“It Ends With Us” drama: Blake Lively reported Justin Baldoni – that’s what’s behind it

Was there trouble between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively on the set of “It Ends With Us”?

Am 15. August 2024 lief, the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novelin the main role, in German cinemas. Lively was on a non-stop press tour for the film leading up to it, but did you notice who was often conspicuous by her absence? Her co-star and the film's director, Justin Baldoni.

What was going on there? The internet wondered the same thing, sparking a lot of speculation that there is and/or was beef and drama between the actors behind the scenes. Apparently so, becauseIn December 2024, Blake Lively reported her co-star Justin Baldoni.

To explain: “Just One More Time” is the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 bestseller, which was originally called “It Ends With Us”. In the book, the florist Lily Bloom () in the devastatingly good-looking but toxic and controlling neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni).

We'll try to clear up any "It Ends With Us" rumors here - but be careful, even we have to speculate a bit. That's what she claimedDaily Mailthat Justin Baldoni exhibited chauvinistic and toxic traits on set. He would be responsible for the “extremely difficult” atmosphere on set. But what's the point?

Justin Baldoni is rarely seen in other cast photos

While looking through photos from the New York film premiere, some creators on TikTok noticed that the cast of the film, including their attachments, were photographed together, but no one seemed to appear in any pictures with Justin Baldoni. Instead, Baldoni posed on the carpet with his wife, Emily Baldoni, and some of his friends.

“I'm convinced he and Blake don't get along. How come there is ZERO promo of them together and no photo at the premiere?" a fan asked under one of Baldoni'sInstagram-Posts. And this is by no means the only comment in this direction, rather one of hundreds that speculate about an alleged drama between the acting duo.

Blake Lively, “Just One More Time” author Colleen Hoover, Jenny Slate and Brandon Sklenar don't appear to follow Baldoni on Instagram. In 2024, this is comparable to a bitter end to a friendship or working relationship.

This is what actress Jenny Slate says about Justin Baldoni on the red carpet

When asked what it was like having Justin Baldoni as both a scene partner and a director on "It Ends With Us," actress Jenny Slate pivoted and said that it was a "tough job" to do both at the same time - and that she didn't want to have two jobs at the same time. Uhhh, that's not the answer to the question, is it?

Now Blake Lively is speaking out about the rumors

has confirmed that he had creative differences with Justin Baldoni on the set of “It Ends With Us.” For example, she really wanted to play the song “Cherry” by Lana Del Rey when Lily and Ryle were still on good terms, but the relationship was about to take a negative turn. Everything would become really tense as soon as Lily's ex-boyfriend Atlas appeared on the scene: Then, according to Lively, conflicts, pain and tension would break out. “That’s the soulmate, the person I can’t let go of.”

And although Blake Lively was asked by Justin Baldoni and Co. not to use Lana Del Rey's emotional song at this point, she prevailed. However, that seems to be just the tip of the iceberg of the bad mood behind the scenes of “Just One More Time.”

Apparently Lively is already being considered for the second film adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel, “It Starts With Us” – at least that’s what Justin Baldoni believes, as he said at the film premiere in New York: “I think Blake Lively is ready to direct to lead. I am convinced of that.” That doesn't sound like there's bad blood between the actors; but who really knows what happened behind the scenes other than those involved themselves?

What role does Ryan Reynolds play in this matter?

Nun,(who co-produced “Just One More Time”) recently revealed that Ryan Reynolds wrote a key scene in the film: “The iconic rooftop scene was written by my husband,”Lively told E! News, “no one knows but you.” She continued: “He collaborates on everything I do. I collaborate on everything he does. So his successes, his celebrations are mine and mine are his.”

This has led to a lot of speculation from fans thatmay have seized creative control of the film - to the dismay and annoyance of Justin Baldoni.

“You can't tell me Ryan Reynolds isn't the reason for the whole Justin Baldoni/'It Ends With Us' drama. "I feel like Justin doesn't want anything to do with the drama and that's why he has withdrawn from the PR events leading up to the film,"saidPopkultur-TikToker Arianna Lilliein a video. "And I'm not saying that Blake Lively specifically is problematic... But I knew something was wrong when I heard Ryan Reynolds came and rewrote scenes from a movie that Justin Baldoni not only stars in but also directs and is therefore significantly involved in this project.”

The TikTok creator noted that Reynolds is Blake Lively's secondLove Interestfrom the film and claimed that he was trying toand “Just one more time” to “nextto do, adding, "It seems like Justin is being pushed out of this whole situation, which is honestly kind of sad because he was the most excited about this whole thing from the start."

In an interview with US magazinePeoplein April 2024, Justin Baldoni said that there was "not a part of this production that she [Lively] did not work on and had no influence on." He added: “Everything she tackled with her hands and her mind made her better.”

In an interview withVogueLively paused when asked about her own interest in writing, wondering why the interviewer brought up the topic. When asked if she would be interested in writing a screenplay from scratch, she replied: "A blank page is not nearly as exciting to me as a script that I start and find something in that people miss have. To say: 'No, no, no, there's something, there's more in it!' For me it's like a treasure hunt. And if I can see the treasure, then I'll become an archaeologist. I can dig, I can unearth it, I can find it and show people the value it has. For me, that’s what I love.”

December 2024: Blake Lively reports Justin Baldoni

A big bang just before Christmas: As various US media outlets unanimously reported on December 21, 2024, actress Blake Lively reported her co-star Justin Baldon. The reasons given are “sexual harassment” and a kind of character assassination in the form of a “smear campaign” by Baldoni against Lively. Lively also claimed that her "It Ends With Us" co-star's behavior caused her and her family extreme stress and is now seeking damages. Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, denies all allegations as false.

However, the lawsuit says according to the industry newspaperVariety, there was already a meeting during the filming of “Just One More Time” in which, in addition to Lively and Baldoni, Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds was also said to have been present and in which it was determined that Lively “would not make any further nude videos or images of Women” would be shown, Baldoni’s alleged former “porn addiction” should not be an issue, as well as “no further discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of the genitals of actors and staff, “no further inquiries about Blake’s weight and no further mention of Blake’s dead father” were permitted. It is unclear whether Baldoni broke this agreement and was therefore reported by Lively.

Lively also forbade any further “sex scenes, oral sex scenes and orgasm scenes” that were not in the script before production began and were not approved by her before filming began. Sony Pictures, the film's distributor, granted all of Lively's demands during filming. However, she accuses her director and co-star Justin Baldoni of a smear campaign against herself and her family after filming. The aim would have been to “destroy” her standing in Hollywood and her reputation.

TheNew York TimesThe “Gossip Girl” actress said of her complaint: “I hope my lawsuit helps lift the curtain on sinister retaliatory tactics that harm people who speak out about wrongdoing. I want to protect others who may become targets.”

What else do people say about “Just One More Time”?

Many fans suspected that Justin Baldoni's isolation could be a PR strategy aimed at reminding viewers that his character is the "villain" of the story. However, not everyone was convinced of this, partly because he is also the director of the film. Withdrawing completely doesn't sound like a smart strategy.

Lively and Reynolds' press tour appearances were recorded on TikTok as“unsensibel”- especially when you consider the dark themes of the book and the film. It's not the first time "Just One More Time" has faced this criticism: In January 2023, Hoover and publisher Atria Books were accused of "romanticizing" domestic violence when a coloring book based on the bestseller was announced. Atria ultimately decided not to pursue the project.

“When are they going to start talking about and raising awareness about emotional and domestic abuse in a relationship?” one user commented on a video of the female cast and Colleen Hoover posted on LivelysInstagram-Feedwas posted. “The clothes are cute but this movie has a deeper meaning,” others continued to comment. And anotheradded: “Where is Justin in all this?”

“Am I the only one who sees her [Lively] promoting things in her name but not talking about what the book is actually about 😐,” one user commented on LivelysInstagram-Post, in which she promotes her beverage company in conjunction with “It Ends With Us.”

Many of Baldoni's interviews, meanwhile, revolved around the film's depiction of abuse: "There were a lot of moments where I had to retreat into a room to cry or shake it out of myself and try to get Ryle out of me and that energy “To get it out of me because it’s too real,” Baldoni said in an interview with the industry publication published on August 7, 2024The Hollywood Reporter. “There are too many people who are the real Lily Blooms of the world who have to deal with abuse every day. I wanted it to be as real as possible, and yet it was very difficult to shoot those scenes.”

So what exactly is going on here?

Well, we don’t know – but a lot of people defended and are defending Justin Baldoni: “I’m not going to watch them bully Justin,”commentedone user on Baldoni's Instagram, while anotheradded: “It breaks my heart 💔 to see them all separated. It's so sad that whatever the problem is, it can't be communicated and resolved behind closed doors for the good of the film. I mean, he produced it. Nobody thanks him.”

It's quite possible that the fans are right and there has been a break between Baldoni and Lively. Lively's ad seems to confirm this too.

Nevertheless, it is and remains important to know how quickly society turns against women in such situations. Women are always quickly portrayed as the bad ones, the angry ones. Can anyone else take a look?remember behind the scenes? Even.

This article comes from our colleagues at GLAMOR USA.