Justin Baldoni claims Blake Lively did not read It Ends With Us before filming the movie
Justin Baldoni, the actor and director of It Ends With Us, has alleged that his co-star Blake Lively did not read Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel on which the movie is based. The claim was included in Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit filed on January 16, 2025, in the Southern District of New York, accusing Lively and others of defamation, extortion, and inappropriate creative control over the film.
According to the 179-page lawsuit as reported by People, Baldoni stated that Lively, who played the lead character Lily Bloom, made "wrongheaded creative decisions" during the production that reflected "a fundamental lack of understanding of the book."
The filing alleged that "even well into production, Lively had not even read the book." As per People, this claim was supported by text messages included in the lawsuit.
In one such message to producer Jamey Heath, Baldoni emphasized that the creative team repeatedly read and analyzed Hoover's novel, making adjustments to heighten dramatic stakes and better align with the narrative. Referencing the characters' complex relationship and the challenges of portraying it authentically on screen, Baldoni wrote:
"While I understand Blake's reasons for not wanting to read the book, the book does a very good job of getting into Lily's mind during her interactions with Ryle."
Blake Lively's creative control and alleged 'power play'
The lawsuit further accuses Blake Lively of leveraging her influence as a high-profile celebrity to dominate the production, per a report by People. Baldoni and his team allege that Lively, who also served as an executive producer, demanded control over aspects such as wardrobe, marketing, and music and even created her own cut of the film.
According to the filing, these actions disrupted the filmmaking process and resulted in multiple team members losing their jobs.
"Blake was not content merely to headline one of the year’s biggest movies. Instead, apparently driven by overweening ambition and a need for control, she sought to wrest the reins from her co-star and director," the lawsuit stated.
Blake Lively has previously addressed her concerns about the film's production in a countersuit filed in December 2024. In her complaint, she accused Baldoni of creating a hostile work environment, including unprofessional behavior and unscripted intimacy scenes.
Blake Lively alleged that Justin Baldoni pressured her into simulating nudity for a birth scene without proper choreography or an intimacy coordinator, which caused her significant distress. Her legal team has yet to respond to the latest allegations, but her initial filing cited "grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety" stemming from the production and subsequent smear campaigns, as per People.
Released in August 2024, It Ends With Us was adapted from Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel, which follows Lily Bloom's romance with Ryle Kincaid, a character with a dark, abusive side. Despite a modest $25 million budget, the movie was a box office success, grossing $349.7 million worldwide, as per a Times Now report dated January 3, 2025.
While audiences praised the film with an 89% approval rating, critics were less enthusiastic, giving it a mixed reception with a score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Justin Baldoni, who had optioned the novel and its sequel, It Starts With Us, in 2019, had described the film as a passion project. In an earlier interview with People, he praised Blake Lively's performance, calling her "strong, funny, and intelligent."
Neither party has publicly addressed the possibility of further collaboration.
