Anna Kendrick vs. Blake Lively: Behind the Scenes of a Hollywood Rivalry That Refuses to Die

Hollywood thrives on glamour, red carpets, and carefully rehearsed smiles — but sometimes those smiles hide years of tension, subtle digs, and whispered rivalries. And when it comes to Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, fans are convinced the mask has officially slipped.

What started as playful banter during the press tour for A Simple Favor back in 2018 has now snowballed into a saga of muted Instagram accounts, “mean girl energy,” behind-the-scenes blowups, and a looming legal scandal that threatens to drag both stars into the Hollywood mud pit. With the sequel Another Simple Favor on the way, the tension is reportedly worse than ever, and this time Anna Kendrick seems determined to distance herself from her co-star once and for all.

Old Interviews Resurface — Fans Spot the Shade

It began innocently enough. Internet detectives started digging up old interviews from the 2018 A Simple Favor press tour. At the time, most fans brushed off the awkward comments between Kendrick and Lively as harmless jokes. But now, with Blake Lively battling a high-profile legal feud with director Justin Baldoni, those old clips are being seen in a much darker light.

One resurfaced moment shows Blake describing Kendrick as “an egomaniac” while Anna pretends to pep-talk her. In another, Blake “appreciates” Anna’s compliments but in a tone fans now believe was loaded with sarcasm.

Then there’s Anna’s infamous comment about muting people on Instagram. When asked if she ever blocks people, she casually admitted to muting “a couple people” — and fans are convinced that was a direct jab at Blake. At the time, it was brushed off as a joke. Now? It feels like a confession.

One fan summed up the energy perfectly: “Why do I feel like Blake and Anna were trying too hard to act like they got along? The fake vibes are strong.”

Behind the Scenes: From Awkward Banter to Full-Blown Feud

The tension wasn’t just in the interviews. According to a tip sent to the Celebrity Memoir Book Club podcast, insiders claim the two actresses “hated each other” by the time A Simple Favor wrapped filming. The studio allegedly had to sit both women down and insist they act friendly in public because the tension was becoming too obvious.

A Lionsgate staffer reportedly revealed that Anna was “really competitive” with Blake, demanding more promotional exposure and even insisting her bust be Photoshopped to appear equal to Blake’s in posters. Producers described the atmosphere as “unbearable,” saying they had to shoot around the hostility.

Fans also unearthed clips where Blake visibly recoiled when Anna touched her during interviews, body language experts pointing to discomfort, competitiveness, and barely restrained frustration. “Blake looks like she wants to punch Anna in the face,” one fan bluntly observed after rewatching an old interview.

The infamous BuzzFeed segment didn’t help either. Blake recalled arriving late to set one morning while Anna had already been waiting an hour. Anna’s deadpan response? “That was the day I decided I hate you.” The joke didn’t land quite so lightly in hindsight.

Anna Kendrick’s Quiet Distance — “Justice for Justin”

Fast-forward to 2025. With Justin Baldoni suing Blake Lively and allegations swirling of her “mean girl” behavior on set, Anna Kendrick seems to be making her stance clear.

Presenting the Best Director award at the BAFTAs earlier this year, Kendrick gave a speech about respecting directors — a remark fans immediately interpreted as shade toward Lively. After all, Blake has been accused of meddling with A Simple Favor’s final cut and trying to impose her vision over the director’s.

On social media, fans didn’t hold back: “When Anna said, ‘we all respect directors,’ the quiet part was ‘except Blake.’”

The shade only fueled speculation that Anna is firmly in Justin Baldoni’s corner, aligning herself against Blake in a feud that has already spilled into court filings and public mudslinging.

Poster Wars: The Pettiest Power Move in Hollywood

If the press tour awkwardness wasn’t enough, fans have now zeroed in on the Another Simple Favor movie poster — and the discovery has set the internet ablaze.

While Anna Kendrick’s name appears first, Blake Lively’s name is positioned slightly higher on the poster, as though looming above Kendrick’s. To casual viewers it might seem like nothing, but to fans already invested in this feud, it was proof of Blake pulling “one last shady power move.”

“Anna has been in 50 films, Blake in 25. Anna’s films have grossed twice as much. Why is Blake’s name floating above hers?” one fan ranted on TikTok. “This was obviously Blake’s demand. She’ll do anything to be higher than someone else.”

The industry term is “staggered billing,” a compromise when two stars both want top credit. But fans believe the higher placement was anything but innocent. As one viral post put it: “We’ve seen what this demon is out here doing in these streets. Of course she demanded her name be higher.”

Mean Girl Allegations and a Crew Member’s Exit

The drama doesn’t end there. When Henry Golding, their co-star from the first A Simple Favor, promoted the sequel on Instagram, an assistant director from the original film left a shocking comment.

Barbara Seaman revealed that she quit the film industry altogether because of Blake’s treatment. “She was cruel to many,” the AD wrote. “I cried my way home many nights because you try so hard to please someone who is never pleased and puts you down constantly.”

Though she quickly deleted the comment, fans screenshotted it, interpreting her remarks as further proof of Lively’s alleged behind-the-scenes cruelty. “Karma is real,” she concluded — a remark many took as a nod to the ongoing Baldoni lawsuit.

The Legal Battle That’s Dragging Everyone In

Blake’s feud with Justin Baldoni has escalated into a full-on legal war. She has subpoenaed two and a half years of his phone and internet records, claiming he orchestrated a smear campaign against her.

Legal experts, however, say it’s a desperate “fishing expedition” with little chance of success. “A colonoscopy would be less invasive than what they’re asking for,” one commentator quipped.

For Anna Kendrick, this lawsuit presents a nightmare scenario. Already reluctant to engage in public drama, she now risks being collateral damage. Sources say she’s lobbying to do press for Another Simple Favor alone, preferring to avoid questions about Blake’s legal mess altogether.

As one insider bluntly put it: “These movies are basically all Anna and Blake have in common. They’re co-workers, not friends. And Anna wants out.”

Fan Backlash and Boycott Fears

The controversy is already bleeding into fan reception. When the new poster was released, some Kendrick fans openly suggested boycotting the film in order to avoid “supporting Blake.”

Anna herself was reportedly shaken by the backlash. Sources say she’s “not used to being caught up in drama” and was upset by comments suggesting she was “collateral damage” in Blake’s downfall.

The promotional campaign, originally planned as a joint tour, is now in flux. Blake is contractually obligated to promote the film but is free to decide the extent of her involvement. Anna, meanwhile, is bracing to carry the film’s marketing largely on her own.

What Happens Next?

With Another Simple Favor slated for release in May 2025, the tension between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively is already overshadowing the movie itself. Instead of celebrating the stylish, twisted sequel fans were excited for, the conversation has shifted almost entirely to feuds, lawsuits, and poster placements.

For Kendrick, this is dangerous territory. She has built a reputation as Hollywood’s witty, approachable “girl next door,” rarely caught in controversy. Being linked too closely to Lively’s ongoing scandals threatens to drag her image into the mud.

For Lively, the stakes are even higher. If the lawsuit against Baldoni falls apart — and if more insiders step forward with horror stories — her brand as a glamorous, effortlessly charming A-lister could take a fatal blow.

At this point, the rivalry between Kendrick and Lively feels less like Hollywood gossip and more like a storm cloud that refuses to move. What began as awkward banter during interviews has grown into a battle over billing, a toxic on-set reputation, and now, collateral damage from one of Hollywood’s messiest lawsuits.

The real question isn’t whether Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively can ever be friends again. It’s whether they can even survive promoting a movie together without the entire press tour turning into a reality show episode.

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