As a survivor of domestic violence, Jana Kramer has criticized the controversy surrounding Blake Lively’s new film, It Ends With Us.
“In the media, I want the message to be sent out, instead of talking about fights or whatever. This film is about domestic violence,” Kramer explained on the “Whine Down” podcast.
The 40-year-old country singer was seemingly addressing one of the most talked-about topics since the release of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel: the alleged drama between Lively and co-star Justin Baldoni.
Kramer claimed that she had not seen the film because of its scenes of domestic violence, but that the blurb had led her to believe it was a “romantic comedy, grab the girls and go to the movies” type of situation.
Rumors of casting drama grow as Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us tops the box office alongside Ryan Reynolds
Jana Kramer criticized Blake Lively’s promotion for “It Ends With Us.” (Getty Images)
“Then I started hearing more about the interview and for me, it just made me sad because I just wanted to spread the word about domestic violence and how to help people and how to get help,” she explained.
Kramer particularly took issue with comments Ms Livly made in an interview with the BBC ahead of the film’s August 9 premiere, in which she stressed that domestic violence does not “define” the character of Lily.
“Domestic violence is hard to talk about if you’ve never experienced it,” Kramer said.
“So even though some people may say that domestic violence doesn’t define you, it defines you… it defines who I am today. And even though some people may say, ‘domestic violence doesn’t define you,’ it is one of the biggest parts of me, domestic violence, it is the biggest thread in my life.”
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Jana Kramer was abused during her marriage to her first husband, Michael Gambino. (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Kramer was a victim of domestic violence by her first husband, Michael Gambino, after less than a year of marriage.
“So even though some people may say that domestic violence doesn’t define you, it defines you… it defines who I am today. And even though some people may say, ‘domestic violence doesn’t define you,’ it is one of the biggest parts of me, domestic violence, it is the biggest thread in my life.”
“He repeatedly slammed my head against the bathroom mirror, choked and shoved me on a weekly basis, and threw me out of bed almost every morning at around 3 a.m. when I came home from partying at the club,” Kramer wrote in her book, The Next Chapter. “Towards the end of our relationship, I was like his puppet. I was so depressed and scared, and all I wanted was to get away, but I was a prisoner.”
Gambino was convicted of attempted murder in 2005 for nearly strangling Kramer, was sentenced to six years in prison, and later committed suicide in 2012.
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Blake Lively poses with Jenny Slate and Isabella Ferrer during the It Ends With Us premiere event. (Getty Images)
While It Ends With Us has been a huge hit at the box office, the promotional tour has sparked speculation about drama between Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Baldoni, who both directed and starred in the film.
Fans took to TikTok and other social media platforms to share theories about the oddity of the press tour. Baldoni was alone for the majority of the tour, despite being in the lead alongside Lively. While many found this odd, the “Jane the Virgin” star took the time to praise Lively.
Additionally, Baldoni and Lively did not take any photos together at the film’s premiere – typically the entire cast takes photos together, with the stars playing their love interests also posing for a few shots.

Justin Baldoni and his wife attended the premiere of “It Ends With Us.” (Getty Images)
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