Anna Kendrick’s revelations about her 7-year abusive relationship on Call Her Daddy matter more than you think
While I’ll never forgive Anna Kendrick for coming up with the ‘Cup-Song’ and subsequently isolating me from every teen party because I physically couldn’t get the hang of it, I have to acknowledge how iconic the actor is. Not only did Kendrick star in the film franchise that single-handedly popularised acapella (Pitch Perfect), but she also had an iconic role in the angstiest film of all time (Twilight). In short, she’s done it all. And now, the 39-year-old can add ‘guest on Call Her Daddy’ to her resumé.
It’s that time again girlies—welcome back to Explained By a Blonde where I, your resident blonde, walk you through a topic, story, or headline that’s in desperate need of discussion. Look, I’m a charitable queen, what can I say?
This week, we’re back in the studio with podcast host Alex Cooper. Call Her Daddy—a show that was recently reported as the most-listened-to podcast by women on Spotify, with a primary audience of 18- to 29-year-olds—has almost become church for some celebs. From romance problems to American politics, the Call Her Daddy set seems to invoke vulnerability from its guests.
And Anna Kendrick is no different. The actor, who recently directed and starred in the viral Netflix film Woman of the Hour, appeared on the podcast on 23 October 2024 and decided to use the time to reveal an incredibly upsetting truth about herself: that she had previously been in an emotionally abusive seven-year-long relationship.
This article is going to touch upon the entire interview, with a specific focus on trying to understand just how painful that experience was for Kendrick while also learning more about how she discovered she was in an abusive relationship and who the man in question might be.
Anna Kendrick opens up about abusive relationship on ‘Call Her Daddy’
While I would love for this article to primarily centre on fun and goofy anecdotes from Anna Kendrick’s time on the Pitch Perfect and Twilight set, that sadly wasn’t the most impactful takeaway from the recent Call Her Daddy episode.
Clearly comfortable opening up to Cooper, Kendrick began to explain how filming drama Alice, Darling—which revolves around a woman in a psychologically abusive relationship—forced her to confront and reflect upon a number of personal experiences.
Then, Kendrick revealed that she herself had endured through a seven-year-long emotionally abusive relationship. “It didn’t follow the traditional pattern, which is kind of yet another reason why I was finding it really difficult to identify it and name it as abusive. I was reading all the articles and going, like, ‘Some of it looks like how they’re describing it, but not completely’. The relationship was seven years, but it was like an overnight switch and that went on for about a year,” the actor explained.
“I thought it had to be me, like, ‘if one of us is crazy, it must be me’. So it was very, very difficult to actually go. ‘No, I think, I think this is him. I think this is his stuff’,” Kendrick continued.
Something that the star really delved into in the interview was how hard it is to pinpoint and identify emotional abuse, often because the perpetrator truly believes that they are a victim themselves. Healthline defines this kind of coercion as the following: “Emotional abuse involves attempts to frighten, control, or isolate you. This type of abuse doesn’t involve physical violence, though it might involve threats of violence directed toward you or your loved ones. It’s characterised by a person’s words, actions, and the consistency of these behaviours. Abuse may start gradually, but it happens again and again.”
Tons of people took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their support and applaud Kendrick for being so open and vulnerable on the internet:
Listening to Anna Kendrick’s story about her 7-year abusive relationship on Call Her Daddy is a powerful reminder of how emotional abuse can impact someone’s life. Her courage in speaking out will help so many recognize their own strength. Thank you for sharing, Anna.
— India Sports Zone (@IndiaSportsZone) October 28, 2024
That being said, you can always rely on the crazies to come out in troves and ruin what could have been a genuinely healing moment:
I had such high hopes for Anna Kendrick. One of the few Hollywood actresses who didn't partake in feminist movies. I'm sorry she's been through this but I hope she has the sense not to tarnish all men.
— FHousebunny (@mensrightsbunny) October 25, 2024
And surely people who abuse another human don't go to therapy because they… pic.twitter.com/8AgANgmW4e
Who is Anna Kendrick’s abusive ex-boyfriend?
Although Anna Kendrick did not name her emotionally abusive ex-partner, it didn’t stop netizens from speculating about who it might be. The most likely candidate at the moment seems to be Ben Richardson, an English cinematographer and television producer.
Kendrick and Richardson met on the set of the film Drinking Buddies and dated from 2014 to 2020, which fits the timeline the actor spoke about on the podcast. While the pair were incredibly private about their relationship, people online have been connecting the dots and all arrows are pointing towards Richardson being the man in question.
Now, I don’t think speculating over this kind of thing is really helpful whatsoever. What Kendrick went through was evidently traumatising and rather than playing who’s who with her life, we should be appreciative of the fact that her sharing her story might help someone else.
Here are some resources for anyone who is either currently in an emotionally abusive relationship or wants to learn more about how to identify one: Relate, NHS domestic abuse support, Office on Women’s Health, and CRISIS TEXT LINE.
