Anna Kendrick praised for response after being asked how new movie with Blake Lively is affected by ‘everything going on in the world’

Anna Kendrick has been praised for an answer she gave to a reporter on the red carpet.

Another Simple Favor, the sequel to 2018 movie A Simple Favor, premiered at the 2025 SXSW film festival yesterday (March 7).

Both Kendrick and Blake Lively have reprised their roles of Stephanie Smothers and Emily Nelson in the follow-up movie, and both stars were in attendance at its highly anticipated premiere.

Another Simple Favor marks Lively's first film release since It Ends With Us, with her now being embroiled in a lengthly legal battle with its director, Justin Baldoni.

With this in mind, a Variety reporter seemed to allude to the ongoing drama when chatting with Kendrick.

However, she could have also been making reference to the political turmoil President Trump has created of late amid his heated discussions with President Zelenskyy, as well as his threats to drastically hike tariffs on goods imported from Mexico, China, and Canada.

Kendrick was asked: "How does it feel like the movie's being impacted kind of by everything going on in the world?"

The Woman of The Hour star replied: "Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone, but I've heard I've the movie is amazing."

Ayahuasca is a a plant-based psychedelic.

People have since praised Kendrick for her response.

One person penned on Twitter: "Anna Kendrick mastering the art of saying a lot without saying anything at all."

"This is a textbook example of being properly media trained," said another. "Ain’t gonna get any sound bites outta me."

A third gushed: "Anna Kendrick couldn’t have answered this better."

Someone else quipped that her reply was 'Oscar winning evasion', as another dubbed the actress 'hilarious'.

A different person joked: "She heard the question and mentally clocked out immediately."

Away from Lively's personal drama, there were reports that she and Kendrick have been feuding with one another.

However, a source has since shut down these rumors. Speaking to E! News, they said: "There is no drama. They are not enemies. They are coworkers; friends and get along well."

The insider added that the pair 'look forward to promoting the movie along with the rest of the cast'.

However, at yesterday's event, Kendrick and Lively did not pose for any photos together. Instead, the Gossip Girl alum stuck close to her co-star Michele Morrone, while Kendrick was largely pictured on the red carpet solo.