You've seen the clips. You know the ones—where Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are sitting on a sofa, and the vibe is so sharp you could practically cut your thumb on the screen. It's 2026, and we are still talking about that 2018 press tour for A Simple Favor. Why? Because Hollywood loves a good "mean girl" narrative, and these two gave the internet enough fuel to power a small city for a decade.
Honestly, watching those old interviews feels like watching a high-stakes poker game. One minute they’re laughing, and the next, Anna is whispering to the camera that she’s muted Blake on Instagram. Or Blake is muttering "she's so stupid" while Anna talks about Harry Potter. It’s chaotic. It’s confusing. And with Another Simple Favor having recently hit Prime Video, the "feud" talk has reached a fever pitch again.
But was it actually a feud, or just two women with very specific, very different brands of humor trying to survive a grueling press junket?
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The Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively Interview: Banter or Bad Blood?
The internet first lost its collective mind over a series of videos from the original 2018 promo tour. If you go back and watch the MTV or BuzzFeed segments, the energy is... choices. At one point, Blake mentions she doesn't have the singing voice to be a Disney princess. Anna, who literally played Cinderella in Into the Woods, responds with a sarcastic, "Oh, muffin, it's so hard being you!"
Savage? Maybe. But if you’re an Anna Kendrick fan, that’s basically her entire brand. She’s the queen of the dry, self-deprecating, and slightly biting quip.
Why the rumors won't die
The fire got more oxygen when reports surfaced from InTouch Weekly and various podcasts—like Celebrity Memoir Book Club—alleging that the tension started long before they even stepped onto a set together. The theory? Anna made a comment back in 2016 about how she’d be "terrible" at being the "perfect Miss America version" of a celebrity like Taylor Swift. Since Blake is famously part of Swift’s inner circle, people assumed she took it personally.
Then there’s the poster drama. There were rumors (mostly unverified, but very loud) that Anna requested her cleavage be digitally enhanced on the first movie's poster to "match" Blake’s. It sounds like something straight out of a tabloid fever dream, but it added to the "competitive costars" narrative that the media loves to spin.
What happened at SXSW 2025?
Fast forward to the premiere of the sequel at SXSW. The world was watching. Blake was already in the middle of a massive PR storm regarding her legal battles with It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni. Fans were looking for any sign that Anna was distancing herself.
When a reporter asked Anna what it was like working with Blake again, her response was a clipped: "Oh, you know..."
Twitter (or X, whatever we're calling it this week) exploded. People called it the "perfect non-answer." But context matters. Anna was in the middle of signing autographs and dealing with fans who didn't know how to put their phones in selfie mode. She was busy. She was overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, Blake was being much more effusive, calling the experience "the best." The contrast in their energy—Blake’s "everything is sparkling" vibe versus Anna’s "I just did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is gone" sarcasm—is exactly what fuels the speculation.
Paul Feig steps in
Director Paul Feig has been the loudest voice in the room trying to shut this down. He’s called the feud rumors "total BS" multiple times. According to him, the two have "weird chemistry," which is exactly why they were cast as Stephanie and Emily in the first place.
"Blake has been nothing but supportive and a dream to work with," Feig posted, trying to douse the flames.
He’s basically the dad trying to tell everyone that his daughters aren't fighting; they just have a "unique" way of communicating.
The Billing Battle of 2026
If the "muffin" comments weren't enough, the sequel brought a new layer of drama: the credits. In the industry, "equal billing" is a legal minefield. For Another Simple Favor, the solution was to put Anna’s name first on the left, but Blake’s name slightly higher on the right.
In Hollywood speak, that’s a tie.
But sources told The Mirror and People that neither actress was thrilled. It’s a classic power struggle that happens on almost every big movie with two A-list leads, but because of the existing "feud" narrative, it became another "evidence" post on TikTok.
Is it all just a PR stunt?
There is a very real possibility that we’ve all been played. Think about it. A Simple Favor is a movie about two women who have a toxic, competitive, and deeply strange friendship. What better way to market a sequel than to let people think the actresses actually kind of hate each other?
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It’s the "Ryan Reynolds vs. Hugh Jackman" model, but with a sharper edge.
Anna herself told People back in late 2024 that reuniting with Blake felt "like riding a bike." She acknowledged they don't see each other often because they live on opposite coasts, but she called the experience "lovely."
Why we should care about the nuance
The problem with the "Anna vs. Blake" narrative is that it often ignores the reality of being a woman in the spotlight. If a male actor gives a short answer on a red carpet, he's "focused" or "stoic." If Anna Kendrick does it, she’s "fuming."
It’s also worth noting that Anna has been vocal about her own past experiences in an abusive relationship, which has made her more protective of her energy and peace. Being caught up in the "Blake Lively backlash" cycle—which stems from Blake's separate drama with Justin Baldoni—is clearly not something Anna enjoys.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're trying to figure out the truth behind the anna kendrick and blake lively interview clips, here is how to look at it through a realistic lens:
- Watch the full context: Short clips on TikTok are designed to look as awkward as possible. If you watch the full 10-minute interviews, you see plenty of moments where they are actually vibing and laughing.
- Understand the "Brand": Anna Kendrick’s humor is abrasive by design. She "roasts" people she likes. If she were being perfectly polite and "Miss America" style, that would actually be more out of character for her.
- Separate the projects: Blake’s issues with the It Ends With Us production are separate from her work with Anna. While the timing of the legal drama has cast a shadow over their sequel, it doesn't mean there is a rift between the two women.
- Check the sources: High-level trade publications like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter haven't confirmed a feud. The most aggressive "proof" usually comes from anonymous "set insiders" on gossip podcasts.
Ultimately, Kendrick and Lively are two professionals who have now made two successful movies together. Whether they're best friends who grab brunch or just coworkers who respect each other's talent, they've mastered the art of keeping us talking. And in Hollywood, that’s the most important job of all.