It Ends with the Actors?

By: Lauren Zulick ‘25

     The movie, “It Ends with Us”, circles in around the relationship drama and abuse between the main characters, Lily and Ryle, but are the actors who play these characters experiencing drama themselves?

     Blake Lively, known for her roles in films and TV shows such as “Gossip Girl”, “A Simple Favor”, and “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”, was cast as Lily in the film. Lily is the main character and is in a relationship with Justin Baldoni, who is casted as Ryle, her abusive boyfriend and eventually husband.

     The movie takes place in Boston, where Lily opens her flower shop, “Lily Bloom’s” after her own name. We might assume that the main characters meet in the shop, but they actually meet on the roof of Lily’s apartment that coincidentally Ryle lives in as well. After they meet, they soon start a relationship which quickly takes a turn for the worst. These episodes of abuse start to pop up along the course of the movie and they are made to look like accidents, but in reality, Ryle is abusing Lily.    

     The film goes on to address the abuse that Lily is facing and her past with her first love, Atlas. The movie visits both Lily’s past and present interactions with abuse in her own relationship and her mother’s. The term “It Ends With Us” references the cycle of abuse that Lily faces during her life and how she is ending the cycle with her divorce from Ryle and the birth of her newborn.

     “It Ends With Us” highlights Lily’s journey as she faces difficult choices about her future, balancing her feelings for Ryle and Atlas while confronting her own fears and experiences. Through these challenges, Lily learns about strength, self-worth, and the importance of making choices that honor her own well-being.

     So, what is the big drama between the actors in this touching film? Influencers and people across social media have been posting about the supposed drama between Lively and Baldoni. Further sparking the media coverage on the supposed drama, Blake Lively was not photographed or even seen talking to Justin Baldoni during the premiere and had not mentioned him in her interviews.

     In addition, Lively was seen promoting “Deadpool 2” as well as her hair care line at the same time as “It Ends With Us” and was rumored to not have put as much effort into the movie as promised. This created a whirlpool of rumors within the media, with TikTok and Instagram being infiltrated with both positive and negative sayings.

     Handling sensitive topics has been a challenge with this film, while both actors have given the film their all, some people shared that maybe its not going as well as we hoped. Although there are mainly rumors being broadcasted, the actors are said to have major differences in “creative processes” and producing styles. The disagreement has been amplified by media coverage and social media discussions. Fans and critics have taken sides, adding pressure to both parties and intensifying the publicity of their conflict.

     The book deals with tough issues like domestic abuse and personal trauma. Lively wants to make sure these serious topics are handled carefully and respectfully in the film. Lively is concerned that Baldoni’s way of directing might not show the full depth of these issues. Baldoni’s past comments about his directing style have raised questions about whether he can treat these topics with the sensitivity they need.