Brandon Sklenar Speaks Out About 'Silly' Negativity Surrounding “It Ends with Us” Cast Drama

"It just seemed silly to me, just kind of defeating the whole purpose of the thing to spread any negativity," said the actor

Brandon Sklenar is further addressing the negativity swirling around his It Ends With Us costars.

The actor, 34, spoke with Access at the Ralph Lauren show in New York City on Sept. 5. When a reporter thanked him for the statement he shared on Instagram last month about negativity surrounding the recent Colleen Hoover adaptation, Sklenar responded, "Thanks for saying that. I put that out and I was like, 'Let's see how this goes, I don't know.' "

"It just seemed silly to me, just kind of defeating the whole purpose of the thing to spread any negativity," he continued. "It's an important film for so many women and so many survivors of domestic abuse and that's what it's all about, is making people feel heard and strong and loved."

"So to project anything but that just seems counterintuitive," he added. "I appreciate those people that appreciated it, for sure."

Related: Blake Lively's Brother-in-Law Bart Johnson Defends Her amid It Ends With Us Drama: 'Truth Hasn't Come Out Yet'

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Upon It Ends With Us debuting in theaters last month, the internet swarmed with buzz about reports and rumors of tension between Blake Lively and costar-director Justin Baldoni. Plus, some took issue with the press tour's approach to the movie, which deals with themes of domestic violence.

Sklenar defended the women among the movie's cast when he wrote on Instagram that "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."

"It is, in fact, the opposite of the point," he wrote at the time.

"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," he added in that post. "It's been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online."

Related: It Ends with Us Cast Drama Explained: What Is Going on with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni?

Sklenar also told Access about his hopes that the movie's cast can come back together to adapt Hoover's 2022 sequel It Starts With Us, which dives deeper into his character, Atlas.

"Your guess is as good as mine at this point. I would love to do it, I really would, I would love to do it," he said, when asked if a sequel will happen. "I hope we can get it together because I think the fans deserve it. And I'd just love to tell more of Atlas' story and get into his past a little more. Yeah, it would be beautiful if we can do it. I would love to."

It Ends With Us is in theaters now.

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