Months after its release, It Ends With Us continues to make headlines—this time, not for its success, but for the controversy surrounding its stars. Rumors of a feud between the lead actors, who also play lovers on screen, began to surface during the press tour.
It Ends With Us, a 2024 romantic drama film directed by Justin Baldoni, has captivated audiences with its heartfelt portrayal of love, loss, and complicated relationships. Based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling 2016 novel, the film stars Blake Lively, who also serves as producer, alongside Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar, Jenny Slate, and Hasan Minhaj. The plot centers on florist Lily Bloom (Lively), whose tumultuous relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni) grows even more complex when her past love, Atlas Corrigan (Sklenar), unexpectedly returns to her life.
For context, Blake Lively is best known for her role as Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl and her marriage to Ryan Reynolds. Justin Baldoni,recognized for his role as Rafael Solano in Jane the Virgin, is also a feminist advocate, author, and host of the podcast Man Enough.
During the film’s press release, the internet was quick to point out that the actors appeared to be promoting entirely different movies.
While Baldoni used interviews and social media to emphasize the film’s message against domestic violence, Lively and the rest of the cast took a lighter approach, avoiding the topic altogether.
Instead, Lively focused on promoting her hair care line, sparking online criticism that accused her of insensitivity and downplaying the film’s central theme.
Within days an avalanche of content flooded social media about Lively’s alleged “mean girl behavior.” As audiences turned more hateful toward Lively, Baldoni was praised for his advocacy and seen as a hero.
It didn’t help that the pair were rarely seen together during the film’s promotion and didn’t follow each other on social media. The internet swiftly painted Lively as unkind and superficial, while Baldoini was seen online as the perfect man who could do no wrong.
On December 20th, Lively filed a bombshell complaint against Justin Baldoni and his production company, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation.
In the complaint, Lively detailed Baldoini’s alleged inappropriate behavior, which included sexual comments, shaming her weight, walking into her trailer while she was breastfeeding, and showing her inappropriate content.
The complaint also shed light on the online backlash Lively faced, alleging that Baldoni and his PR team orchestrated her “cancellation.” Included were text messages between Baldoni and his publicists, with one stating, “He wants to feel like she can be buried,” and another warning, “We can’t write ‘we will destroy her.’ Imagine if a document saying all the things he wants ends up in the wrong hands. You know we can bury anyone.”
On December 22nd, The New York Times released private messages between Baldoini and his PR team in an investigative piece titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.” The article accused Baldoni of masterminding the campaign to turn the public against Lively.
In response, several celebrities, Lively’s co-stars, and even Colleen Hoover spoke out in her support.
The fallout for Baldoni was swift. His talent agency, WME, dropped him due to the allegations. His podcast co-host quit and voiced her support for Lively. To top it off, an award Baldoni received for “being an ally to women” was rescinded by Vital Voices.
Public sentiment drastically flipped. Audiences were now enraged at Baldoni for feeling manipulated into believing false narratives about Lively, and her comment section was flooded with support. Meanwhile, Baldoini’s comments were flooded with hateful messages.
Try to keep exact words but if needed similar. Make this have a bit more flow so it doesn’t eel like its jumping around.:On December 31st, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the outlet of libel. Baldoni claimed the newspaper pushed a false narrative about him trying to destroy Lively’s reputation, and alleged misconduct by Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Baldoni’s defense counters Blake’s claims, alleging that he was steamrolled on set as Blake tried to take control of the production, and that Mr. Reynolds acted aggressively toward him in addition to overstepping in the film’s editing process.
The New York Times has responded to Justin’s lawsuit by defending their reporting, stating the article was “meticulously and responsibly reported.”
On December 31st, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the outlet of libel. He argued that the newspaper had pushed a false narrative about him trying to destroy Lively’s reputation, while also alleging misconduct by Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. In his defense, Baldoni countered Blake’s claims, stating that he was steamrolled on set as Blake attempted to take control of the production. He also claimed that Reynolds acted aggressively toward him and overstepped his role during the film’s editing process.
In response to Baldoni’s lawsuit, The New York Times defended their reporting, stating that the article was “meticulously and responsibly reported.”
Baldoni’s lawsuit also details how Lively allegedly tried to ban him from the film’s premiere, only allowing him to attend under “humiliating conditions.” He claimed that Lively isolated herself from the cast and excluded him from the afterparty, painting her as the villain by accusing her of throwing tantrums on set and creating a hostile work environment.
On January 1st, Lively filed another lawsuit, officially accusing Justin of sexual harassment. That same day, Baldoni’s lawyers made a bombshell statement, revealing that Justin “absolutely” intends to sue Blake and will release all the texts between them to prove his innocence.
Since Lively’s initial complaint, both actors have remained silent, only communicating through their legal teams.While both Blake and Justin’s reputations have suffered irreparable damage from their lawsuits, it’s likely they’ll continue to fight for their innocence and defend themselves against each other.
Legal expert, attorney Gregory Doll stated that it’s highly probable the legal battle will go to trial. Both actors seem unwilling to settle, with Baldoni’s lawyers expressing their determination to fight until the truth is revealed.
As of early January, public opinion remains deeply divided over whether Baldoni or Lively is guilty. While some passionately support one side, others believe the truth is far being black and white.
One thing is clear: online sensations have the power to shape public narratives—whether true or not. But in this case, the final judgment lies in the hands of the justice system, where the ultimate truth will be revealed.