Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick’s ‘subdued’ face-off at film premiere, according to body language expert

Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick had a ‘subdued’ face-off at the premiere of their new film, Another Simple Favor, a body language expert has claimed.

Lively, 37, and Kendrick, 39 — who are rumored to have a ‘secret feud’ — did not pose for any photos featuring just the two of them, as they attended the event at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas on Friday. 

Instead, they posed for some shots with director Paul Feig, 62, and other cast members, and later appeared on stage inside the theatre. 

Body language expert Judi James exclusively told DailyMail.com that Feig ‘seems to have been enlisted as a handy “air bag” buffer between them.’

She noted that, ‘Their “red carpet” smiles do look rather tempered or subdued here, Blake’s lips are closed while Anna’s smile lacks the traits of real joy, like rounded cheeks or eye crinkling.’

Blake is currently in the midst of a legal war against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, and it’s been reported that Anna is not thrilled that the drama is overshadowing their film.

‘Blake is performing an eye-smile but Anna’s “smile” doesn’t seem to have reached her eyes,’ Judi added. 

‘Blake’s body pose looks relaxed and has amicable signals, with the way her pelvis is partly turned in towards the group and the way her legs are crossed inward towards the group too.’

The expert also shared that, ‘Anna looks less assured’ in the red carpet photo, ‘with her right hand hanging in front of her torso in a partial barrier gesture.’ 

Inside the event, the stars were pictured awkwardly standing next to each other, with Anna holding her head down as she listened to Lively speak. 

Lively excitedly recounted the filming of the movie in Capri, Italy, as Kendrick stood by and only glanced over at her co-star one time in a video shared by Variety. 

Fans were convinced of tension between the two stars.

One wrote, ‘Oh Lord. Anna Kendrick looking like she would rather be ANYWHERE else, but there, listening to the inane drivel tumbling out of Blake Lively’s mouth. Anna’s body language is speaking VOLUMES here. God, I feel so bad for her.’ 

Another added, ‘Anna Kendrick’s body language screams “get me outta here, last time I do a movie with you or be seen in public with you again.”‘

‘The way Anna doesn’t give her 0 eye contact but looking at that hideous dress is beyond me,’ another added.

‘Why she not looking at her????? Anna, your body language is very telling!!!’ 

‘[Anna] in the background thinking, “wtf, wow. I can’t believe I did this sequel again. Sigh. I’m so done with her.” 

‘Anna hates her so much lol,’ another added.

‘Poor Anna – her body language SPEAKS VOLUMES.’

Speaking about the director wanting to shoot the film in Capri, Blake — who’s been accused of trying to ‘hijack’ her last film, It Ends With Us, from her director and co-star Baldoni — shared, ‘I said that sounds amazing, but it’s very expensive, and let’s just shoot in Connecticut, that’s where the first one took place. I didn’t understand why it needed to be Capri.’ 

However, she eventually came around, saying, ‘Now, I want to live there. I love it so much.’ 

The body language expert also shared that Blake showed some signs of ‘anxiety’ as she posed solo on the red carpet.

‘Posing in her demurer 50’s style dress she looks anxious and tentative, cupping her hands at chest level in what looks like a pleading gesture as she calls out to the press.’

‘When her hands settle onto her torso, she places one hand onto her stomach in what looks like a barrier gesture.’

Judi added, ‘Blake takes direction from the press to pose, flapping her skirt in an awkward gesture and looking over her shoulder to cue.’

‘Her smile for the cameras looks red carpet perfect but in between smiles there seems to be some pursing of the lips to hint at possible anxiety. Even when she turns to look over her shoulder her eyes look down.’

‘Then there is a sudden dramatic change of mood music as she suddenly announces, “I think this is coming off”, walking forward and quickly un-popping her over-dress to reveal the nude-colored strapless dress below.’

It’s then that Blake looks like ‘she found her charging point.’

‘Her movements and poses have a sense of purpose and confidence and she raises one hand to her head to touch her hair in a directional, framing gesture to confidently draw attention to her face.’

Blake’s ‘smile widens and she adopts the ultimate pose of confidence by placing both hands on her hips with her elbows splayed. There is some sassier pulling at her skirt but there is still one non-verbal tell or cue to suggest some possible inner anxiety: her left hand that is placed onto her hip performs a couple of tapping gestures.’

‘Metronomic gestures like this can suggest a subliminal desire to get on with something or to self-reassure. Blake’s friendly wave though and her splayed shoulders are incongruent performed rituals in terms of suggesting she’s enjoying her red-carpet experience.’

While on the red carpet, Blake also appeared to have an awkward interaction with co-star Michele Morrone, 34.

In a video from the event, the actress looked down and adjusted the top of the dress before looking over at Morrone and making a comment as she laughed.

Expert Nicola Hickling, who is the founder of LipReader, told DailyMail.com that Lively said, ‘Oh sorry.’

Morrone appeared nervous as he quickly turned his head away and made a hand gesture, before adjusting his hair.

Body language expert Judi said that as Blake stood next to Morrone, she ‘has her right hand on her hip in another pose of supreme confidence, but she suddenly lifts it to the left side of her strapless dress to pull it up into place, adding a checking pat to the bodice as she does so.’

‘She seems to make a smiling comment to Morrone as she performs the pat and he responds with a raised hand and finger of reassurance or “that’s ok” as she grins at him.’

‘They then smile at the camera but the way Morone’s arm swings at his side before his hand rises to touch his head suggests a moment of awkwardness, as does the way Blake crosses her legs in a self-diminishing pose as her hand taps on her hip again.’

In another pose with the actor, they were seen facing towards the cameras, with his arm around her waist.

Morrone ‘seems to use the “gentleman’s hand” gesture, which means no actual holding. His hand at Blake’s waist has the fingers curled inward so there is no clutching and little touch if any at all.’

Earlier on the red carpet Anna offered a very awkward response when questioned about working with Blake once again on the sequel.

In a now-viral video shared to X, Kendrick was filmed cheerfully greeting fans outside of the event.

At one point, one asked the actress, ‘What does it mean to be working with Blake again?’

Anna simply replied with, ‘Oh, you know…,’ and began to take selfies with others instead of further elaborating on the answer – which fueled speculation of a feud between the two stars.

Lively was seen mingling with fans and signing autographs in a separate video on X, when she was asked a similar question, but her response was in stark contrast to Kendrick’s.

‘Blake, what does it mean to be back with Anna?’ a fan asked as the actress was strolling by.

‘Oh, it’s the best! I’m so happy,’ the star gushed before being guided to take additional photos during the festivities.

And on the red carpet with Variety, Kendrick shared a vague response when questioned about how the movie has been affected by ‘everything going on in the world.’

‘Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone,’ the star replied, referencing to the plant-based psychedelic.

The actress then continued, ‘But I’ve heard the movie is amazing,’ before walking away.

Anna and Blake – who was interrupted by a pro-Justin Baldoni protestor at the event – reunited for the anticipated film, which is slated to officially release later this year on May 1, and is the sequel to the 2018 movie A Simple Favor.

Other cast members include Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Allison Janey and Elena Sofia Ricci.

The premise, ‘Follows Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Lively) as they head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman,’ per IMDB.

Anna and Blake’s joint appearance on Friday at the premiere of their movie comes amid rumors of a ‘secret feud’ between the pair.

It was previously reported that Kendrick is less than thrilled that Blake’s legal drama with Baldoni is overshadowing their film.

A source told People last month, ‘The comments on Instagram have upset her, especially the ones saying fans are now refusing to watch the movie because they don’t want to support Blake.’

They further explained that the Pitch Perfect star is ‘not used to being caught up in any drama.’

A separate source explained to DailyMail.com, ‘These movies are basically all Anna and Blake have in common. They have a working relationship, by no means a close friendship or bond.

‘Last-minute talks are underway with execs as Anna would prefer to distance herself from Blake going forward.’

The insider added, ‘It was originally planned that the two would do much of the promotion together. That’s what the studio requested, and Anna and Blake agreed to it. But Anna could go it alone over fears she will get caught up in the drama.’

Another source commented on Blake attending the SXSW Film Festival and said, ‘Beyond this, Anna and the others do not anticipate any deep level of involvement.

‘In fact, Anna is prepared to handle the promotion responsibilities alone. She would prefer this because she does not want to have to dodge questions about Blake’s lawsuit or have every interview turn into a Lively v Baldoni Q&A session.

The insider added, ‘Although Blake is obligated to promote the film, she retains the autonomy to determine the extent of her involvement beyond SXSW. They are now leaving this up to her to decide.’

Anna and Blake are also rumored to have clashed over their billing on the sequel and Lively failing to address the effect of her lawsuit on the movie.

Also last month, a source told DailyMail.com, ‘There is a gigantic pink elephant in the room that no one is acknowledging.

‘The backlash to initial promo has been brutal. There are people protesting and refusing to see it.’

The insider continued, ‘Blake has not addressed this. She has not called the cast to apologize. She has not done anything like that. She has stayed quiet and hidden away. She owes Anna an apology. She owes them all an apology.

‘Anna is just over all of it. If Anna was in this position, she would not be letting the film take the fall for her own personal issues.’

In regards to the position of their names when it came to the billing, another source shared, ‘In the original film Anna got top billing over Blake. She thought it was a no-brainer that the same would happen this time around. But Blake didn’t see it that way.

‘She fought, through her reps to get top billing over Anna, who refused to bow to Blake’s demands. Finally, after weeks of negotiations a deal was struck between the actresses.’

‘They agreed on staggered billing, which meant Anna’s name would read first and Blake’s would be above hers but on the right-hand side. In the business that’s considered equal billing,’ the source explained.

Lively has been embroiled in the ongoing legal battle with Baldoni after she accused him of sexual assault and launching a smear campaign against her.

He responded by filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane.

Upon filing her lawsuit in December, Blake not only sued Baldoni but also producer Jamey Heath, Wayfarer Studios co-founder Steve Sarowitz, crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan, Jed Wallace and his publicist Jennifer Abel.

Along with his $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Justin is also suing the New York Times $250 million in a libel lawsuit after the publication reported on Lively’s allegations.

The two stars are set to go to court later next year in March 2026.