Blake Lively breaks silence after facing backlash for It Ends With Us publicity

Blake Lively subtly responded to backlash amid It Ends With Us press tour with an Instagram post

Blake Lively has responded to backlash amid the press tour for her new film, It Ends With Us. The 36-year-old recently came under fire for not focusing on the domestic violence theme of the film, which is based on Collen Hoover's namesake novel. The Age of Adaline star took to her Instagram story to share a clip of her interview with BBC News, in which she discusses the nature of the character she portrays in the film.

Blake Lively breaks silence after facing criticism for ‘tone-deaf’ publicity of It Ends With Us

The Gossip Girl star has been in the spotlight lately for her striking appearances at press events. Lively, who is known for her humourous approach, came under fire after compilations of her recent interviews went viral on social media. She has largely been accused of avoiding speaking about more sensitive aspects of the film by adopting a light-hearted tone.

In the wake of the recent backlash, Lively shared the BBC clip, where she talks about her role as Lily Bloom. “She is not just a survivor, and she’s not just a victim, and while those are huge things to be, they are not her identity,” the Green Lantern actress said during the Friday interview.

Lively went on to add that Lily “is not defined by something someone else did to her or an event that happened to her, even if it’s multiple events.” “She defines herself, and I think that’s deeply empowering. … No one else can define you. No experience can define you. You define you,” she continued.

Lively's elegant floral-themed dresses have also been a subject of controversy, with netizens claiming the glamourous ensembles fall into the Barbie trend that took social media by storm last year. In addition to the video clip, Lively also wrote a lengthy statement expressing gratitude to those who came out in support of the film.

“We have been in celebration of this film and of getting a message so important out there to the masses,” Lively wrote, adding, “Thank you all for embracing @itendswithusmovie with the same pain, love and joy we had sharing it with you all.”

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