American actress Blake Lively is back from the family wilderness with a bang.
Blake Lively has spent the majority of her marriage to husband Ryan Reynolds concentrating on family time, while, as part of the bargain, he successfully balanced diverse ventures. Their four children, James, Ines, Betty and a baby girl born last February, have benefitted greatly from a synergy which surely stands as one of Hollywood’s best.
However, it’s now time for Lively to get back into her creative stride, this year starring as Lily Bloom in It Ends With Us – a film about a woman overcoming an abusive past, adapted from Colleen Hoover’s 2016 book of the same name. And it’s a role she evidently takes great pride in.
“It’s great to be back in a lead role,” begins the charismatic and calm 36-year-old, “but more than that I know how much emotional investment went into this. I truly poured my heart into it.
“I knew from the very start I had to capture the essence of Colleen’s story; and having an amazing cast to work with really makes it easier when you’re investing everything you have into a character. To know they’re as committed as you are, is a wonderful thing.”
It’s four years since Lively’s last meaningful performance (as Stephanie Patrick in action thriller The Rhythm Section), and this was a project that felt like it had to be right in every way in order to lure the actress back out of the shadows.
“Playing Lily was a great honour and I’m so happy with the result,” she beams. “It’s a sad story, yet also one of love and hope, about repairing wounds but also avoiding conflict. A love story so many people can and will relate to, I’m sure.
After meeting husband Reynolds on the set of DC superhero film Green Lantern, Lively hasn’t avoided action movie appearances over the past decade, despite the arrival of four children in that time.
“Fitness is important to me – it’s about staying healthy and feeling energised, and fitness will always be my path to that.”
That said, there seems to be something intrinsically in keeping with Lively’s skillset to see the star change pace and settle back into a dedicated story-driven format
“I think as you get older and experience more in life, it’s natural to look for stories that really mean something.
“I have always been comfortable with getting older and the evolution of both my career and my family, and I’m looking forward to see what comes next.”
