Blake Lively has lent her talents to many projects. But it was Gossip Girl that became almost inseparable from her name. However, she was not the only actress in the running for the role. There were strong contenders, like Jennifer Lawrence, who were also elbowing their way to play Serena van der Woodsen. It was the X factor that creators believed Lively could bring to Serena’s role that landed her the career-defining part. And now, history is repeating itself, this time with Isabela Ferrer, Lively’s on-screen younger version.

Blake Lively recently revealed the magic ingredient that made Isabela Ferrer the perfect pick for younger Lily in It Ends With Us, despite having many other excellent options. 

Isabela Ferrer surprised everyone with her uncanny resemblance to Blake Lively. It seemed like that was the primary reason for her landing the role in It Ends With Us. However, Lively recently put that myth to rest. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lively clarified that even if Ferrer did not replicate her mannerisms, or her mole, the 36-year-old would have chosen her over all the "other great actresses who gave great performances". The reason was Ferrer's strong performance and strong heart.

"There was just no one but her," said Lively. It Ends With Us is Ferrer’s biggest role yet, and her first feature film as well, even though she acted in the 2024 short film Fire Burning and guest-starred in the Paramount+ series Evil in 2024. And the young actress is completely aware of what it means to be trusted with the responsibility of portraying a younger version of Lily, Blake Lively's character. 

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Isabela Ferrer shared her thoughts on landing the coveted role of one of Colleen Hoover’s characters with The Hollywood Reporter.

Isabela Ferrer told The Hollywood Reporter that being asked to portray a young Blake Lively in a movie is, to her, the “biggest compliment”. “I knew how important this movie was and how important Colleen is," said the 24-year-old. She also shared her experience working with Lively, who took Ferrer under her wing, whether it was guiding her through the role or styling her for red-carpet glamour.

Lively let Ferrer take complete ownership of her variation of Lily, saying, "This role is just as much yours as it is mine," as the Fire Burning actress recalled. This was "the biggest privilege and compliment" she could have received as an actor. That said, It Ends With Us, which was anticipated to give the year’s top movie a run for its money, is currently setting the theaters alight. 

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What do you think about Blake Lively's interview about Isabela Ferrer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!