2025-03-08T16:34:24.032ZUnknown author
Blake Lively Ignores Justin Baldoni Fan at SXSW First Movie Premiere Since Legal Drama Exploded
Blake Lively touched down in Texas ready to show the world she is capable of loving and respecting her co-stars—and being loved by them in return.
On Friday night, Lively’s new movie, Another Simple Favor, had its world premiere at Austin’s SXSW, where it opened the festival. The film is a sequel to the 2018 thriller A Simple Favor, which tells the story of Stephanie, a mommy blogger (played by Anna Kendrick) who investigates the disappearance of her mysterious, glamorous BFF Emily (Lively.)
The sequel is set in Capri where Emily, fresh out of jail, is marrying an Italian heir. Soon into the wedding festivities, however, tragedies start to occur, catapulting Stephanie back into her detective role and testing the friendship of the two leading ladies.
This is Lively’s first film since It Ends With Us, her 2024 movie based on Colleen Hoover’s beloved novel of the same name. That movie is now drowning in controversy after Lively accused co-star/director Justin Baldoni of misconduct on set and the two filed suits against each other. The pair are scheduled to do battle in court on March 9, 2026, but until then, they are trying to win over another court—that of public opinion.
From the moment Lively stepped out of her black SUV in front of the historic Paramount Theatre, she was all smiles, doling out hugs and pats on the back to her co-stars.
Lively arrived at the screening with Michele Morrone, who plays Dante Versano, her Italian heir fiancé in the film. They greeted screaming fans together, pausing to take photos and sign movie posters. (The duo gave no acknowledgment to the woman in the crowd holding a sign that read “Justice for Justin Baldoni. Blake Lied.”) They did stop to hug each other as they made their way into the theater, and Lively patted him on the back as they spoke.
One protester makes their point at the red carpet premiere of ‘Another Simple Favor’ at SXSW. Alyson Krueger
Once in the theater, Lively and Versano sat side-by-side, whispering during welcome remarks and giggling at funny parts of the movie.
Despite rumors of a rift, Lively also gushed over Kendrick, telling one fan outside the theater that working with her was “The best!” When Kendrick was asked what it was like to reunite with Lively for the film, the Oscar nominee simply said: “Oh, you know.”
Following the screening, the film’s stars took part in a moderated Q&A, where Lively reiterated that the best part of doing this sequel was “Getting to work with Anna again and this incredible group of people.” (It should be noted that the two women sat in front of each other before and during the screening and didn’t appear to exchange a single word.)
When director Paul Feig appeared on stage to thank his cast members one by one, no one was clapping more effusively or more loudly than Lively.
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