Brandon Sklenar takes a neutral stance in the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni drama with a new message

Brandon Sklenar, who appeared alongside Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in the controversial movie It Ends With Us, has spoken out about the controversy surrounding his co-stars with a more neutral tone.

The 34-year-old actor, who stars as Atlas Corrigan in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, was recently approached at an airport and asked if he had any words of encouragement for his It Ends With Us co-stars. Sklenar responded, saying

"lead with love and compassion"

The issues took a sharp turn in December when Blake Lively lodged a complaint accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment on set and launching a smear campaign. In turn, Baldoni launched a $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane. All parties involved in the case deny the allegations against them.

Sklenar first publicly supported Lively, posting a New York Times article about the complaint on his Instagram Story where he added a red heart emoji and tagged Lively. According to the Daily Mail, as the controversy escalated, his public comments grew more restrained.

Brandon Sklenar offered his reaction to Blake Lively's ongoing feud in March at the Vanity Fair Oscars party. Instead of picking a side, he emphasized the film’s message of resilience and empowerment.

"It's a tough situation... I just hope everyone remembers what the movie is about and why we made it in the first place. It's about love and it's about supporting women in general"

He repeated this view when he appeared on CBS Mornings, where the host Gayle King asked him point-blank whether he was “Team Blake or Team Justin.” To which Sklenar replied, “I’m Team It Ends With Us.”

A look into Brandon Sklenar’s journey to fame

Brandon Sklenar was raised in a blue-collar family in New Jersey, where he started working in construction sites with his father at a very young age, which, according to him, instilled in him the work ethic he carries today.

"I come from a lineage of blue-collar workers, and I grew up on a job site, so I started swinging a hammer when I was 10 years old. That just breeds a certain type of thing," he said in a recent interview.

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According to People, Brandon Sklenar left his home when he was just 19 in search of a movie role to play. He filled his résumé with small parts in a series of television shows, including New Girl, and movies like Mapplethorpe.

1923, a prequel series to the hit show Yellowstone, catapulted him into the spotlight, and according to him, it changed his life. Sklenar is now starring in the new thriller Drop, and later this year, he’ll be seen in The Housemaid with Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.

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