Blake Lively shares statement following criticism of 'It Ends With Us' press tour

Trigger warning: discusses themes of domestic violence

Over the last few weeks, the film adaptation of Coleen Hoover's bestselling novel It Ends With Us has been getting a lot of heat on social media. The book - which was first published in 2016 but was catapulted back into book charts six years later after a popularity burst on TikTok - explores the impact of domestic violence and abusive relationships. However, the film caused controversy earlier this year when the movie stills were released, with some claiming the film was being marketed as a romantic comedy.

This month, the same criticism has been levelled at the film once again - and this time, Blake Lively has been accused of playing down the plot's central themes. The Gossip Girl star takes the lead role, playing protagonist Lily opposite Justin Baldoni, who plays her onscreen partner Ryle and also directs the movie. The pair have been at the centre of 'feud' rumours since the start of the press tour, with many noting that neither Blake nor Justin have taken interviews together and have remained extremely vague when answering questions about one another.

But netizens have taken issue with Blake during the publicity run, and a number of her interviews have been gaining traction on social media. During her press appearances, many have criticised her for not being more vocal about her character's experience of domestic abuse, and she has been called 'tone deaf' for encouraging women to see the film with their 'girl friends and florals', and for promoting her own haircare and drinks brands.

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♬ original sound - It Ends With Us

In response to the growing backlash, Blake posted on her Instagram stories earlier this week sharing the following message, alongside a link to the National Domestic Violence Helpline: "One in 4 women aged 18 and older in the US alone have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Intimate partner violence affects all genders, including more than 12 million people every year in the United States. Everyone deserves relationships free from domestic violence."

Justin Baldoni has not been receiving the same criticism, but he has been embroiled in fallout rumours since the start of the press tour. During interviews and red carpets appearances, other actors have seemingly distanced themselves from him by not posing for pictures together, and a clip of his co-star Jenny Slate dodging a question about working with him went viral on X. Many of his colleagues also appear to have unfollowed him on social media.

Blake has not commented directly on the growing backlash, but ticket sales for the film have not been damped by the controversies - in fact, It Ends With Us has already grossed $115.5 million worldwide since its release last weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter.