Jana Kramer hasn’t seen “It Ends With Us” — but she has thoughts about Blake Lively’s controversial press tour. The “One Tree Hill” alum reflected on her own experience with domestic violence while discussing the film on Sunday’s episode of her “Whine Down” podcast.
“It’s hard for people to talk about domestic violence when they haven’t, themselves … in real life had the hands of domestic violence on them,” the actress, 40, told listeners over the weekend. She appeared to reference a recent BBC News interview in which Lively, 37, claimed it is “deeply empowering” to show how her character, Lily Bloom, is not “defined by” the abuse she experienced.
“For people to say it doesn’t define you, it does define you,” Kramer said. “It has made me who I am. And though people can say it doesn’t define you, it [does]. “One of the biggest pieces of me is domestic violence,” she continued, calling that the “biggest thread” in her life. Kramer, who has previously detailed the abuse she suffered at the hands of ex-husband Michael Gambino, expressed disappointment over the movie’s marketing since she assumed it was a “rom-com, bring your girls” project.
“I would love the messaging to go to DV with [the] media instead of talking about riffs and everything else,” the singer said, referencing Lively’s apparent feud with co-star and director Justin Baldoni. “The movie is about domestic violence.”
Kramer noted that she “started hearing stuff” and became “sad because [she] just want[s] the messaging to be about domestic violence and how to help people and how to get help.” Lively, notably, has been slammed by social media users for marketing her Blake Brown haircare and Betty Buzz alcohol brand while promoting the movie.
The “Gossip Girl” alum also found herself under fire for giving a sarcastic response to a serious question about the movie’s heavy themes during an virual press junket. This backlash brought throwback interviews to light as well, with Lively making headlines for previously using a transgender slur and insulting a reporter.
