Brandon Sklenar Speaks Out on ‘It Ends With Us’ Controversy—Why Fans Call Him the Surprise Hero

Brandon Sklenar is having a breakout spring: fresh off the South by Southwest world-premiere of thriller “Drop,” the 34-year-old actor is also steering Paramount+ megahit “1923” toward an emotional two-hour finale, all while dodging speculation that he quietly took a side in the high-profile Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni legal feud. SXSW shocker On 9 March, Sklenar walked the SXSW Film & TV Festival red carpet in Austin to unveil “Drop,” a cat-and-mouse tech thriller from director Christopher Landon that pairs him with “The White Lotus” star Meghann Fahy. Sklenar told reporters the movie “helps you feel the danger of every text ping,” teasing an April 11 theatrical release that positions him for a potential summer sleeper hit. Brooch brouhaha clarified Fans noticed that the floral pin Sklenar wore to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on 2 March matched the brooch Baldoni sported at the “It Ends With Us” premiere last year, sparking theories he was signaling support for the director amid Baldoni’s bitter courtroom clash with co-star Blake Lively. Sklenar has now shot that idea down, calling the accessory “a total happenstance” and insisting he “had no idea” about the duplicate pin until he woke up to headlines the next morning. ‘1923’ finale will “hurt—in a good way” While the red-carpet chatter swirled, Sklenar was secretly bracing fans of Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” prequel for tears. Speaking at Deadline’s Contenders Television showcase, the Spencer Dutton actor promised that Sunday’s season-two climax “hits very, very hard,” hinting at life-or-death stakes for multiple characters. The 120-minute episode, filmed largely in sub-zero Montana but also on a scorching Austin soundstage, is already trending on social platforms as viewers place bets on whether Spencer and Alexandra will reunite before the snowstorm swallows them. Why Sklenar is suddenly everywhere • Dual-platform visibility: Network TV buzz from “1923” plus film-festival prestige with “Drop.” • Search-friendly drama: Association with the Baldoni-Lively feud keeps his name in headline algorithms without any direct controversy. • Rising leading-man profile: From Hollywood Reporter to Vanity Fair, fashion editors spotlighted his brooch look as evidence he can own a red carpet—vital for franchise casting shortlists. What’s next “Drop” rolls out wide 11 April, immediately followed by Sklenar’s press tour for the film’s European debut. Paramount+ is expected to announce a renewal—or spinoff order—within weeks of the “1923” finale, and industry insiders say Sklenar is on several studio wish lists for late-2025 action tentpoles. For now, he’s betting that audiences remember the core message behind both his projects: “It’s about love… and helping people through tough times.” With blockbuster TV, a buzzy film, and a carefully neutral stance in Hollywood’s messiest legal battle, Brandon Sklenar just turned spring 2025 into the season of Spencer Dutton—brooch optional.