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'The truth hasn't come out yet, but it will.' Blake Lively's family has spoken.

It's been three weeks since It Ends With Us came out and no one could have predicted the public scrutiny that leading lady and producer Blake Lively would face. 

She's been publicly pitted against director and star Justin Baldoni. From people criticising Lively's cavalier approach to domestic violence in interviews, to others digging up archived interview moments that cast the Gossip Girl star in an unflattering light, it's been... a lot.

And now, Blake Lively's family has had enough. 

High School Musical actor Bart Johnson, who is married to Lively's sister Robyn Lively, has shared his thoughts in an Instagram comment, which was posted on a birthday tribute he shared for Blake.

Someone left a comment on the post that accused the actress of "promoting happiness in a domestic violence setting without any regard for any victims," which prompted Bart to issue a reply. 

"I'm really sorry you feel that way," Johnson began.

"I'm sure you have a huge 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 in my entire life. Because it meant so much to her."

Blake Lively walks the red carpet with her family, including her brother-in-law Bart Johnson. Image: Getty. 

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Johnson went on to defend Lively for spreading awareness about domestic violence while also acknowledging some of her questionable moments on the press tour. 

"The message is in the book. And in the movie. Not in short clips/interviews. She is the reason the message/this movie is getting out," he wrote. "Were mistakes made? Yes. I make mistakes in life. But they aren't under a microscope." 

Johnson doubled down on his comments with another reply, writing "The truth hasn't come out yet. It's going to."

In the weeks since the movie premiered, the rumour mill has run rampant over reports that Lively and Baldoni decided to do press for the film separately due to an alleged rift. The situation was further exacerbated by fans realising Lively, author Colleen Hoover, and several of the cast had unfollowed Baldoni on Instagram. 

A new report from Rolling Stone spoke to three crew members from the It Ends With Us set who agreed that the creative differences between Lively and Baldoni weren't a secret on set, as "everyone knew they didn't like each other." 

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Justin Baldoni did the press for It Ends With Us separate to the rest of the cast. Image: Getty. 

The crew said that the two creatives had different styles, as Lively was "very business-minded and practical," while Baldoni was the opposite.

"He just hired people that he trusted, but Blake really wanted to have her fingers in every little thing, which is fine, she's executive producer," a staffer said. "No one was upset by that. But I think she was kind of taken aback by how sort of laissez-faire Justin was."

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The crew agreed the media storm around the on-set drama had been overblown. 

"I feel like a lot of the things you're seeing online makes it sound like it was a hostile work environment, and it wasn't in any way, shape, or form," a crew member said. 

"Everybody was very professional. Everyone was nice. They didn't yell at each other." 

On Bart's post, he wrote that Lively had been his best friend for 30 years. 

"[She is] someone that wants to make the world a better place and has been such an exceptional role model in a million kinda ways to care for others, spread kindness and my personal favorite, putting her family first and being an AMAZING wife and mother," he wrote. 

"When I grow up I wanna be just like her. I've got a long ways to go."

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Robyn Lively shared her own birthday tribute to her sister on Instagram, writing "You are one of the best humans I know." 

The public backlash is expected to have consequences on Lively's career prospects. 

The actress was expected to lead a TV adaptation of Australian author Liane Moriarty best-selling book The Husband’s Secret, which would follow other successful book-to-TV projects Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers.

However, Moriarty has since expressed doubts over Lively's involvement in the adaption.

"Blake Lively was attached to it, but I don't know if she's detached," the novelist recently told Kyle and Jackie O

After the public's attention turned negative, It Ends With Us star Brandon Sklenar has come to the defence of both Hoover and Lively. 

"Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about," he wrote on social media.

"What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from what our intentions were in making this film. It's been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online."

Feature image: Getty. 

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