Anna Kendrick Dodges Blake Lively Questions at Another Simple Favor Premiere
Anna Kendrick is keeping things light and breezy—especially when it comes to addressing any drama involving her Another Simple Favor co-star, Blake Lively. The actress made a show-stopping appearance at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festival premiere of the highly anticipated sequel but skillfully sidestepped any talk about Lively’s ongoing legal battles.
A Red Carpet Dodge With Humor
During a red carpet interview, a Variety reporter attempted to gauge Kendrick’s thoughts on whether Another Simple Favor had been affected by “everything going around in the world.” While the question was vague, it was widely understood to be a reference to Lively’s highly publicized legal dispute with actor-director Justin Baldoni. Instead of engaging, Kendrick pulled off an expertly timed comedic deflection.
“Why, what happened?” she quipped with a straight face. “I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone, but I heard the movie is amazing.” Without missing a beat, she blew a kiss and walked away, leaving reporters amused and empty-handed.
Keeping It Moving
Later in the evening, Kendrick had another opportunity to address her co-star while interacting with fans. When asked what it meant to be working with Lively again, she gave a playful yet evasive response: “Oh, you know.” She then quickly moved down the line to take a selfie with a fan, expertly avoiding the subject altogether.
The Film That Brought Them Together Again
Produced as a sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favor, Another Simple Favor sees Kendrick reprising her role as Stephanie, who finds herself heading to the wedding of the ever-enigmatic Emily (Lively). Years after a dramatic murder-suicide scheme left one of them behind bars and the other with a best-selling book deal, Emily is now out of prison and preparing to marry a wealthy Italian businessman (played by Michele Morrone). In a shocking twist, she insists that Stephanie be her maid of honor—setting the stage for another web of secrets, lies, and stylish betrayals.
Blake Lively’s Legal Drama Looms Large
Lively, who starred in and co-produced It Ends with Us alongside Baldoni, has been embroiled in multiple competing lawsuits with the actor-director and his production company, Wayfarer Studios.
As 2024 drew to a close, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and several of his PR strategists, citing sexual harassment, workplace retaliation, breach of contract, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The legal battle has cast a long shadow over Lively’s public appearances, making her SXSW showing all the more notable.
With Another Simple Favor finally making its way to audiences, Kendrick and Lively are moving forward—at least professionally. Whether their on-screen chemistry translates into off-screen harmony remains to be seen, but if Kendrick’s SXSW appearance was any indication, she has no intention of getting caught in the drama anytime soon.
