased footage.
The reality is that we rarely see the full picture. We see snippets. We see what PR teams want us to see, or what "receipts" an angry internet finds. Whether Blake is the victim of a coordinated smear campaign or the architect of her own PR nightmare, the footage remains the most fascinating—and frustrating—piece of the puzzle.
Keep an eye on the court filings as May approaches. That's when the "Buckingham Palace" home office stories and the set-side whispers will finally have to face a judge. Until then, take every viral clip with a massive grain of salt.
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