Since the premiere of It Ends With Us, starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, rumours of a rift between the two have been circulating online. Blake, who portrays Lily Bloom in the film, has faced criticism for not addressing the sensitive topic of domestic violence in her interviews and promotional activities. In contrast, Baldoni has been actively raising awareness about domestic violence and is reportedly unhappy with Blake and author Colleen Hoover promoting the film as a romantic story. Weeks into the controversy, Brandon Sklenar, who plays Atlas, has become the first cast member to address the issue. In a detailed Instagram post, Sklenar defended the women involved in the project, describing the ongoing drama and online attacks as “disheartening.”
The actor wrote, “Colleen and the women of this cast stand for hope, perseverance, and for women choosing a better life for themselves. Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about. It is, in fact, the opposite of the point. What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from what our intentions were in making this film. It’s been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online.”
Brandon Sklenar further shared that someone very close to him has gone through a difficult relationship similar to the one featured in It Ends With Us. He feels it’s important to highlight this story and spread its important message. Before he got involved with the film, the person didn’t know about Colleen Hoover’s book. After reading it, she felt the book and the film had a life-changing impact on her. Sklenar added that everyone involved in making the film was fully aware of the responsibility they had. They wanted to honour and support women dealing with “generational trauma, domestic abuse or struggle with looking in the mirror and loving who they see.”
“This movie is a harsh reality check for the men who need to get their shit together and take responsibility for themselves and their actions. This film is meant to inspire. It’s meant to validate and recognize. It’s meant to instil hope. It’s meant to build courage and help people feel less alone. Ultimately it’s meant to spread love and awareness. It is not meant to once again, make the women the ‘bad guy,’ let’s move beyond that together. Create All I ask is that before you spread hate on the internet, ask yourself who it’s helping. Ask yourself if your opinions are based in any fact. Or if you simply want to be a part of something. Let’s be a part of something better together. A part of a new story being written for women and all people everywhere,” Sklenar concluded.
During the promotions of It Ends With Us, Justin Baldoni, the actor and director, mostly appeared alone in interviews and didn’t take part in group activities with the cast. In contrast, Blake Lively was frequently seen with other cast members. Neither Blake nor Justin have addressed rumours of a feud between them, but the filmmaker has consistently praised the actress for her role in the film. However, Blake has been getting criticised for her promotional approach. Instead of focusing on the film’s serious theme, she was seen promoting her hair products and wearing bright, eye-catching outfits at events. Colleen Hoover, the author of the book the film is based on, has also faced backlash for romanticising domestic violence in her work.
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