While promoting her survival horror film The Shallows in June 2016, Blake Lively didn’t let her pregnancy slow her down.
At 28 years old, Blake filmed The Shallows in 2015, with principal photography beginning in October of that year in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. In the film, she portrays a surfer attacked by a great white shark.
Blake Lively stuns in a chic navy mini dress with edgy cutout shoulders, paired with spiked Christian Louboutin sandals and a gold clutch in New York City on June 22, 2016 (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
Performing Her Own Stunts
Blake Lively performed most of her stunts in The Shallows without a stunt double, including some scenes shot while she was pregnant with her second child with husband Ryan Reynolds.
Behind the Scenes: Overcoming the Elements
In a behind-the-scenes clip, Lively described the challenging scenes, including underwater sequences and filming in 4.5-foot waves while being dropped off on a small rock in the ocean 300 yards away from shore.
Blake Lively exudes beach-ready confidence in a vibrant bikini while filming a scene for The Shallows (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
Although Lively shot some additional scenes in Malibu, California, two days before her pregnancy was announced, these scenes were less intense than the earlier ones.
In the movie, Lively’s character is stranded on a rock in the ocean, and a great white shark threatens her survival.
Lively was inspired to take on the emotionally and physically challenging role after watching her husband, Ryan Reynolds, go through a similar experience while making the 2010 English-language Spanish survival thriller Buried.
My husband did a movie called Buried and that was one of the reasons why I wanted to take on this movie so much, because I know how tough that was for him and how rewarding it was. It was terrifying and one of the most vulnerable things you can do but you gotta do it, right?
Blake Lively’s Surfing Stunts in The Shallows: Fact or Fiction?
Not based on a true story, the 2016 American survival horror film The Shallows is written by screenwriter Anthony Jaswinski, who also wrote the screenplay for the 2016 American horror film Satanic.
Australian professional surfer Isabella Nichols was Blake Lively’s stunt double in the film and taught Blake how to paddle correctly.
Pro surfer Isabella Nichols was Blake Lively’s stunt double in The Shallows
“The most difficult part about it was having to wear a vest to make the location look tropical but really it was freezing! But I wasn’t complaining because the waves were pumping!” Isabella Nichols told Stab Mag about the surfing scenes in The Shallows.
In a June 2016 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Blake confirmed she did not surf in the movie.
There’s only a small bit of it on the buoy and only a small bit of it in a bikini, thank goodness. That was what I worked out for. It kicked my butt. But I also wanted to work out not just for extreme vanity but because they didn’t hire a stunt double until the last two weeks.
Playing medical student Nancy Adams on a surfing trip to Mexico, Blake Lively gets attacked by a shark in The Shallows
So I was doing all my own stunts, not my own surfing. I did my best with surfing. We had the best junior surfer in the world surfing for me. My mom was like, “You should tell people you did that!” I said, “Mom, that’s like me being like ‘Oh, the Water Lilies — I painted those.”
How The Shallows Created Its Terrifying Shark: Real or CGI?
The shark wasn’t mechanical; it was entirely created using computer-generated imagery (CGI).
It was like pink tape x’s that I had to react to. We filmed in the ocean and we also filmed in a tank. They had a big foam one for water displacement. The other thing that they had was they had a guy with a great white-sized fin attached and he would swim around on like a little sea doo, like an underwater rocket propeller.
The shark in The Shallows was made entirely through computer-generated imagery
But he would lose perspective too in the water and he’s going in circles and he would get dizzy so he often would just crash into the walls [of the tank]. It was so awful but also you can’t help but laugh. We were all trying to keep it together.
Blake Lively’s Stylish Promotion Tour
In June 2016, the 28-year-old star showcased her impeccable style once again as she stepped out of her Manhattan hotel. Just a few months later, on August 25, 2016, she celebrated her 29th birthday.
Blake Lively shows off her growing baby bump in a navy blue Monse dress (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
The tall actress hid her blossoming baby bump beneath her navy mini dress from Monse’s resort 2017 collection.
The dark blue number featured long sleeves, oversized buttons, and lace-up detailing around the shoulders. It also had a very short hemline, allowing the actress to parade her enviable stems.
Blake Lively leaves her New York City hotel in a navy blue Monse mini dress (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
The “Gossip Girl” star glammed up her look with gold jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz and Ofira. She accessorized with a large pair of hoop earrings, statement rings, and a gold Christian Louboutin clutch.
The A Simple Favour actress styled her blonde locks in curls and wore smoky eyeshadow and pink lipstick.
Blake Lively steps out in a chic navy mini dress, accentuating her baby bump, paired with striking Christian Louboutin “Miziggoo” sandals and a gold clutch (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
Blake completed her ensemble with striking Christian Louboutin “Miziggoo” sandals.
Blake Lively’s feet in studded leather Christian Louboutin sandals (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
These black patent leather sandals feature double bands with gold-toned spikes and adjustable slingback straps.
Blake Lively struts in striking Christian Louboutin “Miziggoo” sandals, featuring gold-toned spikes and green marbled heels, perfectly complementing her chic ensemble (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
They also have 4.8-inch heels in contrasting green marbled leather.
Blake Lively’s feet in Christian Louboutin “Miziggoo” sandals (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
You can find these popular Christian Louboutin sandals in black and silver versions at Mytheresa and Nordstrom.
Black Christian Louboutin “Miziggoo” Spiked Sandals, $1,095
Silver Metallic Christian Louboutin “Miziggoo” Spiked Sandals, $1,095