Anna Kendrick shares important safety tips every woman should know

A good safety tip stored in the back of your mind can make all the difference in a moment of crisis. For women, who often face uncomfortable or even dangerous situations, these pieces of advice can be particularly valuable. Anna Kendrick, while promoting her directorial debut Woman of the Hour—a gripping film about an aspiring actress and a serial killer on a dating show—shared some potentially life-saving tips she discovered on TikTok. Kendrick, known as @annakendrick47 on Instagram, highlighted how important it is to have these strategies in mind, even if they can’t guarantee safety.

Kendrick stumbled upon a TikTok video by creator Rachel Lovely (@rachellovely5), who shared practical tips for handling social situations that feel unsafe. In her own video, Kendrick explained, “Rachel said she was inspired by Woman of the Hour, even though she hasn’t seen it and might not because she doesn’t do scary movies—which is totally okay.” Kendrick praised Rachel’s approach, saying, “She took the time to emphasize that these tips aren’t meant to shame anyone or suggest that knowing them would have prevented harm. That really warmed my heart.”

The actress went on to stress a point she’s been advocating throughout her press tour: “There really isn’t a guaranteed protection from someone determined to harm you. And yet, I do believe in sharing these tips, so they might be there in the back of your mind if you ever need them.” It’s a reminder of the power of shared knowledge, even when it’s not a perfect solution.

In her video, Lovely shared tips she uses to stay safe, along with scenarios where she managed to protect herself. She clarified, however, that if someone is intent on causing harm, they still could. The techniques were to "delay or avoid that." In one situation, while traveling for work, Lovely noticed that her hotel elevator required guests to use their room key to select a floor. "A man got into the elevator. He didn’t look at the buttons or anything. Right away, I was thinking, ‘There’s 40 floors to this hotel. There’s a zero percent chance that he’s on my floor without even recognizing it,'" she shared. The woman immediately started digging through her purse and stood with her back to the wall. "Then, when the elevator doors go 'ding,' I hold my arm like this on the doors, I look at him, and I say, 'You go ahead, I forgot my book in the lobby,'" Lovely revealed. The man awkwardly got off. She also shared that maintaining eye contact and not letting anyone stand directly behind you are other important things to keep in mind.

"In those types of situations, I am not getting off the elevator because the elevator has a camera," she added. If it’s a regular elevator, Lovely suggested standing in front of the keypad to block access and asking the other person which floor they need. "Let’s say he sees the floor and says, ‘I’m also going to 18.’ This has happened before. At that moment, I said, '18?' and I turned around and looked and saw that 18 was highlighted because that’s where I needed to go. I’ll be like, 'Oh, perfect!' and I’ll hit it again, so he sees it — and then I’ll say, 'I’m actually going to 22,'" she explained. In this scenario, she recommended letting the man exit first and remaining in the elevator. Another common situation is when someone asks for your number, and you don’t want to share it.

"When he asks for my number, I will change it by one digit," the woman advised. "I’ve been in situations, and this has happened more than I would like to say, where the person I’m talking to kind of understands that I don’t want him to have my number. He will say in a very creepy, unsettling way, ‘I’m gonna call you right now.' So, of course, my phone doesn’t ring and I say super curiously and sweetly, 'What number did you put in?’ He shows it, and I’ll go, 'Oh, that two needs to be a three.'" Now, she adds, she simply blocks the person afterward. She also advised women to trust their instincts: "Your gut instincts are going to be screaming red alert when you don’t feel comfortable with this person. Your only job is to listen to that."

If a woman doesn’t want to leave with someone from a bar or share an Uber, she can create an excuse and say a quick goodbye. "You just start saying goodbye," she advised. "You don’t get up, you don’t leave, you don’t go toward the door. You are sitting on that bar stool and you’re glued to that bar stool." She continued, "If they show resistance, you can raise your voice as a defense mechanism, saying things like ‘No, I’m totally fine.' 'Thank you so much for an awesome night.' 'Get home safe’ so that the people at the tables next to you can hear you." Viewers took to the comments to express their appreciation for these tips. @according_to_bree wrote, "I always say 'What floor?' before I press mine." @_erinfred commented, "I always say my safety is more important than anyone’s feelings. Always trust your gut!" @luinhermood remarked, "I always feel painfully unaware sometimes, so this was helpful. Thanks."

You can follow Rachel Lovely (@rachellovely5) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.