Blake Lively Parts Ways With Longtime Publicist Amid Reputation Push

Blake Lively’s career has been in a bit of a freefall lately, following the controversy surrounding her movie “It Ends With Us” and Lively’s subsequent fallout with former BFF Taylor Swift. Now, the “Gossip Girl” star is seemingly working overtime to try and salvage her reputation by making some major changes to her team. Page Six revealed the actor has parted ways with her longtime publicist Leslie Sloane, who has represented Lively since she rose to fame on “Gossip Girl.” The reason why is unclear at the time of writing, though the move has raised eyebrows, giving her haters even more ammunition. 

X users slammed Lively for severing ties with Sloane, with one stressing how callous it was. Another claimed, “I suspect this is because she thinks a publicist should have been able to save her from the disastrous consequences to her actions. You can’t fix messy. Good luck to whoever she hires next.” Someone else pointed out the shady side of Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, by quipping, “I hope Leslie uses some of those dirty tactics she used against others on their behalf and at their request on them now!” Sloane is a top Hollywood executive whose roster of clients includes major celebrities such as Lively and Reynolds, Lindsay Lohan, and Megan Fox. 

She was first hired in the early 2000s and continued representing the “The Town” star after Sloane launched her own firm in 2014. Sloane was also drawn into the legal dispute between Lively and her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, who alleged that the publicist helped orchestrate a smear campaign against him on behalf of her client. After a lengthy court battle that damaged both careers, the two sides ultimately reached an out-of-court settlement in May 2026.

SEE ALSO: Gavin Newsom’s Plan to Fight ‘Super’ El Niño Threatens Beaches

Now that Blake Lively has parted ways with her longtime publicist, it remains unclear whether the move will improve her public image or create another setback. In recent years, the “Shallows” star has faced intense criticism over her handling of several controversies—not only the fallout from “It Ends With Us,” but also other scandals she may prefer audiences forget. In a March 2026 Reddit thread, one user claimed Lively’s PR team had either failed to manage the situation effectively or was quietly undermining her reputation. Other commenters singled out Leslie Sloane, describing her public-relations strategy as ineffective.

“Is it just me or does BL’s whole PR approach via Leslie Sloane feel very outdated? Like it belongs in 2005?” one user snarked. Still, many commenters argued that the “Age of Adaline” star bears primary responsibility for her declining reputation, with some also pointing to her similarly polarizing husband, Ryan Reynolds. They suggested that even the strongest publicist cannot change the outcome if Lively ignores professional advice. One Redditor stressed, “There are multiple pieces of evidence from different people who explicitly say that Blake cannot be controlled by anyone and will not listen to anyone.”

Another commenter defended Lively’s PR team, arguing that it had successfully shielded her from earlier controversies. “She’s always been problematic,” they added. “It didn’t save her this time because instead of simply apologizing she kept doubling down.” There is also the possibility that Sloane, rather than Lively, made the decision to end their professional relationship.