Austin’s annual South by Southwest Conference and Festival delves beyond movie premieres: It creates an opportunity for personal interactions with actors and directors. Red carpet interviews can reveal the a director’s drive for their latest storytelling adventures and an actor’s passion for a particular role.
So, what have celebrities said on SXSW 2025’s red carpet so far? Here’s some memorable interactions.
What did Anna Kendrick say about ‘Another Simple Favor’ co-star Blake Lively?
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, who co-headlined the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling book “It Ends with Us,” are now locked in a bitter legal battle.
Lively has accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her and others on set, then coordinating an online smear campaign to discredit her during the filming of “It Ends with Us.” Baldoni has countered that it was Lively who behaved poorly on set and used her influence alongside that of husband Ryan Reynolds to extort and defame him.
The lawsuit will proceed to trial in March 2026.
During an interview on the Paramount Theatre red carpet, a reporter with Variety asked Kendrick how she feels the movie “Another Simple Favor” has been impacted by “everything going around in the world,” possibly alluding to the controversy around her fellow co-star, Lively.
Kendrick, in true witty form, responded by saying, “Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone.”
“But I heard the movie is amazing,” she continued before blowing a kiss and walking away.
Watch the interaction:
In a separate interaction with fans on Friday, Kendrick was asked what it means to her to be working with Blake (Lively) again.
“Oh you know,” Kendrick responded before moving on to take a photo with a fan.
Blake Lively opens up about playing ‘Emily’ again in ‘Another Simple Favor’
During a post-show conversation, “Another Simple Favor” co-star Blake Lively spoke about how it felt to return to the “legendary mindset of Emily” again.
“I love this character so much, it’s probably my favorite character I’ve ever been fortunate enough to play,” Lively said. “And, so, when Paul [Feig] asked us to come back, I was so excited.”
“And I was really nervous on the first one because we didn’t know if we were making a drama or comedy,” she continued. “And when we asked Paul, he said ‘yes.'”
Watch Lively’s full response:
Blake Lively appears at ‘Another Simple Favor’ premiere amid lawsuits
Blake Lively made a public appearance at SXSW as she and “It Ends With Us” director Justin Baldoni litigate alleged on-set misconduct in court.
What ‘The Studio’ director Seth Rogen likes about Austin, Texas
When we spoke to “The Studio” director Seth Rogen on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Studio” at the Paramount Theatre, American-Statesman reporter Caleb Yum asked Rogen what he liked about Austin.
“The food is great. The barbecue, I like eating out of a shipping container, in a parking lot,” Rogen responded while chuckling. “There’s nothing better… Me and my wife were driving in, we drove by a shipping container taco spot and I was like ‘That’s what I like about Austin.'”
Check out our full red carpet interview:
Seth Rogen at SXSW on why he enjoys eating out of a ‘shipping container’
Seth Rogen, co-creator of ‘The Studio’ stopped by SXSW to talk about his new show and why Austin’s eating scene is so enjoyable to him.
Matthew McConaughey reacts to standing ovation for ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’ at SXSW
Although it’s been six years since Matthew McConaughey has produced or acted, he seems to have chosen the perfect film with which to re-enter the spotlight — at least, that’s what fans seemed to believe when they gave a standing ovation at the premiere of “The Rivals of Amziah King” in Austin.
“There’s a general admission DNA to Austin,” McConaughey said in an interview with American-Statesman reporter Caleb Yum. “No one cares if someone has more money or success, but I hope Austin never leaves that.”
At SXSW, Matthew McConaughey reflects on six-year hiatus from acting
Matthew McConaughey shared what he did during his break from acting and what made him fall in love with the art.
H.E.R. ‘inspired’ by Curtis Mayfield, subject of documentary
Grammy-winning musician H.E.R. has made her directorial debut with “The Makings of Curtis Mayfield.” In a red carpet interview at its premiere, she shared some of the ways the legendary soul musician’s journey has influenced her work.
“I feel like he’s already influenced me to incorporate speaking on the times and how we feel,” H.E.R. said. “Not necessarily carrying that responsibility, but just being true to the art and being authentic, and I think that’s a really big thing.”
“Speaking about difficult times is the reality of our lives, and music is a soundtrack to our lives,” H.E.R. continued. “The fact that [Mayfield] did that so true and so eloquently, it really is inspiring, and I hope to continue to do that.”
Watch the full red carpet video:
H.E.R. reveals biggest lesson she learned from Curtis Mayfield’s life
While at the premiere of “The Makings of Curtis Mayfield,” director H.E.R. shared some of the ways the legendary soul musician’s journey influenced her work.
How Ben Affleck relates to Christian Wolff in ‘The Accountant 2’
In a Paramount Theatre red carpet interview, Ben Affleck spoke to a USA TODAY reporter about finding common ground with his character, “Christian Wolff,” in “The Accountant 2.” The actor described Christian as a “very vulnerable character.” Despite having exceptional strengths, skills and talents, Christian struggles to connect with the people in his life.
“He wants to have love in his life. He wants to meet a woman that he can have a connection with,” Affleck said. “He sees other people having this, and he knows it’s something that matters to him. He’s not quite sure how to do it. I think a lot of us have felt that way at times. It’s not an easy thing to be a person and build authentic connections.”
Ben Affleck on ‘The Accountant 2’ at SXSW premiere
Ben Affleck opens up about relationships and authentic connections on the red carpet of “The Accountant 2” premiere at SXSW.
Jenna Ortega appears cool and confident on SXSW red carpet
In the ultimate power move, Jenna Ortega rocked the red carpet in a glen plaid suit by Oscar de la Rent, paired with a burgundy button-up and silk tie, for the premiere of “Death of a Unicorn” at the Paramount Theatre.
In a post by Fandango, Ortega was asked what the best part of having a unicorn as a co-star is.
“Honestly, they’re really friendly, really personable, very humble…I would say they’re very beautiful to look at. And I don’t know, they just got this very ethereal quality to them that you can’t really find in a human,” she replied.
