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Brandon Sklenar was also one of the stars of It Ends With Us.
The controversial film was a box office success. The ensuing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has overshadowed that.
Ahead of the theatrical release, many cast members seemed to be avoiding Baldoni. It was one of the first indicators to fans that something had gone very wrong on set.
How does Sklenar feel about his costars?
Is Brandon Sklenar weighing in on Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal battle?
On Monday, February 17, Brandon Sklenar appeared as a guest on CBS Mornings. Six months ago, he was there with Blake Lively to promote It Ends With Us. Now … things are different.
Ostensibly, Sklenar was there to discuss the Paramount+ 1923 series. (CBS and Paramount+ are both Viacom properties)
However, naturally, Sklenar faced the question of whether he is “Team Justin” or “Team Blake.” (For the record, when one party is accused of sexual misconduct and then running a DARVO smear campaign against his victim, treating it like a 2008 Disney starlet feud seems wildly inappropriate!)
“I’m Team It Ends With Us,” Sklenar offered as a diplomatic reply.
“I just want people to remember why we made the movie in the first place,” he emphasized, “and what it stands for, just keeping the focus on that.”
Sklenar then expressed: “That movie meant so much to me.”
‘It Ends With Us’ meant so much to Brandon Sklenar
“I have someone very, very close to me in my life who’s gone through what Lily’s going through for a long time,” Sklenar revealed. “And I’ve been on the front lines helping her navigate that space.”
He explained: “So that movie meant a lot to me and it means a lot to her, this person in my life. Me doing that film gave her the strength to change her life.”
Sklenar continued: “Yeah, it means a lot to me. It’s unfortunate that things get taken away from what the ethos of that thing is, it gets convoluted.”
Not all survivors of domestic abuse — or their loved ones — feel that It Ends With Us is important in that way.
The book was already polarizing, particularly for its ending.
Long before the horrible allegations about Baldoni’s on-set behavior, the film was mired in controversy.
Is ‘It Ends With Us’ really that helpful to victims of domestic abuse?
It Ends With Us tells a generally realistic story of domestic violence.
But the main character’s decision to not only allow her abuser to have an uncontested role in their child’s life but to live together ahead of childbirth is … a choice.
To be blunt, in real life, moving back in with an abuser is dangerous. Doing so while pregnant can be even more so.
That said, the film is more than its ending. To some, seeing an eerily familiar story play out on screen can provide a guidebook on how to make better choices than Blake Lively’s character did. And we’re sure that a friend seeing Brandon Sklenar in the film was a life-changing moment. Some films are worth it if they help just one person.
