"That was a total happenstance” - Brandon Sklenar reacts to wearing same brooch as Justin Baldoni at Oscars afterparty

Brandon Sklenar, the 34-year-old Hollywood star, was spotted accessorizing supposedly the same pink-toned brooch at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 2, 2025, as Justin Baldoni styled at the It Ends With Us premiere in New York hosted seven months ago.

Brandon Sklenar walked the SXSW Film & TV Festival red carpet on March 9. He spoke to People and addressed the much-talked-about incident of wearing the same brooch as Baldoni,

"That was a total happenstance."

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Here's how Brandon Sklenar reacted to pinning the same brooch as Justin Baldoni

Netizens quickly identified the resemblance of their pins and reacted to it. Sklenar responded to the brooch-twinning moment with his co-star and replied to a question about whether his wearing a pin similar to Justin's had any particular reason or meaning.

Sharing that wearing it had no hidden meaning, he said:

"I woke up in the morning and saw an article and I was like, 'Oh, damn' I literally had no idea."

Recalling more on why he chose that particular pink floral pin, he said,

"I had an idea I wanted to wear like a floral brooch of some kind and that was the color that I liked the best. And, lo and behold, someone also wore that prior to me wearing it."

It Ends With Us, the much-talked-about 2024 movie, is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel that goes by the same name. Brandon Sklenar was seen as the on-screen character of Atlas Corrigan, childhood love interest of the female protagonist Lily Bloom, portrayed by Blake Lively.

On the other hand, Justin Baldoni was seen playing the role of Ryle Kincaid, the male protagonist. He portrayed the complex character of a neurosurgeon and Lily's love interest. Additionally, he directed and produced the film.

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Who is Brandon Sklenar supporting in the legal conflict between Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni?

Seeing Brandon Sklenar wear the same pin at the Oscars afterparty as Justin Baldoni raised speculation among fans, as many try to see beyond his look and analyze why he chose to wear it.

While Brandon was seen initially extending his support for Lively and later choosing to not take sides between his co-stars, his stance of wearing the same floral pin fueled assumptions.

During the Vanity Fair Oscars event, he spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and was asked

"Blake Lively...How are you hoping to support her during this time?"

The It Ends With Us actor carefully answered the question without delving much into taking sides and choosing someone in particular.

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

Though Brandon Sklenar is standing neutral in his recent interviews, he voiced his support for Blake Lively last year. He backed her by encouraging people to read her official complaint, in which she accused Justin of s*xual harassment.