Blake Lively turned an interview into a nightmare for a reporter, leaving her “traumatized” after a series of uncomfortable exchanges. The “Gossip Girl” star didn’t hold back when it came to addressing her body during the now-infamous 2016 sit-down.
Entertainment journalist Kjersti Flaa opened up about the experience in an exclusive chat, revealing just how unsettling the encounter was. “It was a really traumatizing experience,” Flaa recounted, still reeling from the awkwardness.
At the time, Flaa was interviewing Lively, who was pregnant, alongside her “Café Society” co-star Parker Posey. When Flaa offered congratulations on Lively’s “little bump,” the actress shot back with a biting, “Congrats on your little bump.”
As Flaa attempted to steer the conversation toward their film’s wardrobe, Lively dismissed her with a pointed remark: “Everyone wants to talk about the clothes, but I wonder if they would ask the men about the clothes.” The actress then turned her attention to Posey, leaving Flaa feeling like a ghost in her own interview.
“I was just sitting there like, ‘Oh.’ I didn’t really understand all that,” Flaa admitted. “When I asked about the costumes, they just ignored me. That’s when I started feeling like, ‘Oh my God. They’re actually doing this.’”
Flaa described being “in shock” at Lively’s treatment. “At first I was like, wow, this is really uncomfortable,” she said, noting that as the tension escalated, she felt increasingly isolated.
Feeling like Lively and Posey were ganging up on her, Flaa knew she had to keep her cool to protect her career. “As a journalist, you always have to take the high road,” she explained. “I couldn’t react to what they were doing because I knew if I did, I’d never get opportunities like that again.”
Flaa expressed fear of being blacklisted from future interviews. “Not that I necessarily wanted to interview Blake again,” she clarified, “but you know how it works—publicists talk and blacklist you.” The frustration and anger bubbled up as she realized the extent of their disregard. “I was just in shock.”
She highlighted the “power dynamic” at play when interviewing A-listers like Lively. “A journalist who wants to continue doing these kinds of interviews has to accept these terms,” Flaa noted, emphasizing the pressure that comes with such situations.
In a twist of fate, Flaa found herself subpoenaed by Lively in a legal battle against her “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni. Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024 for sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni countered with a $400 million suit, accusing Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds of defamation and extortion. Both parties denied any wrongdoing.
Baldoni’s countersuit was dismissed in June 2025, and last month, a judge threw out ten of Lively’s thirteen allegations against him. Just last week, both parties announced they reached a settlement without any financial gain for either side.
Reflecting on the potential trial, Flaa mused about what she might have said on the stand: “I was kind of looking forward to just poke holes in everything.”
For Flaa, an apology from Lively could have made all the difference. “Blake had every opportunity to right this wrong,” she lamented. “She clearly knew this interview existed and nothing happened.”
Lively and Posey’s representatives have yet to respond to requests for comment regarding this explosive encounter.
