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Blake Lively's Brother-in-Law Bart Johnson Stands Up For Her Against Backlash Amid It Ends With Us Controversy: 'I’m Really Sorry...'
Bart Johnson supports Blake Lively amid controversy over the It Ends With Us film. Read on to know what the High School Musical actor said.
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to domestic violence
Bart Johnson, Blake Lively’s brother-in-law, takes her side as she faces backlash concerning her participation in the film It Ends With Us. Johnson, who happens to be married to Blake’s elder sister Robyn Lively, spoke out on the issue with a comment he made on his recent Instagram post.
At first, his post was made to celebrate Blake’s birthday, professing his love and admiration for her. He wrote, "When I grow up I wanna be just like her. I’ve got a long ways to go. LOVE YOU BLAKE!!!"
However, a user managed to turn the focus from a mere birthday post to stating that Blake herself is one of those who encourages domestic violence and follows a perfect abuse narrative. The user wrote, "Shame she’s so set on promoting happiness in a domestic violence setting without any regard for any victims. Disappointing from Blake."
On the other hand, Johnson apologized to the commenter saying that he understood why she would feel that way as there was something amiss in the production dogma of this film. He replied, "I’m really sorry you feel that way. I’m sure you have a huge heart and want the best. I can promise you the truth has not come out yet."
He further continued, "Blake worked harder on this film than anything I’ve seen her do my entire life. Because it meant so much to her. The message is in the book. And in the movie. Not in short clips / interviews."
He stressed how much effort Blake had put into that project, stressing it was, for her, very serious matter.
The High School Musical actor went on to elaborate that the film follows the original storyline of the book along with visual effects to narrate the story, unlike short excerpts or interviews with concerned subjects. In that respect, he attributed the coming forward of this message largely to Blake. But he also pointed out that there could have been some errors which are normal in life. He finished off by stating that he respects those who have a different take on the matter.
Besides starring in the adaptation of Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel as Lily Bloom, Blake Lively was also a producer. Things went wrong despite the box of success. The movie received harsh reviews on social media platforms where some have blamed the Gossip Girl alum for remaining quiet over issues of domestic violence and toxic relationships as depicted in the movie.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Blake on the other hand did post domestic violence resources for abuse survivors on her accounts after the film was released but some of her followers feel that she hasn’t done enough of what is needed. She has also been criticized for advertising her newly launched haircare brand at the press junket for the film.
This was only made more complicated by the reports about a supposed dispute during the filming between Lively and the film director Justin Baldoni, who also plays the role of Ryle in the film. According to some sources of the outlet, the disputes between the two had been surfacing for close to one year at least, and if anything, the resuming of production after the 2023 actors' strike saw the matter aggravate even more.
Bart Johnson added in his Instagram post multiple photos of Blake Lively and himself in the course of many years and commended her kindness, commitment, and sense of inspiration. He emphasized on her zeal to make a difference in the world, and appreciated her for being a quintessential person, mother and wife.
If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
ALSO READ: Blake Lively Quips That Ryan Reynolds Is Trying to Get Her ‘Pregnant Again’
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