Brandon Sklenar is setting the record straight concerning his choice of a pin that bore a striking resemblance to one worn by Justin Baldoni earlier this month. When the star of "1923" stepped out for the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 2, he adorned his outfit with a floral brooch. "Long live the (brooch)," he captioned his Instagram post, sharing snapshots of his stylish ensemble.
Fans soon noticed the striking similarity between Sklenar's pin and the one worn by his "It Ends With Us" director-costar Baldoni, 41, at the film's New York City premiere back in August. Was there any deeper meaning behind Sklenar's pin selection? "Honestly, no. I wish I could say there was," Sklenar exclusively revealed to PEOPLE on the red carpet at the SXSW Film & TV Festival premiere of his thriller "Drop" on Sunday, March 9.
"It was sheer coincidence," added the 34-year-old actor. "I woke up in the morning and stumbled upon an article, and I was like, 'Oh, darn.' I genuinely had no clue. I had conceptualized wearing a floral brooch of some sort, and that particular color caught my eye the most. And, as fate would have it, someone had worn the exact same one before me."
In "Drop," directed by Christopher Landon, Sklenar stars opposite Meghann Fahy, who portrays a widowed mother on a disastrous first date when she starts receiving threatening anonymous messages on her phone. Speaking about working with Fahy, 34, known for her role in "White Lotus," Sklenar said, "It's always beneficial to have a genuine rapport with your costars. We had an absolute blast making this movie. I think that energy translates onto the screen."
Blake Lively, another of Sklenar's "It Ends With Us" costars, also premiered her latest film, "Another Simple Favor," at SXSW, attending the festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday, March 7. In December, Lively, 37, sued Baldoni, accusing him and others of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign, which Baldoni has denied. Baldoni countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist in January, alleging defamation and extortion.
During the recent Vanity Fair party, Sklenar was asked by The Hollywood Reporter how he planned to "support" Blake Lively "during this time." He responded, "It's indeed a challenging situation. I just hope everyone recalls the movie's essence and the purpose behind making it in the first place. It's a tale of love. It's about empowering women and aiding individuals through difficult times."
The actor, who portrayed Lively's onscreen love interest in "It Ends With Us," added that the film has "touched numerous lives." Sklenar continued, "I merely want people to remember what it stands for, why we created it, and to keep that core ethos in mind. You know what I mean?"
"Drop" hits theaters on April 11.
