Blake Lively has her eye on the prize.
Nearly a week after settling her disastrous lawsuit with It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, we’re hearing the Simple Favor star has her sights set on winning back fan favor… and she’s already set the wheels in motion!
On Sunday, an insider spoke to The US Sun about the controversial actress, who has clouded her once-shining Hollywood image alongside Justin in the wake of their litigation. But after finally settling out of court last week, Blake immediately transitioned into image-rehab mode… because according to the source, her surprise Met Gala appearance was a strategic move:
“That was no accident — she knew all eyes would be on her and she wanted them to be. It was a clear message that she had drawn a line on this awful saga and that she is ready to publicly move forward with her head held high, rather than hiding away.”
The insider touched on the fact that Ryan Reynolds’ wife is now “quietly pursuing Justin to cover her legal fees post-settlement,” adding:
“Blake feels she’s spent enough time hunkering down and doesn’t believe she has any reason to disappear and retreat from the spotlight.”
And so, her goal is to “rehab” her tainted image with a major return to the big screen! The source noted:
“She wants to go back to people remembering her for being a good actress, as that all seems to have been forgotten in all of this. Every story became about her being a ‘mean girl’ and she’s devastated because she thinks it’s undone all the years of TV and movie hits she’s had. At times, when the backlash was at its worst, she felt like she was the most hated woman in Hollywood, and she desperately wants to rehab her image. She wants to get back to mass appeal romantic comedy leads she hopes will make audiences warm to her again.”
The 38-year-old currently has multiple projects in the works, including The Survival List, where she will play a TV producer stranded on an island with a celebrity survivalist, The Making Of, which she’s set to star in alongside Richard Gere and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and a film adaptation of author Liane Moriarty’s book The Husband’s Secret, according to IMDb. The insider noted of the latter:
“This has been in the works for a few years but Blake is now fully focused on it. It’s just the kind of project she wants — a relatable lead, a twisty subject matter and a powerhouse novel with a built-in fan base.”
Hopefully THIS book adaptation turns out less litigious than It Ends With Us!!!
But beyond acting, Blake reportedly wants to cement her spot as a powerhouse producer:
“It’s also important for Blake to continue with her executive producing — she has done it twice before, on Another Simple Favor, and on It Ends With Us. But she was reported to be feuding with Anna Kendrick while shooting the former, and obviously we all know how the latter turned out.”
The source cited Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon as two leading ladies Blake plans to model her path after:
“She wants to show that she can produce movies without all the backstage drama being the talking point and follow in the footsteps of someone like Nicole Kidman or Reese Witherspoon.”
Whew, what an ambitious plan! Certainly a lot different than Justin’s… It might be a tough road to walk winning back fan favor, but if anyone has rock solid determination, it’s Blake!
What are your thoughts, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments down below!
[Images via Phil Lewis/MEGA/WENN]
