In retrospect, August should have been a career-defining month for Blake Lively.
His highly anticipated film It Ends With Us, based on Coollen Hoover’s book of the same name, has finally hit theaters.
She launched her first range of hair care products, after her fans spent years fawning over her luscious locks.
Her glamorous, floral-inspired press tour wardrobe was widely praised by fashion observers around the world and Blake wowed her fans when she wore Britney Spears’ iconic Versace dress at the New York premiere.
However, the actress found herself at the center of a major PR storm as a result of several interviews in which fans accused “deaf” Blake of “trivializing domestic violence” and promoting the film, which depicts an abusive relationship. , “like a romantic relationship.” comedy’.
Pictured: Actress Blake Lively posing on the red carpet at the It Ends With Us premiere in London in August.
On top of this, the Internet was awash with rumors of an ongoing feud between Blake and her co-star and director Justin Baldoni, who allegedly felt “sidelined” by the leading lady.
But rather than shy away from the spotlight amid the controversy, Blake and his team seemed to have opted for a rather different approach: subjecting it to an “identifiable rebrand.”
Speaking to FEMAIL, celebrity publicist Joseph Hagan, who is also the founder of Streamline PR, explained: “The It Ends With Us backlash was damaging to Blake because it revealed a disconnect between the tone of the promotional release and the sensitive subject matter of domestic violence.
“The marketing seemed to clash with the gravity of the story, sometimes making it seem tone-deaf or trivializing a serious topic. This put Blake in a difficult situation, especially as fans expected more nuance from such a well-known figure.
“Her rebrand is likely her team’s way of course-correcting and emphasizing her authenticity, her fun-loving personality, and her highly relatable marriage to Ryan, to refocus attention on the traits people most admire. her”.
Earlier this month, the actress proved she was anything but a diva when she was spotted waiting for a table at a popular Italian restaurant in the West Village.
Commenting on this recent appearance, Joseph said: “Blake’s “non-diva” demeanor at the New York restaurant really reflects her commitment to staying grounded and relatable, especially in a time when public perception can easily change.
‘By choosing to act like any normal diner, you are distancing yourself from the idea of celebrity entitlement and strengthening your connection with your fan base. It’s a subtle but powerful way to show that she’s just like everyone else, which works in her favor after the controversy surrounding It Ends With Us.’
Actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds hold hands while taking a morning walk in New York City last month.
The internet was awash with rumors of an ongoing feud between Blake and her co-star and director Justin Baldoni (pictured).
In recent weeks, the star has also been photographed on a ‘PDA’ tour with Ryan Reynolds around New York, with the two bonding over coffee and watching a Broadway show for her husband’s 43rd birthday.
The expert continued: ‘This is a timely move that benefits both brands. Ryan is riding high after the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, and being seen more often with her beloved husband in the media can only boost Blake’s image, helping her gain more positive traction.
“People love to see that their fun, loving relationship humanizes them both and keeps Blake in the spotlight in a very accessible way.
“By adopting this ‘power couple’ dynamic, Blake reinforces the idea that, despite the Hollywood drama, her personal life is thriving, which keeps fans coming back to her.”
What’s more, the expert highlighted how Blake’s presence on social media has a more identifiable touch.
Blake Lively, Maya Boyd and Ryan Reynolds pose for a selfie backstage at the hit Max Martin Musical & Juliet earlier this month.
After posting how her makeup looked at the beginning of the night at the CFDA Awards, the actress shared a makeup-free selfie where she delved into some of her old beauty habits.
Earlier this week, the star praised her makeup artist Carolina González, who she worked with for the CFDA Awards.
After posting what her makeup looked like at the start of the night, the actress shared a makeup-free selfie where she delved into some of her old beauty habits.
She joked: “(I’ve accepted) that (I’m) a millennial girl, who in high school used to wear lip gloss with alarming amounts of chili peppers in it to be chubby because we were SO into bad ideas.”
Joseph added: “By showing more of his everyday life, his quirky sense of humor and behind-the-scenes moments on social media, he is indicating that he is not just a Hollywood star, but someone who is in touch with his fans and is capable to laugh”. to herself.
‘Following the backlash from It Ends With Us, she leaned towards a closer, more realistic image to reconnect with her audience. The “identifiable rebranding” is a smart move for someone like Blake, who has built a career on being seen as approachable yet glamorous.
Pictured: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds PR expert Joseph Hagan said: “Her relatable rebrand is probably her team’s way of course-correcting and emphasizing her authenticity, her love-loving personality. fun and her marriage to the highly relatable Ryan to bring the focus back to the traits people most admire about her.
Blake Lively is seen attending the 2024 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Blake’s appearance at the CFDA Awards was her first since the Ends With Us backlash.
A source told DailyMail.com that she is “definitely saddened by the hate she is receiving and is trying not to let it get to her, but it is what it is.”
“She thought this was her time to shine, but now she sees it as the end of her career. She fears no one will want to work with her after this.
The source added: “She really wants to continue producing, directing and acting, but knows she needs to step back for a minute to re-evaluate the future.”
A separate source reported People“At first she felt very vulnerable and upset. During the promotion of the film not a day went by that she wasn’t in the news in an unfavorable light. She’s just not used to this kind of drama.
While the drama “seemed out of control for her,” Lively still “enjoys working and will continue to push forward with projects she’s excited about.”