The focus has shifted from what’s happening on screen to the discussions surrounding the differences between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director.
The romantic drama “It Ends With Us,” starring Blake Lively, follows the story of a florist. The film’s marketing, including the red carpet events and promotional posters, has embraced a floral theme. However, the press tour has been anything but smooth.
Despite the controversy, the movie has performed well at the box office, raking in $50 million since its release last weekend. The plot centers on Lily Bloom (Lively), who escapes a troubled childhood to open her dream flower shop and soon meets her ideal partner, Ryle Kincaid, portrayed by the film’s director, Justin Baldoni.
Adapted from Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, “It Ends With Us” addresses the cycle of domestic violence that affects generations. Yet, the film has sparked a surprising range of controversies, raising several important questions.
Is there a divide between Baldoni and the cast?
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Signs of tension emerged during the New York and European premieres. While Baldoni attended, he avoided posing for photos with the rest of the cast and refrained from participating in joint interviews. Fans speculated that this might be a marketing strategy, considering he portrays an abusive husband in the film. The prevailing theory suggested that his distance was meant to convey a message against romanticizing the relationship between the characters played by Lively and Baldoni.
However, that theory was soon dismissed when it became known that Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, other cast members, and even Hoover had unfollowed Baldoni on social media. The interpersonal drama intensified with reports of conflicts during the film’s production, primarily relayed by anonymous sources.
Is Ryan Reynolds involved in the rift?
Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, acquired the rights to the book in 2019, and in 2023, it was announced that Lively would star in the film. Notably, both Baldoni and Lively served as executive producers.
This is significant because interviews during the press tour hinted at creative differences between Baldoni and Lively. When “Entertainment Tonight” asked Baldoni if he would direct the sequel, “It Starts With Us,” he replied, “I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct. That’s what I think.”
The speculation about their differences grew when Lively revealed that Reynolds had contributed to the script.
During a red carpet interview with E! News, Lively shared that Reynolds, despite having no formal role in the project, was very involved in “It Ends With Us” and even adapted a specific scene. “The iconic rooftop scene in this movie, my husband wrote it. Nobody knows that,” she stated.
However, screenwriter Christy Hall told People that she was unaware of any rewrites, believing instead that the actors were improvising.
Moreover, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Lively commissioned a cut of the film from Shane Reid, the same editor who worked on “Deadpool & Wolverine.” The lingering question in Hollywood is whether Baldoni’s or Lively’s version ultimately made it to the final release.
