Andrew Rannells hilariously avoided discussing his Another Simple Favor costar Blake Lively‘s ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni.
While attending a screening of the A Simple Favor sequel in New York City on Sunday, April 27, Rannells, 46, was asked whether there were “some distractions” that affected the cast while promoting the film.
“No,” Rannells answered with a laugh in a clip shared via the Associated Press. “If you’re talking about the distractions of Allison Janney asking me to go shopping with her in the streets of Rome, I enjoyed it.”
The actor continued, “I enjoyed the shopping. I liked watching her shop. I would do it again, in any major city, Allison. Or even a small city.”
When the reporter pressed again about any “other distractions,” Rannells laughed it off once more. “No!” he teased.
Rannells stars alongside Lively, 37, and Anna Kendrick in the new movie, which hits Prime Video on May 1. Kendrick, 39, and Lively reprise their roles as Stephanie Smothers and Emily Nelson, respectively, as the sequel heads to Capri, Italy. New additions to the cast include Janney, Michele Morrone, Elizabeth Perkins and Alex Newell.
@apnewsentertainment Andrew Rannells says Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal drama did not distract him while promoting “Another Simple Favor.” #andrewrannells #blakelively #justinbaldoni #anothersimplefavor
♬ original sound – AP Entertainment
Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, were also on hand to celebrate the Another Simple Favor premiere in NYC. The outing was one of few for the couple as they contend with Lively’s legal woes.
In December 2024, Lively sued Baldoni, 41, her costar and director from the movie It Ends With Us. She claimed he caused “severe emotional distress” and fostered a “hostile work environment” on set of the Colleen Hoover adaptation, which debuted last summer. Lively also accused Baldoni of attempting to launch a smear campaign against her.
Justin Baldoni Gotham/WireImage
The lawsuit came after months of speculation that the pair had creative differences while working together. Baldoni denied Lively’s accusations before filing two lawsuits of his own. He sued The New York Times — who first reported on Lively’s case — for $250 million and filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane, who later requested that her name be removed from the suit.
Blake Lively expressed her gratitude for the fans who showed up to support her and her latest film Another Simple Favor amid her ongoing legal battle with former costar Justin Baldoni. “Watching @asimplefavor opening night @sxsw felt like a rock concert,” the actress, 37, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, March 11, alongside a photo of […]
A trial date has been set for March 2026. Lively has repeatedly denied Baldoni’s allegations, and The New York Times previously stood by their reporting, with a spokesperson noting in a statement, “We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”
Rannells isn’t the only one of Lively’s costars to be asked about how the legal battle has affected Another Simple Favor‘s turn in the spotlight. When the movie premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival in March, Kendrick expertly changed the subject.
“Why? What happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life has been gone,” Kendrick teased to Variety when asked about how everything “going on in the world” has “impacted” the project’s reception. “But I hear the movie is amazing.”
