He Said, She Said:

Colleen Hoover’s adaptation saw Justin Baldoni cast as both the director and the lead male role, with Blake Lively joining as the female lead and executive producer. The film premiered in August 2024, but even before opening night of the film, online discussions centered on a perceived fallout between Baldoni and Lively. They were notably absent from photos together at the New York premiere, and Baldoni was missing from group shots with the cast. Hoover and Lively also appeared on stage together, without Baldoni, to make a speech about the film.

The situation intensified when Lively unfollowed Baldoni on Instagram, while continuing to follow the rest of the cast. Rumors suggest that tensions arose from Lively’s involvement in Baldoni’s role as director, including recruiting her husband Ryan Reynolds to rewrite a significant scene. Reynolds, despite having no direct role in the film, made multiple appearances at promotional events and participated in a skit about the movie, which some fans found inappropriate given the film’s serious subject matter of domestic violence.

Baldoni and Lively’s promotional efforts also diverged. Baldoni emphasized raising awareness about domestic violence, the film’s core theme, while Lively used the platform to promote her new hair-care brand, Blake Brown, and also cross-promoted her husband’s own film release, “Deadpool & Wolverine”, which premiered the same month. This has led to the perception that Lively’s fragmented focus diluted the film’s serious message of domestic violence. 

Although neither Baldoni or Lively have directly commented on the potential feud, they have dropped some not-so-subtle clues about their experience. When asked if he would consider directing the sequel, “It Starts With Us”, Baldoni stated “I think there are better people for that one, I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct. That’s what I think.” 

What Can We Learn:

Most of the drama could have been prevented from escalating if the “It Ends With Us” public relations team prioritized consistent PR strategies. 

1. Have Clear Roles: With interviews, social media and press tours buzzing, the tension between Baldoni and Lively has become a hot topic. When Lively began encroaching on Baldoni’s director role, tensions began to rise on set. After allowing her husband, Reynolds, to overstep and rewrite scenes, this only fanned the flames. By prioritizing defined roles, this could have prevented the animosity between the main leads over creative choices. 
2. Know Your Messaging: Consistency is key. During press activities, Baldoni and Lively seemed to be promoting different agendas. While Baldoni focused on raising awareness about domestic violence, Lively used the platform to spotlight her personal brand, hair care line and her husband’s film. Had the messaging been either one of these, there may not have been a glaring issue. The problems arose when fans saw the juxtaposition of the two lead’s messaging. By maintaining a clear and cohesive theme and message across all press, you are leaving no room for speculation.
3. Have a United Front: The situation was exacerbated by the entire cast unfollowing Baldoni on social media and his decision to skip joint press tours. A more neutral stance post-filming could have helped avoid drawing unnecessary media attention. By remaining civil on all public platforms, press tours and interviews, rumors could have never arisen. 
4. Timing! Timing! Timing!: The “It Ends With Us” premiere came just two weeks after Ryan Reynolds’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” hit theaters, leading to a blurred connection between the two films. Reynolds’ simultaneous promotion of both projects on social media and during press events diluted the impact of “It Ends With Us” and confused audiences. Almost giving both films their own Barbenheimer (Hello, Summer 2023) moment, where they are discussed in tandem. The film was rumored to be released on Valentine’s Day, but production issues slowed the release down until August. This conveniently coincided with both Lively’s launch of her hair-care brand and the premier of her husband’s movie, leading to promotion of both during the “It Ends With Us” press tours. By strategically timing the release, Lively could have avoided the intense scrutiny and kept the focus on the film’s serious message.

So there it is, folks, the entire “It Ends With Us” lore and how you can avoid making those same missteps in your PR initiatives in your business. Through maintaining a cohesive message, focusing on timing, and designating clear roles, you are setting your business up for success!