Former View star Meghan McCain had some words about how Blake Lively has been promoting her movie It Ends with Us—a story about a woman grappling with domestic abuse.
“If you’re taking on the responsibility of telling the story about a woman in a domestic violence situation, you have to be respectful that you’re representing millions and millions of women and men who are victims of domestic violence,” McCain said on Wednesday’s episode of her Citizen McCain podcast, referring to a promotional clip where Lively suggested women see the film. “I was very surprised at some of her responses.”
The 39-year-old added, “I think the tone she’s setting in a lot of the press with this, saying, ‘Put on your florals and come together, girls.’”
The Age of Adaline star, known for her upbeat demeanor and comedic rapport with her husband, Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds, has been accused of taking a misguided approach to promoting the movie—which is based on the bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover and covers themes of domestic violence and abuse.
In the film, Lively’s character, Lily Bloom, becomes involved with an abusive man, Ryle Kincaid, played by director Justin Baldoni—who was rumored to have an ongoing feud with his co-star.
However, during her movie tour, Lively encouraged cinemagoers to “bring their florals,” echoing the “wear pink” trend around Barbie last year, while avoiding explicit mentions of domestic violence.
McCain expressed her discomfort with this approach, saying, “I don’t want to put florals on and go with my girlfriends to watch a fun girl movie about domestic violence,” calling the suggestion “very insensitive and, quite frankly, strange.”
McCain then shifted the conversation to more personal criticism of Lively, admitting, “I don’t understand why she’s famous other than Gossip Girl and being married to Ryan Reynolds,” adding, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything she’s actually in.”
“I’m also just f***ing sick of hearing about Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively,” McCain confessed toward the end of her commentary. “I’m sick of hearing about them, and I think that’s a dangerous spot for any celebrity.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.