Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s ‘It Ends With Us’ Plagued by Feud Rumors and Controversy

The cinematic adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel It Ends With Us has become a focal point of scrutiny and speculation, both for its handling of sensitive themes and for alleged behind-the-scenes discord among its cast and crew. As the film hit theaters on Aug. 9, it reignited debates surrounding the source material’s portrayal of domestic abuse while simultaneously sparking rumors of a rift between its stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.

The Story Behind ‘It Ends With Us’

At its core, It Ends With Us narrates the tale of Lily Bloom, a florist who becomes entangled in a relationship with Ryle, a charismatic neurosurgeon. As their romance unfolds, it begins to mirror the cycle of violence Lily witnessed in her childhood home, where her mother endured abuse at the hands of her father. The narrative takes a turn when Lily reconnects with Atlas, a figure from her past, who presents her with an alternative option.

The novel, written by Colleen Hoover in 2016, quickly ascended to bestseller status and garnered a devoted following. However, its popularity was matched by controversy, particularly regarding its approach to the subject of domestic violence.

Casting Controversies

When the film’s casting was announced in 2023, some fans of the book took issue with the age of the actors portraying the main characters. At 36, Lively is older than the book’s version of Lily, who is written as 23 years old. Ryle, in the novel, is around 30.

Hoover addressed this discrepancy in an interview with TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager, admitting that she had made a “mistake” with the characters’ ages in the book. “As an author, we make mistakes,” she explained. “There’s no 28-year-old neurosurgeons, you know? You go to school for 15 years. And so to make corrections to what I messed up in the book, we aged the characters up somewhat.”

The Adaptation Process

The path from book to big-screen production began in 2019 when Justin Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, acquired the rights to adapt It Ends With Us. The casting of Lively as Lily Bloom was announced in January 2023, generating considerable buzz among the novel’s fanbase.

Baldoni took on multiple roles in the project, serving as director, producer, and starring as Ryle opposite Lively’s Lily. The film also features Brandon Sklenar as Atlas and Jenny Slate in the role of Allysa, Ryle’s sister.

Rumors of On-Set Tension

As the film’s promotional tour got underway, observant fans and media outlets began to notice oddities in the cast’s public appearances and interactions. These observations soon blossomed into full-fledged rumors of discord between Lively and Baldoni.

The speculation was fueled by Baldoni’s conspicuous absence from group promotional events. Notably, he was missing from a surprise screening in June, which was attended by Lively, Sklenar, Hoover, and Isabela Ferrer, who portrays young Lily in the film. Baldoni’s absence was attributed to his recovery from a week-long hospitalization due to an infection.

The New York premiere on Aug. 6, further stoked the rumor mill. While Lively was photographed with her co-stars Sklenar and Slate, as well as her husband Ryan Reynolds and his Deadpool & Wolverine co-star Hugh Jackman, Baldoni walked the red carpet separately with his wife Emily and family. Moreover, he did not participate in introducing the film alongside Lively and Hoover, despite his role as the project’s director.

Social media sleuths were quick to point out that neither Lively, Sklenar, Slate, nor Hoover appeared to follow Baldoni on various platforms, while Lively maintained connections with her other co-stars and the author.

An unnamed set source provided a cryptic statement to People, saying, “All is not what it seems. There is much more to this story. The principal cast and [author] Colleen Hoover will have nothing to do with him.”

Cast Comments and Public Appearances

Despite the rumors, Baldoni has consistently spoken highly of his co-stars in public. During the film’s press tour, he praised Sklenar’s performance and expressed admiration for Lively’s work both in front of and behind the camera.

In an interview with People, Baldoni praised Lively’s contributions, stating, “She’s an executive producer on the film, and she is so brilliant. And I believe that her performance is going to help so many women feel seen and showcase this unique experience in a way that I don’t believe I’ve seen in another film.”

Baldoni also addressed the creative process in an interview with ELLE U.K., noting, “There are all these things that happen every day on set, there’s always friction that happens when you make a movie like this. Then at the end of the day, it’s that friction, I believe, that creates the beautiful art. Everything in life needs friction to grow.”

For his part, Sklenar has spoken positively about working with Baldoni, commending his ability to balance multiple roles on set. In an interview for PEOPLE in 10, Sklenar said, “The entire crew that he ensembled was so incredible. Everybody in this film is just on the top of their game across the board. It was a really pleasant environment to work in.”

However, Slate appeared to sidestep a question about working with Baldoni during the film’s premiere. When asked about the experience, Slate told Deadline, “What an intense job to have to do so many things,” adding that in her career, she would rather have one job when working on projects.

Behind-the-Scenes Creative Clashes

Reports of creative differences during the film’s production have added more controversy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the post-production process saw a rift among the filmmakers, resulting in two distinct cuts of the movie. While multiple cuts are not uncommon in film editing, the situation has fueled speculation about conflicting visions for the final product.

Lively’s influence on the creative process became apparent when she revealed that her husband, Ryan Reynolds, had penned the pivotal rooftop scene between Lily and Ryle. “The iconic rooftop scene, my husband actually wrote it. Nobody knows that but you now,” Lively disclosed to E! News at the premiere. “We help each other. He works on everything I do. I work on everything he does. So his wins, his celebrations are mine and mine are his. I mean, he’s all over this film.”

This revelation caught some by surprise, including the film’s screenwriter, Christy Hall. In a conversation with People, Hall acknowledged noticing new additions to the scene but had assumed they were improvised on set. “There were a couple of little things that I thought had been improvised. Like when he says, ‘Pretty please with a cherry on top,’ and she talks about the maraschino cherries. When I saw a cut, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s cute. That must have been a cute improvised thing.’ So if I’m being told that Ryan wrote that, then great, how wonderful,” Hall commented.

The Future of the Franchise

With the release of It Ends With Us, attention has naturally turned to the possibility of adapting its sequel, It Starts with Us. While the follow-up book focuses primarily on Lily and Atlas, Ryle remains a significant character in the narrative.

When asked about his potential involvement in a sequel, Baldoni has been noncommittal. “You’re gonna have to ask me in a little while. We’re gonna take a vacation after this,” he told Entertainment Tonight. He went on to suggest that Lively might be ready to take on directorial duties for the potential sequel, saying, “I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively is ready to direct. That’s what I think.”