Blake Lively's brother-in-law defends her amid 'It Ends With Us' drama

Blake LivelyBrother-in-law Bart Johnson claims that there is more to the story amid the It ends with us Drama.

After Johnson, 53, shared a sweet tribute to Lively, 37, on Instagram in honor of her recent birthday, he received a comment from a fan who criticized the actress for “promoting happiness in an environment of domestic violence with no regard for the victims.”

The High School Musical Star was quick to defend Lively. “Ellen, I'm really sorry you feel that way. I'm sure you have a big heart and want the best. I can promise you the truth has not come out yet. Blake worked harder on this film than anything I've seen her do my entire life,” he wrote on Wednesday, August 28. “Because it meant so much to her. The message is in the book. And the film. Not in short clips/interviews. She is the reason the message/this film/ is coming out.”

Johnson, who is married to Blake's sister Robyn Livelyalso acknowledged that no one is perfect. “Have mistakes been made? Yes. I make mistakes in life,” he wrote. “But they are not scrutinized. Either way, I respect your views. I have nothing but love for you. ❤️.”

In response, the user thanked Johnson for his “nice comment.” Johnson replied, “Thank you for the nice reply, Ellen. That means a lot. ❤️❤️ The truth hasn't come out yet. It will.”

Related to Colleen Hooverbook of the same name, It ends with us revolves around Lily Bloom (Blake) and her abusive relationship with Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). As they nurture their romance, Lily's path crosses that of her former flame Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).

The off-camera dynamic between Blake and her It ends with us The co-stars have been making headlines since the film's release earlier this month. As the cast promoted the movie, fans quickly noticed that Baldoni – who starred in and directed the film – did not participate in the group interviews.

Reports later emerged that Blake – who also served as a producer on the film – was working with her husband Ryan Reynolds' Employees Shane Reid on a different cut of the film.

Related: Everything Justin Baldoni said about working with Blake Lively

Justin Baldoni seems to have nothing but positive things to say about his It Ends with Us co-star Blake Lively, as reports of an on-set feud continue to circulate online. As the drama officially hits theaters on Friday, August 9, Baldoni, who directed and stars alongside Lively, has had high praise for his on-screen partner. […]

“It is quite normal for the film to have a lot of cuts during post-production,” a source said We weekly“That’s the nature of post-production and part of the editing process.”

Another insider said Us that Blake didn't get approval from Baldoni for any changes. “There were two camps on the film – Team Blake and Team Justin,” the second source said. “This creative struggle set the tone for the negative experiences behind the scenes and led to them no longer speaking to each other.”

Blake was also criticized for the way she answered questions about the film, which is about domestic violence, as well as her behavior in resurfaced interviews from years ago. Following the backlash, Blake shared resources on the topic of domestic violence via social media.

While Blake and Baldoni have yet to publicly address their alleged dispute, Sklenar released a lengthy statement encouraging fans not to lose sight of the film's message.

“What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from our intentions in making this film,” he wrote on Instagram earlier this month. “It has been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online.”

It ends with us is now in theaters.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.