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Louise Thomas
Editor
Blake Lively has gushed over the sweetest compliment she’s ever received.
The 36-year-old actor took to Instagram on July 10 to share some behind-the-scenes photos from the screening of her latest movie, It Ends with Us, based on the popular Colleen Hoover book of the same name. In the caption of the post – which included snaps of her getting ready for the event and of her on the red carpet – she revealed the special compliment she recently received, while in the midst of promoting her movie.
“I got maybe the best compliment of my life after this weekend. Someone on social called me a ‘crown straightener,’” Lively wrote, before explaining what the phrase meant: “A woman going around straightening all the women’s crowns around her.”
The Gossip Girl star then shared her biggest takeaway from the compliment, before praising some of the women in her life who’ve supported her.
“It meant so much to me because it’s those invisible things people see that make us all feel best. I learned that we’re all sparkling leaders,” she continued. “Stronger together, from ALL the women in my life, blood and chosen. I am surrounded by crown straighteners.”
Lively then showed her love for the women who joined her at the movie premiere, including her husband Ryan Reynolds’ mother, Tammy Reynolds.
“This weekend alone was packed with that empowering female energy. When I looked back at these pics, I saw it all in action. And it made me feel so lucky and loved,” she added. “From @colleenhoover to her best friend, the powerhouse @tarrynfisher, to my divine mother in law @tamtam1944.”
She also called actor Isabela Ferrer “the most loving and generous person to watch” the movie with, and thanked makeup artist Vivian Baker and hairstylist Jennifer Yepez for making her “feel most beautiful inside and out.”
After praising the women who created the movie, she then applauded the male supporters she’s had in her life, adding: “And the men who show up for us too. We love you.”
In the comments, many fans praised Lively’s message about female empowerment, with many remarking about why they believe she’s a “crown straightener.”
“You lift women up. You support the women around you. More women need to be like you. Believe me. It’s the little things that really make a difference.”
“Love this so much! THIS is the energy we need, to collaborate as women vs tear others down,” another added, while a third wrote: “Absolutely love this. Much deserved compliment from what I can see… Stronger together.”
In It Ends With Us, Lively plays flower shop owner Lily Bloom, who enters an abusive relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, played by Justin Baldoni. The film previously faced immense criticism from the book’s fanbase over its casting.
Fans took issue with the actors’ age difference between the characters they’re playing, as Baldoni’s character was 30 in the book, and Lively’s character was 23. In addition, when photographs from the set circulated online last year, fans expressed their concerns about Lively’s outfits, with many suggesting that Lily Bloom looked vastly different from how she was described in the book.
Hoover later weighed in on this backlash during an interview with Today last year. “I don’t remember describing outfits at all,” she said. “I don’t care what they have on. In my head, it’s about the conversation they’re having and the story. It’s the same way in the movie.”
Regarding the characters’ older ages in the movie versus the book, Hoover explained she decided to do that for the purposes of realism.
“Back when I wrote It Ends With Us, the new adult [genre] was very popular,” she said. “You were writing college-age characters. That’s what I was contracted to do. I didn’t know that neurosurgeons went to school for 50 years. There’s not a 20-something neurosurgeon. As I started making this movie, I’m like: ‘We need to age them out because I messed up.’ So that’s my fault.”
It Ends With Us will hit theaters in the US on August 9, 2024.
