In 2016, Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us became a breakout hit, capturing readers’ hearts with its poignant portrayal of toxic relationships, personal growth, and the difficult choices one must make. The bestselling novel quickly earned a spot on multiple top charts, eventually selling over a million copies.
So, when Wayfarer Studios acquired the rights to adapt it into a film in 2019, the excitement among book fans and moviegoers was palpable.
Fast-forward to August 2024, when It Ends With Us hit theaters, starring Blake Lively as Lily Bloom and Justin Baldoni as Ryle Kincaid. Baldoni, who also co-founded Wayfarer Studios, was expected to bring his passion for the project to life on screen.
Related: Blake Lively Praised for Normalizing Breastfeeding, Pumping at Disney
However, behind the glitz and glamour of the movie’s promotional campaign, the story behind the film’s production quickly took a much darker turn. Reports of tension between Lively and Baldoni began to surface, and what was initially seen as a simple on-set disagreement soon escalated into a full-blown legal battle.
Behind the Cameras: Growing Tension Between the Stars
At first, fans were thrilled to see two well-known stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, join forces for this anticipated film adaptation. However, when it came to the movie’s press tour, it was hard to ignore the growing distance between the two.
Lively and Baldoni appeared at the film’s world premiere on August 6, 2024, but the pair noticeably avoided taking photos together. The absence of joint interviews further fueled the speculation that there was something more going on behind the scenes.
View this post on Instagram
Sources close to the film crew revealed that tension was brewing between Lively and Baldoni long before the premiere. The rift reportedly began when Lively, known for her perfectionist approach to her roles, took an active hand in the editing of the film.
Allegedly, she even enlisted a personal editor, the same one she had worked with on her other projects with husband Ryan Reynolds, and attempted to make changes to the film’s final cut. Ultimately, the original version of the film prevailed, but the rift between the stars seemed to grow even wider.
Blake Lively Files Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni
On December 21, 2024, the situation took a shocking turn when it was revealed that Blake Lively had filed a lawsuit against her co-star Justin Baldoni. According to the lawsuit, filed after months of brewing tension, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment, and attempting to sabotage her reputation.
Related: Netflix Bans ‘Jane the Virgin’ Amid Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni ‘It Ends With Us’ Drama
The suit, which was obtained by TMZ, outlined several troubling incidents that allegedly occurred during filming, including accusations of weight-shaming and inappropriate comments about Lively’s appearance.
Lively, who had recently given birth to her fourth child, accused Baldoni of making insensitive remarks about her weight. During the filming of intimate scenes, Lively claims Baldoni made a comment about how to lift her safely due to his back problems, a remark she interpreted as fat-shaming. This allegedly contributed to an already strained work environment.
The lawsuit also included disturbing allegations about the atmosphere on set. Lively claimed that, at one point, the tensions became so unbearable that an “all-hands-on-deck” meeting was called to address the situation.
The meeting, attended by Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, included several demands, including the cessation of nude images being shown to the actress, a ban on mentions of Baldoni’s alleged past issues with pornography addiction, and the prohibition of further discussions about Lively’s weight or her late father.
Lively Speaks Out
In response to the filing, Blake Lively released a public statement, stating,
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
She went on to express her desire to bring attention to the hostile work environment she claims to have endured and to shine a light on the tactics often used to silence those who speak out.
As part of her legal case, Lively provided screenshots of text messages between Baldoni, a public relations executive, and a crisis management professional. These messages allegedly outlined plans to smear Lively’s reputation using negative media stories.
The texts reportedly referenced strategies involving Hailey Bieber as a model for framing narratives about Lively. The accusations are nothing short of shocking, as they suggest a coordinated effort to discredit the actress, both professionally and personally.
Baldoni’s Denial
In response to the lawsuit, Justin Baldoni and his legal team vehemently denied all accusations. His attorney, Bryan Freedman, released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter condemning the claims as “categorically false” and accusing Lively of trying to “fix” her negative public image.
“It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions.”
Baldoni’s team also defended the work environment on set, arguing that Lively’s behavior contributed to difficulties during production. They further claimed that she hired her own public relations team, led by Leslie Sloan (who also represents Ryan Reynolds), to plant negative stories about Baldoni before the movie even went to market.
“These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media. Wayfarer Studios made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film, to work alongside their own representative with Jonesworks employed by Stephanie Jones, due to the multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production which included her threatening to not showing up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
“It was also discovered that Ms. Lively enlisted her own representative, Leslie Sloan with Vision PR, who also represents Mr. Reynolds, to plant negative and completely fabricated and false stories with media, even prior to any marketing had commenced for the film, which was another reason why Wayfarer Studios made the decision to hire a crisis professional to commence internal scenario planning in the case they needed to address,” the statement read. “The representatives of Wayfarer Studios still did nothing proactive nor retaliated, and only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and factual reporting and monitored social activity. What is pointedly missing from the cherry-picked correspondence is the evidence that there were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal scenario planning and private correspondence to strategize which is standard operating procedure with public relations professionals.”
The “negative reputation” Mr. Freedman mentions stems from the backlash Ms. Lively faced after a reporter shared a story about an awkward encounter during an interview.
In 2016, journalist Kjersti Flaa congratulated Ms. Lively on her pregnancy, having recently learned that the actress was expecting. In response, Ms. Lively turned the tables and congratulated Flaa on her “bump” — even though Flaa was not pregnant and had struggled with infertility, making the comment deeply upsetting.
Following the incident, Lively was criticized for allegedly using her role in It Ends With Us to promote her own hair care line, as well as for appearing rude and insincere in interviews.
View this post on Instagram
Related: Disney Star Apologizes For Poor Behavior During Disastrous Interview
While Mr. Baldoni, the film’s director, used the movie’s focus on domestic violence to speak out about toxic relationships, engage with survivors, and encourage others to seek help, Ms. Lively took a lighter approach. When asked how she would respond to fans wanting to discuss the film’s serious subject matter, she jokingly offered to share her location instead.
The Fallout: Baldoni Dropped by His Agency
The impact of the lawsuit was swift. Just hours after the legal news broke, Deadline reported that Baldoni’s talent agency, WME, had dropped him as a client. Lively, on the other hand, continues to be represented by the agency. While WME did not comment on the decision, the move speaks volumes about the seriousness of the situation and the impact it has had on Baldoni’s career.
Colleen Hoover and Public Support
Despite the growing controversy surrounding the film, one person has consistently voiced their support for Blake Lively—It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover. In an Instagram Story, Hoover shared a heartfelt message praising Lively for her integrity.
“@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive, and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
Hoover’s public support for Lively adds another layer of complexity to the situation, signaling her alignment with the actress in the ongoing dispute. As an influential figure in the literary and film world, Hoover’s endorsement only serves to deepen the rift between Lively and Baldoni.
View this post on Instagram
What’s Next for It Ends With Us?
With all the drama surrounding the film’s production, one thing is certain: the future of It Ends With Us as a franchise is in jeopardy. While the movie was a success at the box office, the fallout between Lively and Baldoni raises questions about the potential for a sequel. Hoover’s second book, It Starts With Us, would be a natural choice for adaptation, but with the current tension between the stars, it seems unlikely that Baldoni would return to work with Lively on another film.
For now, fans are left to pick sides in the ongoing legal battle, and as the story continues to unfold, many are left wondering whether the drama behind the scenes will overshadow the film’s success.
What do you think? Whose side are you on in this messy Hollywood showdown? Let us know in the comments below!
