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Anna Kendrick Reacts to Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle Amid Another Simple Favor Premiere: ‘Why, What...’
Anna Kendrick gave a surprising response when asked about her co-star's ongoing legal drama at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival.
Anna Kendrick appeared caught off guard when asked about Blake Lively’s high-profile legal battle with Justin Baldoni during the premiere of Another Simple Favor at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival. While promoting the highly anticipated sequel, Kendrick responded with a puzzled expression and a funny remark, sidestepping the controversy surrounding her co-star.
On Friday, March 7, Kendrick was walking the red carpet at the Another Simple Favor premiere in Austin, Texas, when a Variety reporter asked how the ongoing situation involving Lively and Baldoni might be affecting the film.
With a confused expression, Kendrick, 39, responded, “Why, what happened?” before adding jokingly, “I did Ayahuasca in the last year of my life is just gone, but I’ve heard the movie is amazing.”
Her remark came as Lively made one of her first major public appearances since filing a lawsuit against It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni in December. Lively, 37, accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and claimed he and his team orchestrated a smear campaign against her. Baldoni, 41, has denied the allegations and filed a $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, Leslie Sloane, in January.
Despite the legal turmoil, Lively joined Kendrick and director Paul Feig at the SXSW event, marking their first public reunion since A Simple Favor (2018). The upcoming sequel follows Kendrick’s character, Stephanie, and Lively’s Emily as they travel to Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding—only to be met with betrayal and murder.
During the event, Feig expressed excitement about reuniting with his leading ladies, telling PEOPLE, “I had such a great experience on the first one. I love working with the two of them, as well as the rest of the cast.”
The movie’s first promotional poster, released on February 4, sparked online discussions, with some fans bringing up Lively’s legal battle and others questioning why her name was placed above Kendrick’s. A source close to Kendrick told PEOPLE that she is “not used to being caught up in any drama” and that some of the backlash in the comment section “upset her.”
However, another insider assured fans that “there really is no drama or rift” between Kendrick and Lively, emphasizing that the two actresses are still planning to do press together.
While Kendrick may be keeping her distance from the legal controversy, she and Lively remain at the forefront of Another Simple Favor's promotional efforts. The sequel, promising more mystery and dark humor, is set to premiere on Prime Video on May 1.
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