Blake Lively’s hair care brand launch during ‘It Ends With Us’ release wasn’t intentional, say sources

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Blake Lively has been at the receiving end of criticism from fans as the timing of her hair care brand launch coincided with the release of her latest film ‘It Ends With Us’. 

While the 36-year-old actress has often been slammed for promoting her brands - Betty Booze, Betty Buzz, and the newly launched haircare brand Blake Brown, sources have disclosed that Lively initially did not want the time of brand launch and movie release to coincide. 

Lively’s beauty brand launch coincided with the release of ‘It Ends With Us’ because of the movie's premiere delay, not the other way around.

Blake Lively’s movie release and hair care brand launch coincided

Blake Lively’s film ‘It Ends With Us’ opened at theaters on August 9 where the ‘Gossip Girl’ alum essays the role of flower shop owner Lily Bloom. 

However, when the mother-of-four was promoting the film, she was often criticized for promoting her hair care brand Blake Brown, and not talking about the poignant theme of the motion picture based on Colleen Hoover’s novel. 

Per Entertainment Weekly, it wasn’t pre-planned. The outlet reported that it was, in fact, the premiere delay that coincided with the previously fixed launch date of the hair care brand. 

Initially, the controversy of Lively dovetailing her hair care brand promotion with the film promotion was stoked following a New York Times article that talked about the "many ways" in which "'It Ends With Us' is a brand-building exercise for Lively".

A source recently revealed to the outlet that the film was initially scheduled for a Valentine’s Day release but was then delayed to June. It was further delayed to ultimately premiere in August. 

However, her hair care debut was pre-planned for an August release from the beginning itself. 

The ‘Sisterhood of Traveling pants’ actress launched Blake Brown on Instagram when she was on the ‘It Ends With Us’ press tour. For the promotion of her brand, Lively opened a pop-up store in New York with the name ‘Betty Blooms’. 

Per The Times, promotional emails were also sent out explaining "how to make 'It Ends With Us'-inspired cocktails using Betty Buzz". The ingredient list also included Ryan Reynolds’ brand, Aviation Gin. 

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's on-set feud

Hair care brand controversy was not the only thing that Blake Lively faced during the promotion of 'It Ends With Us'. After Lively and 'It Ends With Us' director and actor Justin Baldoni did not pose for pictures together during the August 6 premiere of the movie in New York, speculations were building regarding a probable feud between the two stars. 

Soon, a source made a bombshell claim to Daily Mail, saying that the 'Jane the Virgin' actor was "dismissive" of Lively's inputs on the scenes of domestic violence. They claimed Baldoni even showed "borderline chauvinistic" behavior toward Lively. 

However, now a source is sharing with Us Weekly that tension simmered between Lively and Baldoni from the first day of shooting. 

The source shared, "There were two camps on the film — team Blake and team Justin. This creative struggle set the tone for the negative experience behind the scenes and grew into them not speaking anymore."

The insider continued, "[Justin] was made to feel that his vision wasn’t as important as Blake’s, and it stifled the creativity on set." 

While another source claimed, Lively "does not have a good opinion" of Baldoni.