Austin, TX – On March 9, 2025, YouTuber and social media personality Melanie King (@realmelanieking) sparked a heated online debate after posting on X about Blake Lively’s appearance at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival. King’s post, which included a screenshot of an SXSW reel, claimed that Lively’s wardrobe change during the premiere of Another Simple Favor was a deliberate “costume change” for the event, contradicting earlier speculation or criticism King had faced.
The post, captioned, “SXSW just posted it was a costume change Blake Lively did. PR bots are dumb as hell thinking they were going to community note me. Recieptshavecleared,” garnered significant attention, amassing 3,402 likes and 98 retweets by late Sunday. King’s statement appeared to target attempts by online users or PR entities to fact-check or discredit her earlier remarks about Lively, amid the actress’s ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni.
SXSW just posted it was a costume change Blake Lively did. PR bots are dumb as hell thinking they were going to community note me. Reciepts👏🏽have👏🏽cleared👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/XO43Z0eLxn
— Melanie King (@realmelanieking) March 9, 2025
Lively’s SXSW appearance marked her second public outing since the controversy with Baldoni, her It Ends With Us co-star and director, whom she is suing for alleged sexual harassment and a smear campaign. At the festival, Lively received a warm reception, but King’s post reignited scrutiny over the actress’s public image and wardrobe choices, which some interpret as calculated PR moves.
Responses on X were mixed. Some users, like @AlphaGator, accused King of fixating on Lively, suggesting a “smear campaign,” while others, such as @sheeple_room, argued SXSW’s acknowledgment of the costume change was intentional praise for King’s observations. The exchange highlights the ongoing tension between Lively’s celebrity status and public criticism, amplified by SXSW’s high-profile 2025 lineup, which includes stars like Ben Affleck and Nicole Kidman.
