With all the media attention surroundingBlake Lively’s feud with Justin Baldoni, it’s easy to forget that she still has an acting career. With the latest offering on that front beingAnother Simple Favor,many fans have noticed that this budding franchise’s premise is similar to roles she’s played before, especially inAge of Adaline. Given the back-and-forth accusations between her and Justin Baldoni, Lively’s many newfound detractors also point out that the actress may be more similar to her characters than she initially seemed.
That’s becauseAnother Simple Favorand its predecessor were about a seemingly mysterious woman who ultimately carried many secrets that made her far from what she appeared to be. Many have pointed that lens at the actress personally inthe wake of allegationsthat have cast aspersions against her. Whatever the truth behind that whole saga,Another Simple Favordoes echoAge of Adaline, at least as it pertains to playing a character that keeps many secrets from the past.
‘Another Simple Favor’ and ‘Age of Adaline’ Are More Similar Than They Seem
Another Simple Favor
In bothSimple Favorfilms, Blake Lively plays an intrinsically fascinating but also sketchy and mysterious character named Emily Nelson. She appears to be dripping in natural elegance, charm, and an innate coolness. However, it later becomes apparent through some shocking twists thatshe has some very dark secretsand appears to be anything but the put-together family woman she seemed to be to her best friend Stephanie (Anna Kendrick). The movie begins to peel back some layers when Emily disappears.
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However, in another very enthralling Blake Lively film,The Age of Adaline,she also plays a woman who hasmany secrets lurking in the past. However, this time, the secrets have a far less sinister reason. The titular character she plays in the film doesn’t age. To avoid the inevitable attention and possible danger from people learning this fact, she must leave her old life behind before it becomes obvious that she’s not like everyone else.
The Characters Have Very Contrasting Fortunes
After beingrendered ageless by a car accident, Adaline Bowman remarkably stays 29 years old for over 80 years. After finding a routine that helps her blend in and have some semblance of a normal life, an unexpected complication arises when she meets a man she doesn’t want to leave behind.All these factors make her secrets inTheAge of Adalinetragic, and therein lies the key difference that distinguishes this character from Emily.
In contrast, Emily is a dark character with everything from secret family members to a potential criminal history. However, how she’s able to keep up a charming and stylish front makes all of this more shocking to Stephanie. Emily’s character traits took on new meaning amid Lively’s off-screen controversies, with some detractors questioning whether she was more like her on-screen persona than she let on.
However, the film’s director, Paul Feig, known for his work on hit films likeBridesmaids,was quick to come to his star’s defense, withPeoplenoting that he once said about her:
Blake is just the sweetest kind of Earth Mother. But she can snap into this character and just be so biting and asserting and scary but funny at the same time.
Blake Lively’s Off-Screen Drama Overshadows Her Recent Work
Given all theIt Ends With Usdrama, many feel thatthe Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni sagais an unnecessary distraction. Regardless of which side of the aisle you’re on, what is clear is that right now, both Blake Lively and hubby Ryan Reynolds ought to be on top of the world and not dealing with the almost daily barrage of negative press that keeps cropping up every time there’s a new piece of the story that breaks.
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Fans are making comparisons to her character and the real-life drama Lively currently finds herself in.
After all, with the release ofAnother Simple Favorfollowing on the heels of what could have just been celebrated as a mostly successful outing withIt Ends with Us,there’s no doubt what a multi-faceted talent she is. There’s also the fact that, betweenher and Reynolds, they’ve forged a colossal empire of successful business interests, and everything they touch seems to turn to gold. Even Reynolds’ UK soccer club is proof of this.
Wrexham A.F.C. made historyby becoming the first league team to win three successive promotions, which now sees them one more promotion away from playing in the coveted Premier League. The enormous success and admiration the pair have achieved through their respective careers and business dealings have made them a force. However,much of that has now been overshadowed by the ongoing drama with Baldoni and Livelybeing called out for everything from allegations of being dishonest to even undermining the #MeToo Movement.
WithAnother Simple Favorso far seeing mixed to somewhat favorable reviews, one can only wonder how different things could have been for Lively if the world were focusing on her acting skills alone. Instead, it sometimes feels like the internet slams herfor some new faux pasevery other week.Another Simple Favoris currently streaming onPrime Video.
