The production and promotion of the film “It Ends With Us” became embroiled in controversy, marked by accusations of hostile work environments, smear campaigns, and creative disputes between director and star Justin Baldoni and co-star Blake Lively. Baldoni vehemently denied Lively’s claims, outlining his own allegations in an 87-page lawsuit against the New York Times for libel following their publication of a story detailing Lively’s experiences. Baldoni’s lawsuit paints a starkly different picture of the events, alleging that Lively, along with her husband Ryan Reynolds, exerted undue influence and control over the film, undermining his directorial authority and ultimately leading to his preferred cut of the film being shelved in favor of one edited by Lively.
Central to Baldoni’s defense is his contention that Lively’s behavior on set was marked by a “pattern of vindictiveness,” including attempts to alter aspects of the film, aggressive interactions, and efforts to exclude him from promotional events. He claims to have been subjected to a humiliating berating by Reynolds over a misunderstanding related to Lively’s weight, and he alleges that Lively and Reynolds pressured their talent agency, WME, to drop him as a client, a claim the agency has refuted. Baldoni’s lawsuit seeks to dismantle Lively’s narrative of a targeted smear campaign, portraying the negative press surrounding her as “self-induced backlash” stemming from public perception of her promotional efforts, rather than orchestrated attacks.
Baldoni’s lawsuit uses private communications to counter Lively’s accusations. He presents text messages that seemingly show him expressing concern over the appearance of his team planting negative stories about Lively, contrasting this with Lively’s claim that he orchestrated a smear campaign. He also offers alternative interpretations of texts presented by Lively, arguing that emojis indicating sarcasm were misinterpreted by the New York Times, leading to a false impression of his publicist’s involvement in negative press. Moreover, Baldoni alleges Lively’s publicist planted negative stories about him, including accusations of being a sexual predator, a claim her publicist has denied.
The dispute also extends to the creative process of the film. Baldoni contends that Lively interfered with his directorial authority, creating her own cut of the film and threatening to withhold promotional support unless her version was considered. Despite his cut reportedly scoring higher with test audiences, the studio ultimately conceded to Lively’s demands, releasing her version. This narrative directly contradicts Baldoni’s earlier public statements praising Lively’s collaborative spirit, highlighting the growing rift between the two. He further alleges that Reynolds made unauthorized script changes without his knowledge, further exemplifying the alleged undermining of his directorial control.
A key point of contention revolves around an alleged incident involving Lively’s weight. Lively claims Baldoni secretly contacted her trainer, implying he wanted her to lose weight, a claim he refutes. Baldoni maintains he inquired about her weight to ensure he could safely lift her during a scene, citing his back condition. He further claims Lively refused to film the scene after rehearsals, despite using a stunt double. This incident highlights the differing interpretations of events that permeate the entire controversy.
The public perception of the film was further complicated by Lively’s promotional efforts, which drew criticism for seeming to downplay the serious themes of domestic abuse. She responded to this criticism by sharing information about domestic violence on social media. This, coupled with promotion of her hair-care line and resurfaced video clips, contributed to the negative press surrounding her. Baldoni argues this negativity was self-inflicted, while Lively claims it was a deliberate campaign to damage her reputation. The contrasting narratives presented by both parties, supported by selective communication and differing interpretations, make it challenging to discern a definitive truth amidst the accusations and counter-accusations.
