Rumors of a feud between Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, don't seem to be going away anytime soon.
People began suspecting a tense relationship between the pair when Justin didn't join the full cast for pictures during the movie's New York City premiere at AMC Lincoln Square on August 6.
Highlights
- Rumors persist of a feud between Blake Lively and her "It Ends With Us" co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.
- Sources claim Justin made Blake uncomfortable on set, creating a difficult work environment.
- Reports describe Justin's behavior as chauvinistic and dismissive of Blake's suggestions on set.
He also didn't pose with Blake on the red carpet, which is uncommon for two actors playing romantic interests.
Instead, the Jane the Virgin actor was only photographed with his wife, Emily Baldoni, relatives, and producers.
Image credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Additionally, sources told PageSix that Blake and Justin watched the film from two separate theaters.
Justin allegedly made the mother of four "uncomfortable" on set and cultivated an "extremely difficult" work environment for the cast.
"None of the cast enjoyed working with Justin. They certainly didn't talk to him at the premiere," a source said.
Another insider told the outlet that the 40-year-old director "would never intentionally make his cast feel unsupported."
In the film, Blake plays Lily, a florist who falls in love with a neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid
Image credits: blakelively
Fans were quick to notice that Blake, Colleen Hoover (the author of It Ends With Us), and cast member Jenny Slate do not follow Justin back on Instagram.
A video on set obtained by TMZ shows the artists seemingly arguing on set. Multiple fans believe that the clip, filmed May 17, 2023, from inside a Hoboken, New Jersey restaurant, shows the actress looking annoyed at her co-star.
A source told the outlet that the leading actors "were not upset with each other" and were "simply talking" in between takes.
Three months into their relationship, Ryle is physically abusive to her, a situation that mirrors the experience of Lily's mother
Image credits: blakelively
The movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel follows Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a florist who falls in love with a neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). Three months into their relationship, he is physically abusive to her, a situation that mirrors the experience of Lily's—and also Hoover's—mother.
It Ends With Us finished second at the domestic box office over the weekend, following Deadpool & Wolverine with $50 million, and it made $80 million globally.
Given the sensitive topics portrayed in the film, some have suggested that the alleged feud between Blake and Justin might stem from their differing approaches to handling the protagonist's conflict.
Justin, who plays Ryle and is also the director of the film, was reportedly "dismissive" of Blake's suggestions "during scenes depicting abuse"
Image credits: justinbaldoni
According to a report published by the DailyMail, Justin behaved in a "chauvinistic" and "borderline abusive" manner on set and was "dismissive" of Blake's suggestions "during scenes depicting abuse."
He "failed to consider Blake's character's perspective, instead focusing solely on what he believed was the abusive male viewpoint," an approach that created "a tense atmosphere on set," the source claimed.
"Justin almost became the character in the sense that some women on set felt he was borderline abusive to them and that he was unprofessional and unapologetic."
Blake had a strong say in the film's creative direction as she was also a producer for the feature.
Image credits: justinbaldoni
As for the sequel, It Starts with Us, Justin told Variety his production company, Wayfarer Studios, has the option of adapting the film, but he hasn't "even begun to think that far ahead" because he's "trying to stay in the present as much as [he] can."
When asked who should direct the possible sequel instead of himself, Justin pointed to his co-star.
"I think that there are better people for that one," he told Entertainment Tonight. "I think Blake Lively's ready to direct. That's what I think."
Bored Panda has contacted Blake Lively's and Justin Baldoni's representatives for comment.
