The director of Blake Lively's new movie has spoken out after rumors circulated that the actress is feuding with her co-star, Anna Kendrick.
Lively and Kendrick, both 37, have come together once again for the sequel to their 2018 crime-comedy thriller, A Simple Favor.
The highly anticipated follow-up, Another Simple Favor, is directed by Paul Feig and follows Stephanie (played by Kendrick) and Emily (played by Lively) as they travel to Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a wealthy Italian businessman.
The actresses and the director, alongside cast member Henry Golding, all appeared at the film's debut at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday (March 7).
During the premiere, the Pitch Perfect star sparked speculation of a rift between her and her co-star after her less-than-enthusiastic reaction when asked about reuniting with Lively after seven years.
Kendrick simply replied: “Oh, you know...” before walking away, a stark contrast to Lively’s enthusiastic reaction to the same question. The Gossip Girl alum beamed, saying: “Oh, it’s the best, I’m so happy."
As clips of their responses circulated online, fans speculated that the actresses were feuding. The rumors gained traction after YouTuber Melanie King shared a photo of the duo, claiming that Lively appeared “terrified to walk the carpet” and that Kendrick “never wants to work with [Lively] again.”
Feig, however, was quick to shut down the claims. The 62-year-old filmmaker directly responded the following day, writing: “Um … you’re wrong.”
Despite the online rumors, Kendrick has previously expressed appreciation for working with Lively. The Woman of the Hour actress told PEOPLE in October that reuniting with her co-star was "lovely".
“She lives on the East Coast, I live on the West Coast, so we don't get to see each other often,” Kendrick explained. “But it was lovely, and I think that those characters have such weird chemistry that it's so fun to just get the gang back together. And it does feel a little bit like riding a bike.”
A source also confirmed earlier this year that there “really is no drama or rift” between the two actresses.
The Another Simple Favor SXSW premiere marked Lively’s first major solo public appearance since her legal dispute with It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni surfaced.
Lively accused her It Ends With Us co-star/director of sexual harassment, alleging that he fat-shamed her, showed her inappropriate images, and launched a smear campaign against her.
The 41-year-old actor has since hit back with a $400 million countersuit, claiming that Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, 48, tried to “destroy” his career.
The legal battle is ongoing and scheduled to go to trial in March 2026.
Another Simple Favor will be available to stream on Prime Video beginning May 1.