In today’s episode of “Let’s Overreact on the Internet,” Brandon Sklenar has stepped up to the plate to shield his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively and bestselling author Colleen Hoover from the virtual pitchforks. Apparently, some folks on the internet have decided they’re upset—because what else is new?
The saga kicked off when Blake Lively, a woman with better hair than most of us can ever hope to have, dared to not extensively talk about the film’s domestic violence theme during the press tour. Yes, you read that right. She didn’t go into an in-depth TED Talk on the subject during every single interview, and now people are clutching their pearls.
To make matters worse (if that’s even possible), Blake then had the audacity—the sheer nerve—to launch her own haircare brand right before the movie’s release. Hair products, during a film release? How could she possibly juggle both? Some internet detectives apparently believe the human brain can’t multitask, and now they’re in full meltdown mode. Clearly, Blake should’ve consulted her hair products about domestic violence before launching them.
And if that wasn’t enough drama to fuel the rumor mill, whispers are flying faster than a viral cat video that there’s drama behind-the-scenes. Allegedly, there’s been some kind of feud between the cast and director Justin Baldoni, because no movie set can be complete without a good ol’ fashioned Hollywood soap opera.
Cue Brandon Sklenar, coming in like a knight in shining Instagram armor on a Tuesday—because, obviously, Tuesday is the best day for dramatic social media statements. He took to the ‘gram to unleash a heartfelt and probably quite long (because Instagram loves lengthy paragraphs) post, where he basically begged people to calm down and actually focus on the message of the movie.
Shocking idea, right? You know, paying attention to the movie instead of tearing apart the people who made it?
Anyway, here’s Brandon’s full statement. Prepare your popcorn—it’s going to be a ride.
Hey everyone,
I wanted to take a minute and address all this stuff swirling online.
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. 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.
Someone very close to me has been struggling with a relationship that has mirrored Lilly’s closely. I feel a responsibility to bring this to life and help spread that message further. Prior to my involvement in this film, she had not heard of the book. It was only then that she read it. She credits Colleens book and subsequently this film with saving her life.
Trust me when I tell you, there isn’t a single person Involved in the making of this film that was not aware of the responsibility we had in making this. A responsibility to all the women who have experienced generational trauma – Domestic abuse – Or struggle with looking in the mirror and loving who they see. This movie is a harsh reality check for the men who need to get their shit together and take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
This film is meant to inspire. It’s meant to validate and recognize. It’s meant to instill hope. It’s meant to build courage and help people feel less alone. Ultimately it’s meant to spread love and awareness. It is not meant to once again, make the women the “bad guy,” let’s move beyond that together.
All I ask is that before you spread hate on the internet, ask yourself who its helping. Ask yourself if your opinions are based in any fact. Or if you simply want to be a part of something. Let’s be a part of something better together. A part of a new story being written for women and all people everywhere.
Lead with Love and please be Kind.
Brandon