The main cast of It Ends with Us and Colleen Hoover, the author of the 2016 book on which the film is based, will have “nothing to do” with director Justin Baldoni.
“Not everything is as it seems” when it comes to Baldoni, 40, who also reportedly clashed with the film’s lead star, Blake Lively, 36, amid production of the movie, a source told People on Mondays.
“There’s a lot more to this story,” a source told the outlet. “The main cast and Colleen Hoover will have nothing to do with it.”
Although the director had “creative differences” with some of his collaborators on the film, reports of tension during the making of the movie had been “exaggerated,” a source close to Baldoni told People on Monday.
The source added that Lively “wants to direct the next film, putting him aside and securing Colleen’s rights.”
The cast of It Ends with Us and the author of the 2016 book, Colleen Hoover, 44, will have “nothing to do” with director Justin Baldoni, 40, a source told People on Monday. Baldoni, 40, was spotted at the film’s premiere on Aug. 6 in New York City.
Hoover, the author of the 2016 book on which the film is based, and Blake Lively, 36, were photographed at the film’s New York premiere on August 6.
Adding to speculation about tension between the director and the film’s star was the fact that Baldoni declined to take photos with the entire cast during the film’s New York City premiere at AMC Lincoln Square on Aug. 6, People reported.
Baldoni was photographed posing alongside his wife Emily Baldoni, 40, family members and producers at the film’s debut.
Baldoni presided over an “extremely difficult” environment for the cast and crew, Page six reported, citing multiple sources, noting that Lively felt personally “uncomfortable” during filming.
A source told the outlet: “None of the cast members enjoyed working with Justin; they certainly didn’t talk to him at the premiere.”
Sources close to the event told Page Six that Lively and Baldoni watched the film in “two separate rooms” at the venue.
Sources close to the matter told the outlet that Baldoni “would never intentionally make his cast feel unsupported.”
The bad blood between Baldoni and Lively could affect future projects in the franchise, as she may not direct a sequel based on Colleen Hoover’s 2022 book, It Starts With Us, the follow-up to the current film’s source novel, 2016’s It Ends With Us.
Baldoni, whose production organization Wayfarer Studios owns the rights to the book, appeared to distance himself from directing a sequel in a red carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight at the premiere.
Lively was photographed at the film’s premiere on August 6 in New York.
Sources told DailyMail.com on Friday that Baldoni behaved in a “chauvinistic” and “almost abusive” manner during the filming of the movie, and had been “dismissive” of suggestions made by Lively “during scenes depicting abuse”.
Lively and Baldoni, who also directed the film, were portrayed in the movie, which had a strong opening weekend at the box office.
Baldoni was photographed at the film’s New York City premiere at AMC Lincoln Square on August 6, posing alongside his wife Emily Baldoni, 40.
“I think there are people better suited to this. I think Blake Lively is ready to direct, that’s what I think,” Baldoni said.
Sources told DailyMail.com on Friday that Baldoni behaved in a “chauvinistic” and “almost abusive” manner during the filming of the movie, and had been “dismissive” of suggestions made by Lively “during scenes depicting abuse”.
The source added that Baldoni “failed to take Blake’s character’s perspective into account, instead focusing solely on what he believed to be the abusive male point of view” and that “his approach was very chauvinistic, creating a tense atmosphere on set.”
‘Justin almost became the character in the sense that some women on set felt he was almost abusive to them and that he was unprofessional and unapologetic.’
According to a synopsis for the film, Lily (Lively) “overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life, as “a chance meeting with a neurosurgeon sparks a connection, but Lily begins to see aspects of him that remind her of her parents’ relationship.”
The film, which also stars Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar and Kevin McKidd, finished second at the domestic box office over the weekend with $50 million and grossed $80 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.