Actor Justin Baldoni Thanks 'It Ends With Us' Fans For Not Losing Sight Of The Film's Message
By Jonathan Brown on December 11, 2024 at 3:00 PM EST
Actor Justin Baldoni is expressing his appreciation to fans of “It Ends With Us.”
The star recently took a moment to issue a heartfelt thanks to those who preserved the film’s message on domestic violence while in New York City. Baldoni’s graciousness comes on the heels of continued rumors of a contentious relationship between him and co-star Blake Lively months after the film’s release.
Justin Baldoni Thanks’ It Ends With Us’ Fans For Ensuring ‘The Message Didn’t Get Lost’
As Baldoni took photos with and embraced several fans, he was asked by a camera person what he would say to fans who may have picked up on the negative reports surrounding “It Ends With Us.”
Rather than nitpick, the “Jane the Virgin” alum took the high road.
“I just want to say ‘thank you’ to all the fans,” Baldoni expressed.
“Thank you for seeing this movie, for supporting it, for supporting [domestic violence] survivors, and for making sure the message didn’t get lost,” he continued. “I’m just so grateful.”
Per TMZ, a good amount of hype surrounding the release of “It Ends With Us” came from rumors of clashing between Baldoni and Lively, who play Ryle Kincaid and Lily Bloom, respectively.
Lively also took on a co-producing role in the film, which many believe led to multiple creative differences between her and Baldoni.
Baldoni’s Non-Answer Regarding Where Things Stand With Blake Lively Spoke Volumes
As he waved goodbye to his fans, Baldoni was questioned about his current standing with Lively.
Interestingly, the actor instead chose to promote the streaming debut of “It Ends With Us” on Netflix.
“We’re so grateful! The movie’s out on Netflix,” he stated, “so – thank you!”
Baldoni was more candid when asked what was next on his agenda.
“[I’m] taking a vacation with my family [and] my babies,” he said with a smile.
Lively Was Heavily Criticized By Fans For Focusing On The Non-Serious Aspects Of The Dark Movie
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Among other aspects, Lively was called out during the promotional run of “It Ends With Us” for seemingly centering on more lighthearted traits of her character, Lily Bloom.
For example, a short promo featured on the film’s official Instagram shows Lively with Colleen Hoover, the author behind the source novel, excitedly giving fans ideas on what to wear when seeing the movie.
“Grab your friends, wear your florals, and head out to see it,” the actress expresses with a smile.
Additionally, the debut of Lively’s haircare line, Blake Brown, coincided with the release of “It Ends With Us,” which led the actress to push her brand during a NYC pop-up appearance for her Betty Buzz and Betty Booze drink companies.
Sources close to the actress claimed that a delay in the release of “It Ends With Us” led to the questionable sync time of the Blake Brown haircare line.
The film was initially planned to drop around Valentine’s Day 2024, with Blake Brown coming out in August – the same month the movie finally debuted after being postponed twice.
Baldoni Shared How ‘Lonely’ The Experience Of Filming The Movie Made Him
As shared here on The Blast, Baldoni recently got more in-depth about pulling double duty as director and co-lead of “It Ends With Us.”
During an appearance on the “How to Fail” podcast with Elizabeth Day, the actor shared how leading the movie often left him feeling separated from the main cast.
“Directing is a very lonely job, I’ll just be very candid,” Baldoni noted, “because you are kind of at the top of this totem pole. In your moments of quiet, everybody has a thousand questions for you, and also nobody wants to disturb you.”
Playing the character of Ryle, who emotionally and physically abuses Lily, also delivered a great deal of stress for him.
“[Ryle] lived in my body [for months], he explained. “What’s hard about having [a character like] that in your body is having the trauma live in [you] of what he’s experienced.”
Still, he has never publicly expressed an unkind word about Lively.
“[Blake] is an all-encompassing creative who makes everything she touches better,” he told Harper’s Bazaar India back in August.
“She was very in tune with the nuances of this performance for both of us,” Baldoni further shared, “and I’m so grateful for all she did to make this movie as beautiful as it is.”
Where To Watch Baldoni and Lively In ‘It Ends With Us’
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As noted by Baldoni, “It Ends With Us” can currently be streamed on Netflix.
It is also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime.