Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni play controversial lovers in their new movie, It Ends With Us, but fans are talking way more about what’s happening between them off-screen than on.
Internet sleuths left wanting since the days of Don’t Worry Darling have pieced together “evidence” to suggest that the movie’s lead stars are actually at war with each other.
And things have just spiraled out from there!
Not to worry; we have collected all the receipts, proof, timelines, screenshots necessary to tell the story properly, but even then, the question still remains:
Are Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni really in a feud? And if so, who is the real villain of this story?!
‘It Ends With Us’ Stars Fighting? Why Everyone’s Convinced Blake & Justin Are On The Outs
A rift between star-producer Blake Lively and her co-star Justin Baldoni, who also directed the adaptation of Colleen Hoover‘s beloved book, is probably not the headline everyone involved was hoping for on opening weekend.
Yet in the days before the film’s release in theaters, fans on social media couldn’t help but notice (or wildly speculate, your choice) some tension between the two.
First, there was Justin’s notable absence from joint press events. As director and star, you would think he would be pretty front and center to talk about the film.
But hey, maybe the guy was sick or was booked to do something else. At least he showed up for the New York premiere…
But then he didn’t pose for any group photos with Blake Lively, which raised eyebrows. He brought his wife, sure, and Blake brought both Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
But no photos together of the two leads. That’s … odd.
And then, as if we all that weren’t enough, the most egregious evidence of all. Blake Lively, along with author Colleen Hoover and the rest of the cast, don’t follow Justin on Instagram.
Even though he follows all of them!
Honestly, what more proof do you need in 2024!
Why Blake and Justin Had A Falling Out
We jest, of course. Who you follow/ don’t follow on social media isn’t really proof of anything.
Remember MySpace and how you could savagely rank your friends, proving just who was more important to you in a numbered list for everyone to see? Bring that back and then we’ll talk!
Still, there seems to be some truth to the tale that Blake and Justin are, at the very least, not bosom friends.
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that there was “a fracture among the filmmakers in the post-production process, wherein two different cuts of the movie emerged.”
As director, Justin of course should have the biggest say on the creative direction of the film. However, a producer on the feature on top of being its star, Blake made her feelings about the film known, which led to her supposedly exerting her power to create a new cut of the film.
According to multiple sources, Blake commissioned a cut of the movie from editor Shane Reid, who was an editor on Deadpool & Wolverine, and who cut the Lively-directed music video for Taylor Swift’s “I Bet You Think About Me.”
Now, it remains unclear which cut of the film will actually play in theaters. However, one other insider that spoke to THR “played down any friction, noting that it is not uncommon for a film to have several cuts emerge during post, adding that the team was in agreement on the final cut.”
Did Justin Actually Fat-Shame Blake Lively?
In the days after the film debuted in theaters, more and more stories from “behind the scenes” started to leak. None of them painted Justin OR Blake in a very good light.
According to sources on Team Blake, the Gossip Girl star told multiple people that Justin made her repeatedly uncomfortable on the set of the film.
TMZ learned that in one instance, she actually felt like Justin was fat-shaming her!
Apparently, there was meant to be a scene in the film where Justin lifted Blake into the air. Not sure if we’re talking Dirty Dancing-style or just a run-of-the-mill love lift, but regardless, Justin didn’t want to do it.
According to sources, he actually went to his on-set trainer and asked how much she weighed. Now, if we ended the story right there, you’d probably understand Blake’s reaction – especially when you tack on the fact that she had just given birth to baby #4 and was feeling a bit vulnerable.
But Justin reportedly has a history of back problems and asked the uncomfortable question so he could “train to protect his back from injury.”
Miscommunication or misogyny? Over protective or over reacting? Suppose it depends on whose perspective you favor.
Was Ryan Reyonlds To Blame For Rift?
The other narrative fans can’t seem to let go of is this idea that Blake’s hubby overstepped and took control of the script at her bequest in a bid to keep creative control in her hands.
This theory took off after she revealed at the film’s world premiere that Ryan actually wrote a key scene toward the beginning of the movie. “We help each other. He works on everything I do. I work on everything he does. So his wins, his celebrations are mine and mine are his,” she said.
The scene in question is a rooftop moment when Blake’s character Lily first meets Ryle, played by Justin.
Again, it has been confirmed that Ryan did write a large chunk of dialogue for the scene, but THR’s insiders insist that he did not write the entire scene. That credit goes to the screenwriter, Christy Hall.
Will Feud Kill Chances Of a Sequel?
For all the chatter about Blake and Justin being at odds, neither has addressed the feud rumors publicly.
In fact, when Justin was interviewed on the Today Show, he had nothing but glowing things to say about Blake.
“I think she’s best known as an actress, and, of course, she’s a fashion icon, but she is so much more than that,” he said of Blake. “She is a dynamic creative. She had her hands in every part of this production, and everything she touched made it better.”
Hard to tell if he meant that or not (he is an actor, after all), but the crucial final piece of the puzzle may show itself in the weeks to come.
See, It Ends With Us is set to be a box office hit. Nothing to rival Deadpool and Wolverine, but enough of a smash that talks about a sequel are already circulating.
Hoover’s 2022 sequel novel, It Starts with Us, would only work if Justin’s character Ryle returned. While it remains unclear if the studio even would greenlight another go-around, if Justin bowed out of the project, that would be a clear sign things weren’t all sunshine and daisies on this film.
Guess only time – or Blake’s Instagram follow list – will tell.