Paul Feig Shares How Blake Lively Contributed to Casting for ‘The Housemaid’
As the controversy surrounding the behind-the-scenes drama of It Ends With Us unfolds, actress Blake Lively has played a pivotal role in helping her co-star secure a new opportunity.
Director Paul Feig, known for his work on The Housemaid, revealed that Lively encouraged him to cast Brandon Sklenar, her former romantic lead, in his upcoming psychological thriller, set to premiere in theaters on December 19. “Blake Lively had just worked with Brandon,” Feig shared with E! News. “She just kept going on and on about how great he is. And I met him and was like, ‘Yes, you are great and I love you.’”
Lively’s collaboration with Feig in A Simple Favor and its sequel, Another Simple Favor, highlights her belief in Sklenar’s talent. The two starred together in It Ends With Us, a project that has recently been overshadowed by Lively and co-star Justin Baldoni’s ongoing legal dispute.
Despite the tumultuous backdrop, Sklenar has maintained a focus on his work, previously opting to refrain from commenting on the situation. “It’s unfortunate that things get taken away from what the ethos of that thing is and it gets convoluted,” he remarked in February.
In The Housemaid, Sklenar portrays Andrew Winchester, a wealthy man harboring dark secrets alongside his wife, Nina, played by Amanda Seyfried. Their lives are complicated further when they hire Millie Calloway, a struggling young woman seeking a new beginning, portrayed by Sydney Sweeney.
The upcoming thriller promises to add another layer to Sklenar’s rising profile in an industry that is constantly changing.
