Actor-director Justin Baldoni, involved in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us, has reportedly hired crisis public relations manager Melissa Nathan amid rumors of tension within the film’s cast, including Baldoni and actor-producer Blake Lively.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, there have been alleged disputes during post-production, and fans have noticed a lack of joint appearances by Baldoni and Lively during the promotional tour.
Read more: Blake Lively criticized over reported tension with ‘It Ends With Us’ director Justin Baldoni
Sources claim there was a “fracture” in the filmmaking team during post-production, with reports suggesting that Lively, who is also a producer on the film, commissioned her own cut from editor Shane Reid, who worked on her husband Ryan Reynolds’ film Deadpool & Wolverine. However, another source suggested this may not indicate a feud, as it is common for films to undergo multiple edits in post-production, and the team ultimately agreed on a final cut.
Fans have observed that Baldoni and Lively have rarely appeared together during the press tour. Over the past week, Baldoni has participated in interviews with outlets such as Access Hollywood, Today, Entertainment Tonight, and Good Morning America, while Lively has engaged with Vogue, Capital FM, and CBS Mornings, but not alongside Baldoni. Social media users also noted that while Baldoni follows both Hoover and Lively, neither follows him back.
Lively mentioned that her husband Ryan Reynolds wrote a fan-favorite scene from the book, which has led to speculation about possible creative conflicts with Baldoni. However, sources clarified that Reynolds did not write the entire scene. In an interview with Hits Radio UK, Lively referenced a disagreement on set, without specifying with whom, over the removal of a Lana Del Rey song from the film.
Read more: Blake Lively and Colleen Hoover Promise Faithful Adaptation of ‘It Ends With Us’
Baldoni addressed the speculation in an interview with Elle, acknowledging that “friction” is a natural part of the filmmaking process, which can lead to “beautiful art.” Despite the rumors, Baldoni has publicly praised Lively’s performance and her contributions as a producer, calling her a “dynamic creative” and stating that “everything she touched, she made better.”
Forbes reached out to representatives for Lively and Baldoni for comment. Meanwhile, many fans questioned Baldoni’s absence from a Vanity Fair video featuring much of the It Ends With Us cast, including Lively. One of the most-liked comments on the video read, “There is no cast without Justin Baldoni, this makes zero sense.”