Blake Lively is here to remind Us that Another Simple Favor will have a twist — lots of twists.
When Lively, 37, walked the red carpet at the SXSW premiere in Austin on Friday, March 7, she looked every inch as glamorous as her on-screen character, Emily Nelson. In a pink latex Renée Massoomian look that went from demure to daring, the actress strategically peeled off the pink vinyl jacket to reveal a plunging minidress — a quick change that sent cameras flashing.
She made an even bigger, ahem, splash when Lively joined her fellow cast-mates in the highly anticipated sequel to the 2018 film A Simple Favor starring herself and Anna Kendrick while posing for a group shot during the photocall the next day — and just in time for cocktail hour.
Lively leaned into method dressing in a bejeweled tailored set that looked as if it could have easily been lifted from Emily’s closet: a Yara Shoemaker Fall 2023 Couture set featuring a peach coat and matching trousers dripping in crystals, pearls and paillettes. For a playful, meta twist, she carried a Judith Leiber martini-shaped bag ($5,795), a novelty accessory that was a clear nod to her gin-swilling PR director character’s go-to beverage.
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In the original film, Emily serves up the secret to a “real martini”: a frozen glass, frozen gin, minimal vermouth and, most importantly, a lemon twist. “And don’t add f—cking ice. Ever,” she instructs mommy vlogger Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) during a playdate with their two sons.
The clutch version of the movie’s iconic mixed drink was covered in crystals of all shapes and sizes, topped with a zesty yellow lemon slice, just the way Emily prefers her signature martini.
Does perfect, polished Emily really think that a perfect martini is just straight gin in a frozen glass with a spritz? Perhaps. Or maybe it’s just another way she’s playing at having taste. One thing is for certain: it’s the perfect icebreaker to exchange confessions with Stephanie.
It’s no secret that the libation bears real significance for Lively too, as the original film also served as a marketing promotion piece for her husband Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin company. (However, director Paul Fieg’s liquor brand will get exclusive rights in Another Simple Favor.)
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For her part, Lively has long been a fan of dressing the part to generate buzz for projects. Most recently, the Gossip Girl alum wore every floral print under the sun throughout her entire It Ends With Us press tour, which was naturally inspired by her role as the aptly named florist Lily Bloom.
Last time around, she wore nothing but power suits for months to promote A Simple Favor. Whether shaken or stirred, judging by Lively’s looks at SXSW, we can expect to see more “exquisitely crafted” themed styles until the sequel’s release via Amazon Prime Video on May 1.
