Justin Baldoni’s 2019 announcement adapting Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, *It Ends With Us*, into a film ignited immediate and widespread excitement.
Hoover’s novel had already achieved significant cultural impact, selling 20 million copies and becoming a viral sensation on TikTok with over a billion tags.
Casting Blake Lively, known for her role in *Gossip Girl*, as the lead character, Lily Bloom, further amplified anticipation. Fans deemed her the ideal choice to portray a woman grappling with the aftermath of domestic abuse.
The film depicts Lily, a Boston florist, navigating a complex relationship triangle between her charming yet abusive boyfriend, Ryle Kincaid (played by Baldoni), and her compassionate first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).
Released last August, *It Ends With Us* achieved considerable box office success, grossing over $350 million globally.
However, behind the scenes, the production was marred by controversy. Rumors of a feud between Baldoni and Lively circulated even before the film’s release.
In December, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign. Baldoni vehemently denied these allegations and filed a countersuit, which was subsequently dismissed by a judge in June.
A Detailed Account of the Events:
The film’s press tour, ironically considering its subject matter, focused heavily on fashion and product promotion, including Lively’s haircare brand and her husband’s gin company, rather than advocacy for domestic abuse awareness.
Lively’s emphasis on style and aesthetics over the film’s central theme drew criticism. At the London premiere, press were instructed to keep questions “fun and light-hearted,” avoiding discussion of domestic abuse.
Lively’s statement at the New York premiere—”you are so much more than just a survivor or just a victim”—provoked significant social media backlash.
Domestic abuse survivor Ashley Paige criticized Lively’s phrasing, comparing the film’s promotion to “the sequel to Barbie”.
Further criticism followed Lively’s promotional video encouraging viewers to “Grab your friends, wear your florals and head out to see it,” deemed insensitive given the film’s theme.
The absence of joint appearances and interviews by Lively and Baldoni fueled speculation. At the London premiere, Lively’s team explicitly cautioned against questions about Baldoni.
Observers noted that Lively, Baldoni, and author Hoover did not follow each other on social media, adding to the intrigue.
Neither actor addressed the rumored feud publicly; Baldoni’s only comment described Lively as a “dynamic creative” involved in every aspect of the production.
During the press tour, Baldoni engaged a crisis manager, Melissa Nathan, whose past clients include high-profile figures such as Johnny Depp and Drake.
Following the tour, Lively faced intense online criticism, including resurfaced interviews, such as one shared by Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa, who clarified her interview had no connection to Baldoni.
Actor Brandon Sklenar, who played Atlas, defended Lively, highlighting the online negativity and the film’s positive impact on a close acquaintance who had experienced a similar relationship.
Four months post-release, Lively’s legal complaint against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios detailed allegations of “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behaviour,” corroborated by other female cast and crew members.
The complaint described a January meeting addressing the hostile work environment, attended by Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, Baldoni, and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath, resulting in a list of demands to improve workplace safety and professional conduct.
The complaint further alleges that Baldoni and his team launched a smear campaign to damage Lively’s reputation, utilizing a “digital army” to spread negative content.
Baldoni’s legal team denied the allegations, claiming Lively’s threats to disrupt the film’s promotion prompted their actions. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, described Lively’s accusations as “categorically false.”
Several Hollywood actresses, including America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel, publicly voiced support for Lively. Author Colleen Hoover also expressed her support for Lively.
Following Lively’s complaint, Vital Voices rescinded an award given to Baldoni, citing his alleged “abhorrent conduct” as incompatible with their values. Baldoni’s podcast co-host, Liz Plank, also resigned from *The Man Enough* show.
Baldoni subsequently filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against the *New York Times*, which was dismissed in June. A subsequent $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds was also dismissed in June, with the judge stating Baldoni failed to demonstrate wrongful extortion rather than permissible contract negotiations.
Baldoni released outtakes from a romantic scene, claiming they refuted Lively’s claims, while Lively’s lawyers contended the footage showed unwanted advances and a lack of consent. A voicemail from Baldoni apologizing to Lively was also released. The case is scheduled for trial in March 2026.
Baldoni launched a website, “Lawsuit Info,” detailing his legal filings and a timeline of events, including alleged text exchanges between him and Lively. A subpoena issued to Taylor Swift, alleging her involvement in pressuring Baldoni regarding script rewrites, was later withdrawn. Lively withdrew some claims, prompting Baldoni to request her medical records, a request currently under court review.