And the lore deepens…
Amidst the Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni legal drama, people have been digging up interviews from the past and they really don’t make the actress look good. Of course, the Internet is seeing everything in a new light these days, and things that didn’t have them batting an eye before are now having them raising their eyebrows. Blake Lively will soon be seen in the sequel of A Simple Favor and according to an old interview with the director Paul Feig, she pulled a real sneaky move in the first film.
In A Simple Favor, Blake Lively’s Emily Nelson serves up martinis to her friend, Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), and while doing so, the film perfects the art of subtle product placements showing a bottle of Aviation Gin. As it turns out, the brand belongs to none other than her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and Paul Feig had no clue.
How Blake Lively sneaked Ryan Reynolds’ brand in A Simple Favor
Aviation American Gin was founded by Christian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian all the way back in 2006. Ten years later, Ryan Reynolds bought out the company becoming its new owner and primary spokesman and sponsor.
In a previous interview (via Cosmopolitan), Paul Feig revealed the story behind Aviation Gin’s cameo in A Simple Favor. According to the director, he was trying to get another brand cleared for the film when Blake Lively chimed in singing high praises of Reynolds’ gin.
Of course, Lively didn’t coerce Feig into choosing Aviation Gin for the film – he liked how the bottle looked. However, the director wasn’t aware of Reynolds’ involvement in the company.
He stated,
At the time, I was trying to clear another gin, and Blake’s like, ‘Hey! Ryan’s got this gin that he really likes!’ She really liked the company and everybody involved. And I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t like the look of it on the screen, but I really thought the bottle looked fantastic. So I, honestly, didn’t even realize the level of involvement that [Ryan] had in it, but I think it’s great, because it’s a really good gin.
Well, at least Feig was on board with using the brand for his film…one way or the other.
As for Another Simple Favor, which will be going straight to streaming, there will be a change in how Emily makes her martinis. As the characters return to the screen, finding themselves in the middle of yet another mystery, there is someone who won’t be coming back -Aviation Gin.
Why Aviation Gin won’t be in Another Simple Favor
With everyone returning for the sequel, Aviation Gin won’t be joining the party and Feig has a good reason why.
Since the release of A Simple Favor, Feig has launched his own brand of gin called Artingstall’s Brilliant London Dry Gin or simply, Artingstall’s Gin. The brand first premiered in the United States back in 2020 and as per its website, it uses eleven different botanicals to make Artingstall’s Gin “as unique, refined and entertaining as its creator.”
Needless to say, Aviation is out, and Artingstall’s is in. Feig told Entertainment Weekly,
There’s no more Aviation. This movie is all Artingstall’s all the time. I’m very proud of my brand. And actually, our bottle is so beautiful that it fits in. It doesn’t feel like it doesn’t belong. There’s never a shortage of martinis in any of my movies.
Well, if you decide to put on Another Simple Favor after it releases, keep an eye out for Feig’s beautiful bottle of gin!
Another Simple Favor is all set to be released on Prime Video on May 01. Meanwhile, A Simple Favor is available to watch on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
