It Ends With Us star Brandon Sklenar reveals the personal reason that prompted him to speak out about the ongoing controversy between co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Adapted from Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, It Ends With Us received mixed reviews upon release, but was a box office hit, and stars Sklenar, Lively, and Baldoni (who also directed), whose characters become embroiled in a toxic love triangle. The movie explores themes of domestic violence and emotional abuse but has been overshadowed by a brutal ongoing lawsuit between Lively and Baldoni after the former accused the latter of Sєxual harᴀssment.

Now, per CBS News, Sklenar speaks out as he feels the important themes explored in the movie have been unfortunately overshadowed by the ongoing drama between his co-stars. He goes on to reveal that someone close to him in his personal life has had similar experiences to what the movie touches on, so it was important to him that those themes remained front and center for people. Check out the 1923 star’s full comments below:

“I just want people to remember why we made the movie in the first place and what it stands for, and just keeping the focus on that. That movie meant so much to me and I have someone very, very close to me in my life who’s going through what Lily’s going through for a long time, and I’ve been on the front lines helping her navigate that space.

So that movie meant a lot to me and it means a lot to her, this person in my life, and it was one of the reasons that me doing that film gave her the strength to change her life. It’s unfortunate that things get taken away from what the ethos of that thing is, and it gets convoluted.”

What Sklenar’s Comments Mean For It Ends With Us’ Legacy

The Movie Has An Important Message

Sklenar’s comments reveal the issues that a lot of people have with the ongoing Lively-Baldoni legal feud – it detracts from the thematic importance of the film. On the one hand, it could be argued that movies exist solely as entertainment and that people should not pay too much attention to them. However, the other side of this is that art represents a great way of being able to explore life, and the struggles that people face, and a movie like It Ends With Us can help those suffering from domestic abuse feel empowered to speak out and take charge of their lives.

Sklenar previously voiced his support for Lively in the wake of her allegations but has also been quick to try to shift focus back to the movie, and its themes. The problem is that the longer these legal issues continue, the more they are likely to detract from the point and purpose of the movie, and this is something that Sklenar seemingly regrets. However, over time, the movie will endure, and there is hope that its message will shift more into focus in the coming years.

Our Take On Sklenar’s It Ends With Us Comments

The Movie Will Forever Be ᴀssociated With Its Director

There is the hope that over time, the themes explored in It Ends With Us will come to the forefront, but there is an issue. Regardless of how the legal drama between Lively and Baldoni pans out, the director’s ᴀssociation with the movie makes it a no-go for a lot of people. Of course, if an It Ends With Us sequel ever materializes, it is unlikely Baldoni would be involved, and this would provide a good way to explore these themes again, in a way that will not detract from the message, as has happened in the case of It Ends With Us.

Source: CBS News