Everything Justin Baldoni said about working with Blake Lively

Justin Baldoni At first he seemed to have only positive things to say about him And it ends with us costar, Blake Livelyas reports of online hostility continue to spread.

The drama officially hits theaters in August 2024, and Baldoni, who directs and stars opposite Lively, has heaped praise on his on-screen partner.

“Blake was involved in every aspect of the film once she joined the project, from the scenes and dialogue to the finale, and even now,” he said. Entertainment Weekly In August. “She was involved in all of it and was an asset to the creator and a wonderful collaborator.”

And ends with us, Which is quoted from Colin HooverThe bestselling novel of the same name follows flower seller Lily Bloom (Live) as she enters into an abusive relationship with neurosurgeon Rael Kincaid (Baldoni).

In the middle of their turbulent relationship, Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar), appears again in her life.

TMZ and New York Times It was reported on Saturday, December 21, 2024 that She filed a lawsuit against Baldoni For sexual harassment. On Tuesday, December 31, Baldoni was among 10 plaintiffs She launched a $250 million lawsuit against New York Times For its coverage of Lively’s claims. On the same day, alive He filed a lawsuit against Baldoni In a New York court that reversed Her previous claimswhich was filed in California.

Take a look at what Baldoni had to say about Lively:

Why was Blake Lively the perfect choice?

When trying to find the perfect actress to play Lily, Baldoni said the team wanted a woman who was “very charming and likable and everyone would root for her.” Soon after, Lively’s name was at the top of the list.

“The only thing she didn’t specify was that she didn’t have red hair, which is a very easy fix in the movie business!” Baldoni joked the people. “She’s a creative force. She’s an executive producer on the film, and she’s so amazing. I think her performance is going to help a lot of women feel seen and showcase this unique experience in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen in another film.”

How much feedback does Blake Lively give?

When it came time to film the film’s difficult abuse scenes, Baldoni said it was “really difficult” to balance his roles as actor and director. Fortunately, Lively has proven to be a useful guide and resource.

“Blake was a great partner in those situations,” he said. Entertainment Weekly. “It’s been very difficult, but I think I surround myself with people I trust and really talented creatives, and if there’s a time when I can’t see the forest for the trees, I’ll look to my partners, and I’ll ask them what they think.”

“I really trusted her,” Baldoni continued. “She has a great eye, and she’s been on the other side, so it was very difficult, and there was a lot of trust. I had a lot of trust in the people around me, and they never misguided me.”

Baldoni added that he relied on Lively and the women working on set to ensure the film focused on the female perspective.

“To be very honest, in many situations, I would present my vision and then step back and let the women run the set and the show,” Baldoni said. Hollywood Reporter In an interview published on Saturday, August 10. “Blake was very involved as well and had a lot of ideas on how to do this. There were so many times where I didn’t say a word, I was just watching and I was like, yeah, that looks great.

He continued: “I was actually able to go to Ryle because in those moments, it was the most complicated for Ryle and the most difficult for me as an actor. So they took a lot of weight off my shoulders, and also made sure that each of these scenes was handled carefully and had not a male gaze but a female gaze because that was one of my early interests when I was wondering if I could even direct this movie. I wanted to make sure she kept the message of the book true and kept it through a female perspective.

How did you help Blake Lively in intimate scenes?

In January 2024, Cameras snapped Baldoni and Lively kissed while filming the movie. For viewers who notice any chemistry on the big screen, Baldoni is quick to give credit to his star. “When it came to intimacy and all that,[Lively]had a really clear vision and she would tell me what she thought would work, what she thought would be sexy,” he said. Access Hollywood. “From the beginning, this project had to have a female perspective and I never wanted my biases as a man to creep into or harm this project.”

What does Justin Baldoni think about working with Blake Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds?

Before the film was released, Lively confirmed her marriage. Ryan Reynolds“, he wrote of a pivotal scene in the film. Before the reveal, Baldoni seemed to hint that dead pool The actor helped with the project. “Ryan was very generous. He said, ‘He’s a creative genius, this guy.’ Today.com. “You know that his talent is lightness, and hers is lightness.”

When asked if he would work with the duo again, he replied: “If they were with me.”

Will Justin Baldoni reunite with Blake Lively in a new part?

Book lovers know this And it ends with us I was born It starts with us A sequel in 2022 that takes place years after the OG book. When asked about A Possible second dose Regarding the acting and directing, Baldoni said it’s too early to tell. “You’ll have to ask me in a moment. We’ll take a vacation then,” he said. Entertainment tonight before sharing his choice of director for the sequel. “I think there are better people for it. I think Blake Lively is ready to direct. That’s what I think.”

Has Justin responded to Blake’s lawsuit?

After Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment in December 2024, his lawyer said: Brian FriedmanShe called the accusations “completely false, outrageous and intentionally indecent” in a statement we. He claimed that Lively filed the lawsuit to “repair her negative reputation” and “reframe the narrative” regarding the film’s production.

Friedman claimed that Lively made “multiple demands and threats” during filming And it ends with usIncluding “threatening not to come to filming, and threatening not to promote the film, which will ultimately lead to its demise during its screening, if her demands are not met.” (we I reached out to Lively’s rep for comment at the time.)

What did Justin claim in his lawsuit against the New York Times?

Baldoni is among a group of 10 plaintiffs, which also includes publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Appel Besides And it ends with us Producers James Heath and Steve Sarawicz, Who filed a lawsuit against New York Times.

Plaintiffs are suing for defamation and false invasion of privacy, alleging this New York Times “Hand-picked” connections and omitted context in order to mislead readers in her article “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside the Hollywood Smear Machine.”

The lawsuit alleges that Lively pursued a “strategic and manipulative” smear campaign against Baldoni (and not the other way around), using “false sexual harassment allegations to assert unilateral control over every aspect of the production.”

In response to the filing, Lively’s attorney said: we on Tuesday, December 31, that the lawsuit was based on a “patently false premise.”

“Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything regarding the allegations made in Ms. Lively’s complaint with the California Department of Civil Rights, nor her federal complaint filed earlier today,” the statement read. “This lawsuit is based on the patently false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a sham based on a choice ‘not to sue Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was never its ultimate goal.’” As the complaint states According to the Federal Reserve, which Ms. Lively filed earlier today, this frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is incorrect. Although we will not litigate this matter in the press, we encourage people to read Ms. Lively’s complaint We look forward to fully addressing all of Wayfarer’s claims in court.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.

https://www.thehotline.org/