Yellowstone actor defends It Ends With Us co-stars after controversy

Following weeks of controversy, It Ends With Us star Brandon Sklenar has released a statement to condemn the “vilifying” of his female co-stars.

Sklenar, who also stars in the Yellowstone spinoff 1923, plays Atlas Corrigan in the new movie – the ex-love of protagonist Lily Bloom. It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, was a polarizing adaptation from the start, with the book’s themes centering around domestic violence.

As such, fans were quick to point to the strange dynamics of the cast during the marketing stage, with many noting the seemingly strained relationship between the rest of the stars and director Justin Baldoni.

The bulk of the criticism turned to Blake Lively, who received backlash for her lighthearted marketing style, as well as her simultaneous promotion of her hair care brand, Blake Brown. On top of this, old interviews have resurfaced, with fans dubbing Lively as a “mean girl.”

Given the movie’s sensitive subject matter, passionate reactions from fans were inevitable. With the majority of negative comments being aimed towards Lively and Hoover, co-star Sklenar posted a statement to Instagram on August 20 to defend them.

Brandon Sklenar’s statement

He wrote: “Colleen and the women of this cast stand for hope, perseverance, and for women choosing a better life for themselves.

“Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about. It is, in fact, the opposite of the point.”

He added: “What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from what our intentions were in making this film. It’s been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online.”

@brandonsklenar

The star went on to add how someone “close” to him had also struggled with a relationship “that has mirrored Lily’s closely.” He noted that he felt a responsibility to “help spread that message further”, and adds that his friend “credits Colleen’s book and subsequently this film with saving her life.”

“Trust me when I tell you, there isn’t a single person Involved in the making of this film that was not aware of the responsibility we had in making this,” he continued. “A responsibility to all the women who have experienced generational trauma — Domestic abuse — or struggle with looking in the mirror and loving who they see.

“The movie is a harsh reality check for the men who need to get their sh*t together and take responsibility for themselves and their actions.

“This film is meant to inspire. It’s meant to validate and recognize. It’s meant to instill hope. It’s meant to build courage and help people feel less alone. Ultimately, it’s meant to spread love and awareness. It is not meant to once again, make the women the ‘bad guy’, let’s move beyond that together.”

“All I ask is that before you spread hate on the internet, ask yourself who it’s helping. Ask yourself if your opinions are based in any fact. Or if you simply want to be a part of something,” he concluded.

“Let’s be a part of something better together. A part of a new story being written for women and all people everywhere. Lead with Love and please be kind. Brandon.”

For more, check out our It Ends With Us review. You can also take a look at all the best movies of 2024 so far, and find out what the highest-grossing movies of the year are.