Once upon a time Blake Lively, Gossip Girl's beloved Serena van der Woodsen, symbolised a painstakingly perfect style that grabbed several magazine and gravure headlines. This race for more press coverage seems to have become dangerous for the actress today. In fact, Blake herself has been at the centre of a wave of criticism for a few days now that seems unstoppable.
What has happened? What led the Upper East Side icon to become the target of the web? The answer is complex and reflects how much the celebrity landscape has changed in recent years.
The "It Ends With Us" case
The recent discontent around Blake reached its peak with the promotion of "It Ends With Us", the film based on Colleen Hoover's bestseller and released in Italian cinemas on 21 August. Lively, chosen for the role of the protagonist, has been accused of turning the character into a caricature and disrespectful image. The plot brings to light, through the protagonist couple's story, the issue of domestic violence.
Fans of the book expressed their disappointment on social media, judging her portrayal out of place and far from the spirit of the novel. In fact, according to the social media, during the promotion, the actress spoke marginally and superficially about this serious issue. The accusation levelled at her is therefore that of having given very little importance to such a social scourge.
But the criticism did not stop there. Expectations on this adaptation were high and the general perception is that Blake failed to capture the essence of her character, triggering an avalanche of negative comments and viral memes. In an age when audiences are so demanding, such a misjudgement seems to cost dearly.
@yana217_ Is she cj so cool? #itendswithus #itendswithusmovie #iewucoho #colleenhoover #itstartswithus #blakelively #justinbaldoni ♬ original sound - yanaa
The social blacklash
Social media, which had once elected her among the queens of Hollywood, are now an enemy. Images from the set of "It Ends With Us" made the rounds of the internet, accompanied and in an instant, Blake found herself engulfed in an unprecedented media storm.
How blurred is the line between admiration and hatred in the digital age? Blake, who in the past had been able to use social media to build her image as a strong and independent woman, now finds herself facing a storm that challenges that very image.
So where does the problem lie?
So much animosity towards Blake Lively. One possible answer lies in changing public expectations. Whereas the actress was once seen as a model of style and sophistication, today her artistic and personal choices are scrutinised with unprecedented severity. Audiences are no longer only looking for beauty and talent, but also for authenticity and consistency with contemporary values.
@tismejackieg Virgo energy I fear (it’s me, I’m a virgo) #blakelively #blakelivelyedit #blakelivelyinterview #itendswithus #blakebrown #ryanrenolds #moviepremiere #lipreadinggirl #lipreading #deaf #deaftok #lipreading #deaf #deafcan #deafcommunity #deafculture #deafworld #deafawareness #deafyounglife #hardofhearing #hoh #signlanguage #tismejackieg ♬ original sound - Sofia Richie Grainge
Despite the criticism, there are those who still hope for Blake Lively's redemption, perhaps with a return to roles that highlight her best qualities. However, to do so, she may have to face a significant change of direction, both in her choice of projects and in the management of her public image.
.jpg)