When Blake Lively took the stage at the 2024 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival to debut Another Simple Favor, the long-awaited sequel to her 2018 dark comedy hit, she knew the audience was in for a wild ride. What she didn’t anticipate was just how viscerally one pivotal scene would land—both for the crowd and herself. During a post-screening Q&A, Lively described the moment as a “curveball” that left her squirming in her seat. “It’s one thing to film something provocative,” she admitted. “It’s another to watch it with 500 people who suddenly stop breathing.”
The sequel, directed once again by Paul Feig, reunites Lively with co-star Anna Kendrick, reprising their roles as the enigmatic, martini-swilling fashionista Stephanie Smothers and the chaotic mommy vlogger Emily Nelson. While the first film reveled in twisty suburban noir and campy thrills, Another Simple Favor doubles down on its signature blend of suspense and absurdity—this time with a scene so audacious it left the SXSW audience equal parts stunned and exhilarated.
A Sequel That Defies Expectations
Picking up years after the original’s cliffhanger ending, Another Simple Favor finds Stephanie and Emily entangled in a new web of secrets, this time involving a high-stakes blackmail scheme tied to Emily’s past. The film retains the razor-sharp dialogue and Hitchcockian flair that made its predecessor a sleeper hit, but Feig and screenwriter Jessica Sharzer inject fresh chaos by leaning into the absurdity of their leads’ codependent friendship.
“The first film was about two women lying to each other,” Feig explained during the festival. “This one is about them lying together—to everyone else. It’s Thelma & Louise meets Gone Girl, but with more couture and questionable life choices.”
Lively’s Emily remains a magnetic force of nature, strutting through scenes in tailored suits and delivering lines like “Darling, secrets are just gossip we haven’t monetized yet” with icy precision. Kendrick’s Stephanie, now a semi-reformed true crime podcaster, provides the perfect foil—a neurotic whirlwind of nervous energy and hidden grit. Their chemistry, both combative and weirdly affectionate, remains the franchise’s beating heart.
The Curveball Scene: ‘It Felt Like a Car Crash in Slow Motion’
Midway through the film, the story takes a jarring left turn during a sequence set at a masquerade ball hosted by a reclusive tech billionaire (a scene-stealing Pedro Pascal). Emily, tasked with seducing the billionaire to steal incriminating data, finds herself in a private library with him—only for the scene to morph into a surreal, fourth-wall-breaking musical number. As an orchestral cover of Britney Spears’ Toxic swells, Emily performs a cabaret-style dance that crescendos with her setting the room on fire while reciting Shakespearean monologues.
The scene is equal parts mesmerizing and disorienting, a tonal gamble that Lively admitted left her “very uncomfortable to watch” with an audience. “When we filmed it, I thought, ‘This is either genius or career-ending,’” she quipped. “Watching it at SXSW, I realized: Why not both?”
The sequence, which lasts nearly seven minutes, is a masterclass in controlled chaos. Lively’s background in dance (see: her 2016 film The Shallows) shines as she glides across tables and twirls amid flames, her face a mask of calculated madness. Yet the scene’s true discomfort lies in its ambiguity: Is this a fantasy? A metaphor? Or simply Emily’s unhinged psyche laid bare?
“Paul [Feig] wanted to push Emily beyond the bounds of reality,” Lively explained. “She’s always been a chameleon, but here, she’s completely untethered. The dance is her id—chaotic, destructive, and weirdly beautiful.”
Audience Reactions: Gasps, Laughter, and Nervous Silence
At the Paramount Theatre screening, the scene triggered a rollercoaster of reactions. Early chuckles at Emily’s over-the-top theatrics gave way to stunned silence as the flames climbed higher. By the time Kendrick’s Stephanie burst in to drag Emily out, the crowd erupted into nervous applause.
“It was like watching a dare,” said one attendee. “You couldn’t look away, but you also wanted to hide under your seat.”
For Lively, the experience was equally jarring. “I’ve never felt so exposed,” she confessed. “It’s one thing to do wild takes on set, but to see it blown up on a giant screen? I wanted to crawl into Anna’s lap.”
Kendrick, ever the comedic relief, interjected: “I offered! But Blake was too busy trying to disassociate.”
Behind the Scenes: Choreographing Chaos
The sequence required months of preparation, blending rigorous dance rehearsals with pyrotechnics training. Choreographer Mandy Moore (not the actress) drew inspiration from Bob Fosse and Black Swan to create a routine that balanced elegance with menace. “Blake needed to look like she was both in control and spiraling,” Moore said. “Every step had to feel deliberate, even as the room burns around her.”
The fire effects, achieved through a mix of practical flames and CGI, added another layer of intensity. “We had safety teams on standby, but Blake insisted on doing as much in-camera as possible,” Feig revealed. “There’s a shot where her sleeve actually catches fire. She didn’t tell anyone until after the take.”
Lively shrugged off the danger: “Emily would’ve wanted it that way. Also, I’ve survived two Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants sequels. A little fire’s nothing.”
A Bold Choice in the Age of Safe Sequels
In an industry where sequels often play it safe, Another Simple Favor’s audacity feels revolutionary. The musical detour, while polarizing, underscores the film’s theme of performativity—how Emily and Stephanie constantly reinvent themselves to survive.
“The original film was about the masks women wear,” Sharzer noted. “This one asks: What happens when the masks start to rot?”
Lively, who also served as a producer, championed the creative risks. “So many sequels just rehash the same beats. We wanted to make something that demands a reaction—even if it’s, ‘What the hell was that?!’”
A Career-Defining Moment for Lively
For Lively, the scene caps off a decade-long evolution from teen drama star (Gossip Girl) to auteur collaborator (see: The Age of Adaline, The Rhythm Section). “I’m drawn to characters who aren’t afraid to be messy,” she said. “Emily’s a monster, but she’s my monster. This scene is her roaring.”
The role also required her to confront her own boundaries. “I’ve spent years trying to be ‘likable’ onscreen. Emily doesn’t give a damn about being liked. There’s freedom in that.”
The SXSW Factor: A Fitting Stage for Chaos
Premiering at SXSW—a festival celebrated for its love of bold, unconventional storytelling—proved ideal for the film. “This crowd doesn’t want safe,” Feig said. “They want to be sucker-punched. Mission accomplished.”
Lively agreed: “SXSW audiences are the best kind of rowdy. They’ll either hug you or throw tomatoes. Thankfully, we got more hugs.”
Conclusion: Embrace the Discomfort
Another Simple Favor doesn’t just push boundaries—it gleefully burns them down. While the “curveball” scene may leave some viewers baffled, it cements the franchise as a daring outlier in the thriller-comedy genre. As Lively put it: “If you’re not uncomfortable, we’re not doing our job.”
In an era of algorithm-driven content, that’s a rallying cry worth celebrating—even if you need a stiff drink afterward.