Blake Lively isn’t just returning to the screen—she’s coming back as Emily Nelson in Another Simple Favor with the kind of flair that blurs the line between character and couture. The 37-year-old actress, who has already cemented her status as a modern style icon throughout her press tour, is doubling down on that persona with a series of killer looks that feel less like promotions and more like extensions of Emily’s cinematic swagger. And in a sequel that takes us from suburban secrets to Italian extravagance, Lively’s performance (and wardrobe) are the real power plays.
Emily Nelson’s Italian Makeover Is As Sharp As Blake Lively’s Red-Carpet Ensembles
It’s hard not to draw parallels between Blake Lively’s public appearances and her on-screen character in Another Simple Favor. Whether she’s stepping out in a layered white dress with ruffled hips and bedazzled heels or rocking a polka-dot corseted suit that screams “boardroom femme fatale,” Lively is clearly channeling Emily through her fashion choices. Her recent New York City outing—where she dazzled in two distinct looks before and after a Late Night with Seth Meyers taping—felt like a sartorial teaser for what Emily’s emotional and stylistic journey in the film entails.
And fans can’t help but wonder: Are those spiky silver pumps a nod to the ones she actually wears in the trailer? Because if they are, Lively’s style gambit on the press tour isn’t just clever—it’s meta. It’s the kind of layered storytelling through clothing that Emily Nelson herself would approve of.
From Prison to Piazza: Emily’s Return Is as Glamorous as It Is Groundbreaking
The twist that made everyone gasp in the original A Simple Favor—Emily ending up in jail—doesn’t slow down the sequel. In fact, Another Simple Favor turns that plot point on its head with a wink and a sparkle (literally, in the form of rhinestone-studded stilettos). Emily is back, and she’s not just free—she’s hosting a lavish wedding in Capri. But as we’ve come to expect from this noir-comedy blend, nothing is as simple as it seems.
Director Paul Feig, who masterfully balances humor with suspense, lets Blake Lively unleash a version of Emily that’s as manipulative as she is magnetic. “Blake just embodies Emily in a way that's hilarious because Blake in real life is nothing like Emily,” Feig explained. And that contrast—between the actress’s real-life sweetness and her screen persona’s sharp-edged cunning—is what makes Emily’s character arc in this film so compelling.
More Than a Sequel: Another Simple Favor Is a Stylish, Chaotic Love Letter to Femme Fatales
Sequels often stumble trying to outdo their predecessors, but Another Simple Favor knows its strengths. Lively and Anna Kendrick’s (Stephanie Smothers) combustible chemistry is once again front and center, with a script that gives them plenty of sharp, witty ammo. Emily’s luxe Italian wedding setting provides the perfect backdrop for a story that’s equal parts twisting thriller and campy comedy.
And then there are the costumes. Emily’s wardrobe is a masterclass in character storytelling—tailored, extravagant, and just a touch menacing. Think Chanel boho clutches paired with stiletto spikes, or a two-tone tweed skirt set that looks like it belongs in a high-stakes board meeting rather than a garden party. Every outfit is a power move, mirroring Emily’s shift from being in control to being unpredictably out of control.
The Hidden Layers Behind Emily’s Glamour and Grit
What makes Blake Lively’s portrayal of Emily Nelson in Another Simple Favor truly resonate is the way it plays with perception. Emily is glamorous, sure—but she’s also dangerous, clever, and constantly three steps ahead. Lively’s performance leans into this duality, giving us a character who can be both enchanting and intimidating in the same breath. It’s the kind of role that invites comparison to comic book antiheroines—think Selina Kyle in Gotham or Natasha Romanoff in her prime. Emily isn’t a vigilante, but she operates with the same level of strategic finesse.
And just like a well-written superhero (or antihero) story, Another Simple Favor uses Emily’s wardrobe as a visual language. The men’s-inspired suits, the sharp jewelry, the calculated pops of color—they’re all part of her arsenal. When Emily steps back into Stephanie’s life, it’s not just with a favor in mind—it’s with a plan, and Lively makes sure we see that coming long before she says it.
Blake Lively’s Emily Nelson Proves That Style and Substance Can Be Deadly
Blake Lively’s promotional run for Another Simple Favor may be filled with eye-catching outfits, but beneath the surface, it’s a masterclass in aligning persona with performance. Emily Nelson’s return is more than just a sequel plot—it’s an evolution. One that takes us from suburban suspicions to Mediterranean mind games, all while looking impeccably sharp.
With a cast that includes Michele Morrone, Henry Golding, and Allison Janney, and a script that never lets the tone slip, Another Simple Favor is the kind of genre-bending, stylishly wicked ride that thrives on its lead’s energy. And Blake Lively? She doesn’t just deliver. She dominates.
Another Simple Favor is now streaming on Prime Video. Watch it for the plot twists, stay for Lively’s lethal elegance.