If you’ve been on the internet recently, you’ll definitely know about the insane It Ends With Us drama between Justin Baldoni and the rest of the cast, whether you’re a Colleen Hoover fan or not. It seems as though the rest of the cast “want nothing to do” with Justin after the film finished shooting. But, despite being ghosted by his co-stars and playing an on-screen baddie, it actually looks like Justin might not be the designated villain here. The internet seems to have a soft spot in its heart for him and to be honest, so do I.
So, let’s delve into why the majority of internet users have decided to take his side amidst all of this drama.
He had only glowing things to say about the rest of the cast
In an interview with People magazine, Baldoni said that he’d been “mesmerised” by Blake Lively who “checked all the boxes” and that he “just knew she was Lily.” He also said she had some “amazing ideas” to bring to the production table, and that “everything she touched, she made better.” Sounds like he had a pretty glowing recommendation for her.
However, the rest of the cast have had pretty minimal things to say in return. There was even a super weird moment at the It Ends With Us premiere where Jenny Slate just completely blanked a question about working with Justin and changed the subject. Super strange.
i just found out about the whole 'it ends with us' cast drama and omg they asked her what it was like to work with justin and she completely ignored the question 💀 pic.twitter.com/2DdlmvxS4x
— leah doesn't do cocaine (@camis_unicorn) August 7, 2024
He’s actually used the film to highlight domestic abuse issues, unlike other cast members
Justin Baldoni has used premieres and interviews to bring lots of information about domestic abuse to light, which people have heavily praised him for online. It seems he’s utilising every possible platform to bring these issues to light.
@cbsmornings JustinBaldoni, director and star of ItEndsWithUs, shares how he created a film that portrays a realistic depiction of domestic violence: “I wanted to make sure this film always had a female gaze and I was never putting myself into it.” #book #filmadaptation #film #movietok #blakelively #domesticabuseawareness
He also worked closely with No More, a domestic abuse charity, who weighed in on script and directing decisions to ensure that the abuse wouldn’t be romanticised or glamorised in any way.
The same can’t be said for other cast members who seem to have used the premieres to promote their own personal wellness brands.
The feedback on Blake Lively’s Instagram post is anything but positive. Viewers have accused her of being “tone deaf” and find her fun, floral marketing of the film “a complete slap in the face to every woman who has survived domestic violence” in the comments.
It doesn’t end with that (no pun intended) – it seems people on every social media platform are unhappy with Blake Lively’s press run, and are rushing to defend Justin Baldoni.
blake lively forgetting her character is a victim of domestic abuse and instead trying to give the entire press run a silly goofy barbie moment while justin baldoni is using his press time to talk about the importance of stopping the cycle of abuse is why I’m always on his side
— kelsey (@kel485) August 8, 2024
Everyone who has worked with Justin in the past has glowing things to say about him
It seems that the It Ends With Us cast are the first to take an issue with Justin.
My favorite animal is everyone who has worked with Justin Baldoni past & present to advocate for him. pic.twitter.com/TEj8sL5EqA
— BetweenTheParentheses (@BtwnParentheses) August 12, 2024
He’s a huge feminist and women’s rights advocate
Baldoni seems to make a huge effort in his own life to fight for women’s rights and understand feminism, which made him the ideal man to direct this sensitive film. He has released two books both dissecting the issue of toxic masculinity.
It seems he’s really in tune with a progressive way of thinking, and he’s made it his whole brand. In comparison, Blake’s not known for her views on politics: Not saying it’s a reason to hate her at all, but it would have been nice to see her take a more active role in understanding the sensitive themes in the book.
Related stories recommended by this writer:
•Unfollowed by cast and writer room drama: All the messy It Ends With Us drama explained
• It Ends With Us: Why was the Ellen Degeneres storyline cut from the film?
•The unbelievable salaries the cast of It Ends With Us got paid – with one insane pay gap
