It started with her.
Amid the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding Blake Lively and her new movie “It Ends With Us,” journalist Kjersti Flaa has spoken out about an unpleasant past interview with Lively that she said was the “most uncomfortable situation” she had “ever” experienced.
Lively, 36, has been embroiled in controversy amid rumors of a feud with her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni, 40.
Recently, Flaa uploaded a clip of a 2016 interview with the “Gossip Girl” star and slammed her conduct.
Flaa posted it on her YouTube channel, and captioned it, “The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job.”
Flaa is shown interviewing Lively and Parker Posey about their movie “Cafe Society.”
At the time, Lively, who has been married to Ryan Reynolds, 47, since 2012, was expecting their second child (they now have four).
“First of all, congrats on your little bump,” Flaa, who is the founder of Content Now TV, said at the beginning of the interview, referring to Lively’s pregnancy.
Instead of thanking her and moving on, Lively oddly replied, “Congrats on your little bump.”
Since the movie took place in the 1930s, Flaa asked Lively and Posey if they enjoyed wearing the period piece costumes.
But instead of answering the question, Lively again responded in a combative tone.
“Everyone wants to talk about the clothes but I wonder if they would ask the men about the clothes,” she said.
“I would,” Flaa said.
“Sitting down with Blake Lively and her co star Parker Posey for Cafe Society is the most uncomfortable interview situation I have ever experienced” Flaa wrote.
“Is it not OK to congratulate someone on their pregnancy or to ask another woman about costumes she is wearing in a film?”
The resurfaced interview went viral and commenters were quick to slam Lively.
“Blake was just extremely rude and lacked any class here. Shame on her,” one viewer wrote.
Another persona remarked, “When she immediately pretended to be offended by the clothes question? Insane behavior. Really showing her true colors.”
“She and her husband talk about their kids all the time and you can’t congratulate her on her pregnancy? That was such weird and uncalled for behavior, Im sorry you had to sit through that,” another viewer commented.
“Especially as adults that have been in the industry for a long time, they know better,” a fourth person said. “This is just mean girl behavior. Especially where Blake said ‘congrats on YOUR little bump.’ Like? So unnecessary.”
Lively has been making headlines lately for her movie “It Ends with Us.” Based on a bestselling book by Colleen Hoover, the plot is about Lily (Lively), a woman who gets into an abusive relationship with Ryle (Baldoni).
Baldoni hasn’t been photographed with his fellow cast members at the premieres and many of them appear to have unfollowed him on social media, prompting speculation about what’s happening behind the scenes.
An industry told Page Six that Baldoni was “extremely difficult” and “none of the cast enjoyed working with him,” adding that he made Lively feel “uncomfortable” about her postpartum body following the birth of her son, Odin.
A studio insider later claimed that Lively and Baldoni had “two edits” for the movie, and her final cut won.
“There were two edits and the studio went with a more feminine edit.”
Baldoni told Elle UK, “There are all these things that happen every day on set, there’s always friction that happens when you make a movie like this. Then at the end of the day, it’s that friction, I believe, that creates the beautiful art. Everything in life needs friction to grow.”
Baldoni has reportedly hired Johhny Depp’s PR crisis manager, Melissa Nathan.
The “Jane the Virgin” alum has also discussed the topic of domestic violence in interviews about the movie.
In contrast, Lively has gotten slammed for focusing on fashion, her Blake Brown haircare line and her husband’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” movie during the press tour.
One X user wrote, “Blake Lively spending the entire press run for her new film, which is about domestic violence and abuse, acting like it’s a fun gals night out like seeing ‘Mamma Mia’ and promoting her businesses at the same time is INSANE behavior.”
Amid the backlash, Lively reshared a clip Tuesday on her Instagram Story from an interview with BBC News.
“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,” Lively said about her character.
She added 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.”
The “Gossip Girl” alum noted, “She defines herself, and I think that’s deeply empowering. … No one else can define you. No experience can define you. You define you.”
Lively also shared stats on intimate partner violence as well as a link for the hotline and access to “immediate help.”
“It Ends With Us,” has been a success, debuting to $50 million domestically at the box office on a $25 million budget.