How Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick Reacted to A Simple Favor 2 Backlash

Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick have no bad blood ahead of the A Simple Favor 2 release.

“There aren’t any issues between Blake and Anna right now,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively, noting that both actresses “really love” the forthcoming sequel.

Earlier this month, Prime Video announced via Instagram that the highly anticipated movie is set to premiere in March at SXSW with the film hitting the streamer later on May 1. The social media announcement, which revealed the film’s poster, garnered widespread backlash from commenters.

“It disappoints [Lively and Kendrick] to see all the hate online after the movie poster release,” the same insider says before sharing that they plan to “be doing press together.” Both actresses — who starred in 2018’s A Simple Favor — “want fans to focus on the film and not any outside drama,” the source adds.

Lively, 37, is currently facing off against It Ends With Us director and costar Justin Baldoni in a highly publicized legal battle. This ongoing drama was the focus of commenter responses when A Simple Favor 2 was announced. Director Paul Feig even came to Lively’s defense against one social media user. (Feig also denied rumors that Amazon Studios had shelved the project.)

“Is it Paul Feig’s cut or Blake’s cut?” the commenter questioned on February 4, referring to the apparent controversy that Lively made her own cut of It Ends With Us, separate from Baldoni’s.

“It’s my cut. There is no other cut,” he responded. “Blake has been nothing but supportive and a dream to work with. She is the best and an amazing collaborator and I’m her biggest fan. Just wanted to clear that up.”

Lively’s legal battle against Baldoni, 41, started in December 2024 after she filed a complaint against the actor and his Wayfarer Studios production company accusing him of sexual harassment, developing a smear campaign and creating a hostile work environment. She has since filed a lawsuit against Baldoni with similar accusations. (Lively and Baldoni’s teams are set to face off in court starting March 2026.)

Baldoni has vehemently denied Lively’s claims, filing multiple lawsuits of his own. He first sued The New York Times for $250 million in December 2024 after they were the first to publish Lively’s complaint. (The newspaper will “defend against the lawsuit,” they shared in a statement to Us.)

He has also accused Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane of extortion, defamation and false light invasion of privacy, among other claims, suing them for $400 million.

Lively’s legal team called his lawsuit “desperate” in a statement to Us last month and has since sent subpoenas to AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, requesting records for Baldoni, It Ends With Us producer Jamey Heath and Wayfarer Studios cofounder Steve Sarowitz.

“Phone records belonging to all of the individual defendants will expose the full web of individuals who were involved in the smear campaign against Ms. Lively,” reps for Lively told Us. “Such records will provide critical and irrefutable evidence not only about who, but also about when, where, and how their retaliation plan came together and operated.”

Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called the subpoenas “an ordinary part of the litigation,” in his own statement.

“What is extraordinary is what the Lively Parties are seeking. They are asking for every single call, text, data log, and even real-time location information for the past 2.5 years, regardless of the sender, recipient, or subject matter,” he continued. “This massive fishing expedition demonstrates that they are desperately seeking any factual basis for their provably false claims. They will find none.”