Behind the glossy façade of the box office hit It Ends With Us, starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, lies a brewing storm of alleged tensions that goes far beyond mere creative differences.
According to reports, the friction between the film’s lead actors and its director, Baldoni, is far more serious than initially thought.
A source close to the production told People magazine, “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.”
The film, which opened to a strong $50 million (USD) at the domestic box office, tells the story of Lily Bloom (played by Lively), a florist who falls into a toxic relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (portrayed by Baldoni).
The cast also features Jenny Slate, Brandon Sklenar, Hasan Minhaj, and others. Yet, rumours of discord began circulating before the film’s release, particularly when Baldoni appeared solo during most of his press engagements and was notably absent from group photos at the New York premiere.
Fans were quick to notice that Lively, Hoover, and Slate do not follow Baldoni on Instagram, further fuelling speculation of a rift. Representatives for the other cast members and Hoover also remained silent, declining to comment on the situation.
Lively has recently come under fire for her approach to promoting the film, which some fans found to be ‘tone-deaf’ given the movie’s serious themes of domestic violence. The promotional tour focused heavily on the romantic and creative aspects of the film, with little emphasis on its darker subject matter.
Lively addressed the criticism via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, thanking fans for supporting the film and highlighting the importance of telling women’s stories.
“Thank you to everyone who came out to show that people WANT to see films about women and the multitudes we hold. It Ends With Us is a story of the female experience. All the highest highs, and lowest lows. And we are so proud of it,” she wrote.
“We have been in celebration of this film and of getting a message so important out there to the masses.”
In a follow-up post, she shared a PSA on violence against women and provided resources for those affected by domestic violence.
“This movie covers domestic violence, but what’s important about this film is that she [Lily Bloom] is not just a survivor and she’s not just a victim,” Lively told BBC News. She added that her character’s journey is about self-definition and empowerment, which she believes is an important message for audiences.
Despite Lively’s efforts to steer the conversation towards the film’s empowering themes, the behind-the-scenes tensions have cast a shadow over its success.
Reports surfaced in early August of a fracture among the filmmakers during post-production, with sources suggesting that Lively and Baldoni clashed over the film’s direction. According to one insider, Lively has aspirations to direct the next instalment of the series, potentially sidelining Baldoni.
However, Baldoni, whose production company Wayfarer Studios holds the rights to adapt It Starts With Us, has downplayed these rumours, telling Variety, “I haven’t even begun to think that far ahead. I’m trying to stay in the present as much as I can.”
The situation escalated when the Daily Mail published allegations of Baldoni’s “chauvinistic” and “borderline abusive” behaviour on set. Page Six also reported that Baldoni’s conduct created an “extremely difficult” atmosphere for the entire cast, adding fuel to the fire.
