The ‘It Ends With Us’ Press Cycle Is Giving ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ Deja Vu

On Friday, the Blake Lively-helmed domestic violence epic, It Ends With Us, made its official theater debut. As someone who not only saw it but once attempted to read Colleen Hoover‘s infamous novel, it’s a tough watch…in more ways than one. And speaking of tough watches: The internet would like to know what the hell is currently going on between its talent in the film’s press cycle.

This week, speculation of a rift between Lively and her co-lead and director, Justin Baldoni, began circulating online. Why? Well, when It Ends With Us made its New York City premiere, the pair didn’t pose for a single picture together. Not even by accident. Instead, Lively happily stood alongside every single member of the ensemble for separate snaps while Baldoni just kind of…kissed his wife a lot.

@idkmybfflei

it ends with us speculation theories drama and tea 👀 #itendswithus #blakelively

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♬ original sound – leilah

Interviews from the red carpet, too, proved similarly bizarre. When asked about her experience working with Baldoni, Jenny Slate delivered a masterclass in media training. Truly. This film won’t win anything (a Razzie, maybe) but her answer? Give it the gold for Olympic-level evasiveness. Watch it here, but Slate offered the following:

“I mean what an intense job to have to do so many things. I found myself being like, ‘Wow, I just want to have one job at once,'” she replied. “I’ve often felt that way, I really like writing and it’s special to be able to be a writer but I was looking around like, ‘Yeah I’m good with just acting.’ I love it.” OK, then! Lively, for her part, didn’t provide any quote on Baldoni, though he’s spent the last week of—notable—solo interviews, praising his co-star.

my theory is baldoni was like “why does ryan have to fucking be here” and they collectively decided to shun him https://t.co/HzfOqXTNHo

— sk (@kirkxxs) August 8, 2024

“She is a dynamic creative—she had her hands in every part of this production and everything she touched, she made better,” he told Today. Meanwhile, with the exception of the NYC premiere, the pair haven’t done any press together which is…fairly unprecedented given they’re the definitive leads of a highly-anticipated movie, and he’s the director. Don’t Worry Darling deja vu, anyone?

And because all the awkwardness has been pretty damn obvious to the masses, it was really only a matter of time before one of us with too much time on our hands and a taste for low-stakes drama checked who on this cast was still following one another on social media. In short: Hoover, Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and pretty much the entire ensemble—save for Hasan Minhaj—have unfollowed Baldoni on Instagram. He, on the other hand, still follows all of them.

Naturally, theories—especially ones blaming the apparent estrangement over Reynolds’ involvement in the film—have since taken over Twitter and TikTok. One that hasn’t been mentioned? That the cast just happened upon Baldoni’s 27-minute-long engagement video and collectively united against the cringe.

• In related—and unfortunate—It Ends With Us news: according to Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds wrote the rooftop scene. [People]
• J.Lo‘s unnamed friends on Ben Affleck this week: “He’s a triple-A asshole.” [Page Six]
• Weird way of drawing attention to your ring finger there, Selena Gomez…[Entertainment Tonight]
• Cate Blanchett told Andy Cohen she got paid “sandwiches” on Peter Jackson‘s The Lord of the Rings. [Variety]
• Brat summer is OVER. It’s now Diet Pepsi fall. [Rolling Stone]