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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Scandal: What You Need to Know

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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mich chapter.

When it was first announced that the best-seller It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover was to be transformed into a film, I was excited, to say the least. It was my first time conquering a novel before falling prey to the movie. The movie stars Blake Lively as Lily Bloom and Justin Baldoni as Ryle Kincaid and centers around Boston florist Lily Bloom who struggles to navigate a love triangle between Ryle — her abusive boyfriend — and first love Atlas. The movie, much like the book, was a huge success globally. Fans of Colleen Hoover’s novels lined up to watch this movie in theaters, and everything seemed to be running smoothly until co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s feud began to air.

Where it all starts…

This feud can first be traced back to the press tour, when Baldoni and Lively were not pictured together at the New York premiere or other red-carpet events. During this time, Lively and Hoover had even unfollowed Baldoni on various social media platforms. At the time of the press tour, Lively was heavily criticized for her lighthearted comments regarding the film, which featured serious topics. She claimed It Ends With Us producers had encouraged her to steer clear from overly deep comments surrounding the movie and to keep her interviews light. Between Lively’s lack of sensitivity around the topic and movie critics claiming the movie romanticized domestic abuse, the movie received more negative reviews than anticipated, and Lively’s reputation was tarnished. 

Red carpet to the courtroom?

As months passed, the drama surrounding It Ends with Us seemed to fade into the background as criticism surrounding other A-list celebrities came and went. However, in recent months, It Ends With Us has found its way back into mainstream news sources. 

In late December, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni in which she accused him of sexual harassment. She accused Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath of “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior.” Lively was not the only one to submit her story, as other female cast members have stepped forward to corroborate the accusations. In January 2024, during the filming of the movie, there was a meeting to address the hostile work conditions surrounding the movie’s production. The meeting included several cast members and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds. At this meeting, key problems were identified and a list of demands was agreed upon by all attendees. This included having an intimacy coordinator on set at all times, limiting conversations surrounding genitalia, and having no “friends” on set when Lively was in a condition of nudity. Complaints surrounding Baldoni’s concern about Lively’s weight were also addressed. Furthermore, Lively alleged that Baldoni’s team attacked her image after the meeting concluded. This was done by hiring a crisis manager who created a plan for destroying her reputation via a “sophisticated, coordinated, and well-financed retaliation plan” on social media. 

In the wake of the legal complaint, many famous Hollywood stars have come out to support Lively in this time of uncertainty, including her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars America Ferrera and Amber Tamblyn. Even Colleen Hoover, the writer of It Ends With Us, backed up Lively, complimenting her character. Since the complaint, Baldoni has received rescinded nominations for awards, lost his podcast co-host, and seen decreases in business. Baldoni has chosen to sue the NYT for libel and Lively and Reynolds for civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. 

From Excitement to Disappointment: My Journey Through the Scandal

There is plenty left to come from the lawsuit and complaint. Both Hollywood stars have negatively been impacted by the drama following this movie. I find this whole saga completely disheartening, as I was a huge Jane the Virgin and Gossip Girl fan. I beamed when I first heard there would be a mashup of my two favorite actors, but I could have never foreshadowed this drama following the highly anticipated best-seller. It feels that nearly every week new information surrounding the stars’ behavior towards each other continues to resurface. I know that I have become invested in this celebrity feud, and I am curious to see how it ends.

Hi! I am a Freshman at U Mich who loves running, coffee, and spending time with friends!