‘It Ends With Us,’ starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, premiered Aug 9

Jana Kramer criticized the conversation around Blake Lively’s newest film, “It Ends With Us,” as a survivor of domestic violence.

“I would love the messaging to go to [domestic violence] with media, instead of talking about riffs and everything else. The movie is about domestic violence,” Kramer explained during an episode of her “Whine Down” podcast. 

The 40-year-old country singer was seemingly referencing the most popular topic since the release of the Colleen Hoover book-turned-movie – the alleged drama happening between Lively and her co-star Justin Baldoni.

While Kramer hadn’t seen the movie due to the inclusion of domestic violence, she claimed she thought the film was a “rom-com, bring your girls to the movie” type of situation from the promotion.

“Then I started hearing stuff about the interviews, and for me, I was just, like, it made me sad because I just want the messaging to be about domestic violence and how to help people and how to get help,” she explained.

Kramer specifically took issue with a comment Lively made during an interview with the BBC ahead of the Aug. 9 premiere, when the actress emphasized that domestic violence doesn’t “define” her character, Lily.

“It’s hard for people to talk about domestic violence when they haven’t, themselves, been, in real life, had the hands of domestic violence on them,” Kramer said. 

“So, for people to say it doesn’t define you, it does define you… It has made me who I am. And though people can say, ‘It doesn’t define you,’ it is one of the biggest pieces of me, is domestic violence, and has been the biggest thread in my life.”

Kramer experienced domestic violence at the hands of her first husband, Michael Gambino. The two were married for less than a year. 

“So, for people to say it doesn’t define you, it does define you… It has made me who I am. And though people can say, ‘It doesn’t define you,’ it is one of the biggest pieces of me, is domestic violence, and has been the biggest thread in my life.”

— Jana Kramer

“I had my head bashed into bathroom mirrors countless times and was choked and shoved on a weekly basis. Almost every morning around 3 o’clock, he would throw me out of bed after coming home from a rager at a club,” Kramer wrote in her book, “The Next Chapter.” “Toward the end of our, let’s just call it, courtship, I was his rag doll. I was so depressed and scared, and all I wanted was an out, but I was trapped.”

Gambino was convicted of premeditated attempted murder in 2005 after he nearly choked Kramer to death. He was sentenced to six years in prison and later died by suicide in 2012.

While “It Ends With Us” hit the box office with impressive numbers, the promotional tour was met with speculation of drama between Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Baldoni – who directed and starred in the film.

Fans took to TikTok and other social media platforms to share theories behind peculiar aspects of the press tour. Baldoni largely did his portion of the press tour solo despite being the lead alongside Lively. While many found this odd, the “Jane the Virgin” star spent time praising Lively.

Additionally, Baldoni and Lively did not pose together for any photos at the premiere of the film. Typically, the entire cast will take photos together and stars portraying romantic partners will also pose for some shots.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal