While It Ends With Us’ release is looking to be a successful one, the alleged behind-the-scenes drama between its director Justin Baldoni and its star and producer Blake Lively is taking over the internet. Speculation has run rampant about the two and what could have caused this reported tension behind the scenes. Now, amid all of that and during its premiere weekend on the 2024 movie schedule, Baldoni is opening up about working with Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, and if he’d collaborate with them again.
What Justin Baldoni Said About Working With Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds
Throughout this press tour, despite reports of drama and Lively not saying much about It Ends With Us’ director, Baldoni has spoken highly of her. Most recently, he praised her work on the film while catting with Today, saying:
You can’t summarize Blake’s contribution in a sentence, because her energy and imprint is all over the movie and really, really made the film better, and from beginning to end. Ryan (Reynolds) was so generous ... he’s a creative genius, that guy. So, you know, his gift is levity, and her gift is levity.
Now, rumor has it that Ryan Reynolds' involvement in the film – according to Lively, he wrote a key scene in the film – and a second cut of the project (among other things) could have caused the tension between Baldoni and Lively. The Deadpool and Wolverine star also did some It Ends With Us promo, which the film’s director was not part of.
Nobaly, in the same article, Justin Baldoni called acting in and directing this book-to-screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel an “extreme challenge.” He also opened up about “navigating complex personalities,” telling the outlet:
Every movie is a miracle. And then, of course, you’re navigating complex personalities and trying to get everybody on the same page with the same vision. And mistakes are always made, and then you figure out how to move past them.
Obviously, no names were named, and as you read above, he spoke very highly of Blake Lively. However, along with people noticing that he wasn’t pictured with the rest of the cast at the premiere and realizing Lively, Hoover and more didn’t follow him on Instagram, these new quotes add another dimension to the speculation about a behind-the-scenes rift. It also makes me wonder: would he work with them again?
Would Justin Baldoni Work With The Couple Again?
After speaking about the challenges of making It Ends With Us, and complimenting the Gossip Girl star’s involvement in so many elements of the project, Justin Baldoni was asked if he’d work with her and Reynolds again. He said:
If they’d have me.
So, it sounds like he’s open to the idea. However, when he was asked if he’d direct a potential sequel to It Ends With Us, he explained to ET that they’d have to ask him another time, before saying:
I think there are better people for that one. I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively is ready to direct, that’s what I think.
So, it seems like the Jane the Virgin actor wouldn’t want to direct the film adaptation of It Starts With Us, which is the sequel book to It Ends With Us. However, it also seems like he’s not closing the door to collaborating with Lively and her husband again.
Overall, we still don’t know much about the reported It Ends With Us drama, and more rumors are coming out about it every day.
We'll keep you posted as we learn more about what the cast has said about each other and how the film is received. When it comes to what you can do, you can learn more about It Ends With Us by watching our interviews with Lively, Baldoni and more, and you can see the film in theaters now.
