Everything Justin Baldoni Has Said About Working With Blake Lively

Justin Baldoni initially he seemed to have nothing but positive things to say about it It Ends With Us costar, Blake Livelyas reports of an ongoing feud continue to circulate online.

The drama officially hit theaters in August 2024, and Baldoni, who directed and starred opposite Lively, has praised his on-screen partner.

“Blake was involved in every aspect of the film once she came on the project, from scenes and dialogue to the end, until now,” he told Entertainment Weekly in August. “She’s been a part of it all, and she’s been a powerhouse of a creative and brilliant collaborator.”

It’s Over With Us, which is modified from Colleen HooverThis bestselling novel of the same name follows florist Lily Bloom (Lively) as she begins an abusive relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni).

Amidst their troubled relationship, Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar), reappears in her life.

TMZ a The New York Times reported on Saturday, December 21, 2024 that Baldoni sued briskly for sexual harassment. On Tuesday, December 31, Baldoni was among 10 plaintiffs and launched a $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times for his coverage of Lively’s allegations. The same day, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in a New York court that reflected his earlier claimsfiled in California.

Take a look at what Baldoni had to say about Lively:

Why Was Blake Lively The Perfect Casting Choice?

When trying to find the perfect actress to play Lily, Baldoni said the team wanted a woman who was “super charming, likeable and everyone would root for her.” Shortly after, Lively’s name topped the list.

“The only box she didn’t check was that she didn’t have red hair, which is a very easy answer in the movie business!” Baldoni joked to People. “She is a creative force. She is an executive producer on the film, and she is so wonderful. I think her performance is going to help so many women feel seen and showcase this unique experience in a way I don’t think I’ve seen in another film.”

How Much Feedback Did Blake Lively Provide?

When it came time to film difficult scenes of abuse for the film, Baldoni said it was “very challenging” to balance his roles as actor and director. Fortunately, Lively proved to be a useful guide and resource.

“Blake was a great partner in those situations,” he told view360 Entertainment Weekly. “It was so hard, but I think I surround myself with people I trust and really talented creative people, and if there’s ever a time where I can’t see the forest for the trees, I’ll look to my partners . , and I’ll ask them what they think.”

“I really trusted her,” Baldoni continued. “She’s got a great eye, and she was on the other end so it was really tough, and there was a lot of trust. I had a lot of trust in the people around me, and they didn’t steer me wrong.”

Baldoni added that he relied on Lively and the women who worked on the set to ensure that the film focused on the female perspective.

“To be very honest, in a lot of the situations I would give my vision and then I would step back and let the girls really run the set and the show,” Baldoni told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Saturday, August 10. “Blake was also very involved and had a lot of ideas about how this should work. There were a lot of times where I didn’t even say a word, where I was watching and I was like, yeah, that sounds great.”

He continued, “I was actually able to get into Ryle because in those moments, it was the most complicated for Ryle and the hardest for me as an actor. So they took a lot of weight off my shoulders, and also made sure that all of those scenes were handled carefully and also didn’t have a male gaze but a female gaze because that was one of my early concerns when I was questioning if I could. even directed this film. I wanted to make sure it kept and maintained the message of the book from a female perspective.”

How Blake Lively Helped With Intimacy Scenes?

In January 2024, cameras caught Baldoni and Lively kiss while filming the movie. For viewers who see any chemistry on the big screen, Baldoni is quick to credit her costar. “In terms of intimacy and all that, (Lively) had a very clear vision and she was telling me what she thought would work, what she thought would be sexual,” she told Hollywood entry. “From the beginning, this had to have a female perspective and I never wanted my prejudices as a man to infiltrate or hurt that project.”

What Justin Baldoni Thought About Working With Blake Lively’s Husband Ryan Reynolds?

Before the film was released, Lively confirmed her husband, Ryan Reynoldshe wrote a central scene in the film. Before the revelation, Baldoni seemed to imply that the Deadpool the actor helped with the project. “Ryan was so generous. … he’s a creative genius, that guy,” he said to sight360 Today.com. “So, you know, his gift is a levy, and her gift is a levy.”

When asked if he would work with the husband and wife duo again, he replied, “If they would have me.”

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Blake Lively’s fresh floral style during the It Ends With Us tour has taken over the internet — and we can’t get enough. While promoting It Ends With Us, which hits theaters on Friday, August 9, Lively has been inspired by her character, florist Lily Bloom, and rocked a number of floral designs, including vibrant (…)

Will Justin Baldoni Reunite With Blake Lively For A Sequel?

Book lovers know that It Ends With Us spawn a It Starts With Us a sequel in 2022 that takes place years after the OG book. When asked about a possible second dose of acting and directing, Baldoni said it was too soon to tell. “You’ll have to ask me in a little while. We’re going to take a vacation after this,” he said Entertainment Tonight before sharing his choice for director of the sequel. “I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively is ready to direct. That’s what I think.”

Did Justin Respond To Blake’s Lawsuit Cutie?

After Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment in December 2024, her lawyer, Bryan Freedmancalled the accusations “absolutely false, outrageous and deliberately salacious” in a statement to Us. He claimed that Lively filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “remake a narrative” regarding the film’s production.

Freedman claimed that Lively made “multiple demands and threats” during filming It Ends With Usincluding “threatening not to show up to set, threatening not to promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.” (Us (reached out to Lively’s rep for comment at the time.)

What Did Justin Claim In His Lawsuit Against The New York Times?

Baldoni is among a group of 10 plaintiffs, which also includes publishers Melissa Nathan a Jennifer Abel as well as It Ends With Us producers James Heath a Steve Saraowitz, and filed a lawsuit against The New York Times.

The plaintiffs are suing for libel and false light invasion of privacy and alleging that The New York Times “selected” communications and omitted context in order to mislead readers in her article “We Can Bury Any: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.”

The lawsuit alleges that Lively pursued a “strategic and manipulative” smear campaign against Baldoni (rather than the other way around), using “false sexual harassment allegations to assert unilateral control over all aspects of the production .”

In response to the filing, Lively’s attorney said Us on Tuesday, December 31 that the lawsuit was based on a “clearly false premise.”

“Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the allegations presented in Ms. Lively in California, or her federal complaint, which was filed earlier today,” the statement read. “This lawsuit is based on the patently false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a sham based on the choice ‘not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was his ultimate goal.’ As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Ms. Lively earlier today, that frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is false. Although we will not litigate this issue in the press, we encourage people to read Ms complaint. Lively as a whole. We look forward to addressing each of Wayfarer’s claims in court.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential help.

https://www.thehotline.org/