Non-drinker Blake Lively sparks backlash with launch of alcohol brand: ‘Genuinely confused’

Blake Lively, who does not drink alcohol, has sparked backlash from fans after launching her own line of canned alcoholic cocktails.

The 35-year-old actor took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce the release of her new cocktails, Betty Booze, which are made with “sparkling bourbon” and “sparkling tequila”. The launch of the alcoholic beverage brand comes two years after Lively launched her company Betty Buzz, which makes sparkling, non-alcoholic mixers.

In her Instagram post announcing the new line of drinks, the Gossip Girl star could be seen holding a tray of three Betty Booze cocktails. In the caption, Lively admitted that drinking is not her “thing” while praising the “homemade recipes”.

“Drinking isn’t my thing. But for f* sake, flavour is,” she wrote in the caption. “Homemade recipes. Real fruit. Real ingredients. Quality booze. No crap. Also a real time saver. Which is why I really did it.”

In another promotional Instagram post, Lively claimed that “zero alcohol” Betty Buzz is “good for all ages and preferences,” while Betty Booze is “for those who want the alcohol because that’s what hosts do”.

“We make something for everyone. And not usually ourselves. Wait, I’m describing moms now,” the mother of four joked. On her Instagram Stories, Lively, who shares a baby and daughters James, eight, Inez, six, and Betty, three, with husband Ryan Reynolds, also referenced her family while promoting the alcoholic drink brand. “@bettybooze at your service,” she wrote. “These are recipes I’ve been making for loved ones for years. But I have four kids now. And I’m tired. So here they are. In a can. Enjoy Responsibly..ish.”

The announcement of Lively’s new endeavour has sparked a debate among her fans and followers, with many questioning the A Simple Favor star’s decision to launch an alcohol brand when she doesn’t drink.

“I don’t understand not drinking but having a line of booze? Genuinely confused,” one person wrote, while another said: “I don’t get why you would promote alcohol if you don’t drink. So you can serve them to others at parties? Very odd choice.”

A third wrote: “If just flavour is ‘your thing,’ and not drinking, why, oh why on Earth do you endorse an alcoholic beverage?”

According to someone else, it’s “so lame” when celebrities who don’t drink “suddenly promote alcohol”.

Others accused Lively of launching the brand solely as a way of making money, with some arguing that it doesn’t make sense for the actress to market a product she doesn’t “openly consume” herself.

“How can you market/create a product you don’t openly consume yourself? Come the f**k on now...” one person commented.

Another wrote: “If drinking really isn’t your thing (which you’re very vocal about) how about some non-alcoholic options? Otherwise you’re just in it for the money.”

“First @jlo and now Blake Lively, ridiculous all these celebs who don’t even drink selling alcohol just to make a buck,” someone else said.

However, other fans defended Lively from the criticism and applauded her decision to launch the new beverage line, as it allows her to expand her Betty Buzz business.

“A good business person sees a gap in the market and fills it,” one person wrote. “They don’t have to be a consumer of your own product to stand behind its quality. She’s putting her name on this product and risking her reputation. That’s a good business woman.”

“Someone can not drink and still create a drink for those who do. The company started with non-alcoholic sparkling mixers,” another added. “People drink those as mocktails and in cocktails, people can choose to drink these or not. Why not build a company where there is something for everyone.”

The Independent has contacted a representative for Lively and Betty Buzz for comment.

Lively has opened up on a number of occasions about her reasons for avoiding alcohol. During an interview with People in 2021, she explained that she doesn’t drink because she ​​”doesn’t like the effects of alcohol”. However, according to Lively, being the person who doesn’t drink, in a group of drinkers, can feel a little “alienating”.

“I like being social. I like people coming together,” she said. “I found that sometimes not drinking, the thing that was interesting was that it was a little alienating, because you don’t feel - and maybe it’s just in your own head - but you just don’t really feel a part of it.”

While she doesn’t drink herself, Lively previously revealed she’s a fan of making cocktails. During an interview with USA Today in 2021, she said that she enjoys making drinks with Reynolds’ Aviation Gin when hosting.

“I think I’m an amazing mixologist at this point. I am the in-house mixologist in my family,” The Age of Adaline star said. “I love to muddle berries and shake things up with ice and swirl vermouth around and spritz with a twist. I love the idea of making a drink.”

Lively is not the first non-drinking celebrity to face criticism over the launch of an alcohol brand, as Jennifer Lopez, who also does not drink, faced similar criticism in April when she launched her brand Delola cocktails. At the time, many questioned the appropriateness of the business endeavour considering Lopez is married to Ben Affleck, who previously revealed he is an “alcoholic”.