Blake Lively Was 'Surprised' by 'It Ends With Us' Backlash and Drama, Shares Source: 'She Felt Very Vulnerable and Upset'

Blake Lively wasn't expecting the debut of her movie It Ends With Us to go the way it did.

According to a source, the actress was "pretty surprised at the backlash and drama" that ensued following the flick's August 9 premiere.

"She initially felt very vulnerable and upset. During the promotion of the movie, not one day went by when she was not in the news in an unfavorable light," the insider noted to a news outlet.

"She's just not used to this kind of drama," the source added, noting the situation "felt out of control to her."

Nonetheless, the blonde beauty, 37, "enjoys working and will continue to push forward projects that she's excited about."

As OK! reported, there was tension between star and director Justin Baldoni and Lively due to creative differences and offscreen ordeals. Several other cast members were allegedly not a fan of Baldoni either, and though the Jane the Virgin alum, 40, and the actress play love interests in the film, they never once posed on the red carpet together.

The situation led to people resurfacing old controversial interviews with the mom-of-four, with fans claiming she often exhibited rude behavior. Journalist Kjersti Flaa's 2016 chat with Lively went viral, as she admitted it made her want to "quit" her job.

In the clip, Lively hit back at questions and appeared to ignore the reporter, but the most shocking moment came when Flaa congratulated the Gossip Girl alum on her "little bump," as at the time, it was revealed she and husband Ryan Reynolds were expecting their second child together.

Instead of thanking her, Lively replied, "Congratulations on your little bump," though Flaa wasn't pregnant.

Flaa then revealed all these years later that she's infertile, so the Betty Buzz founder's words left her feeling "almost paralyzed."

"To be honest, it hurts because I obviously wasn’t pregnant and I could never get pregnant," she explained. "So to me that comment was like a bullet."

Lively was then slammed for using a transgender slur multiple times in the past and acting snarky toward other journalists.

In addition, the flick was criticized for the way they handled promotion, as some felt they were pitching it as a fun romantic flick even though it centers on an abusive relationship.

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A few days after the movie's premiere, Lively posted a message that included a link to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

"Thank you to everyone who came to show that people WANT to see films about women, and the multitudes we hold. It Ends With Us is a story of the female experience. All the highest highs, and the lowest lows. And we are so proud of it," she said. "We have been in celebration of this film and of getting a message so important out there to the masses."

People spoke to the source about Lively being shocked over the drama.