Colleen Hoover adaptation It Ends With Us has been surrounded by controversy since its 2024 release, with producer Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni involved in an ongoing legal battle.
Lively, 38, accused her director and co-star of sexual harassment on set, and for allegedly coordinating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni, 42, denied the allegations, responding with legal action of his own, however his $400 million countersuit has since been dismissed.
With a trial for Lively v Wayfarer Studios set for May 2026, It Ends With Us is more talked-about than ever. And the film and original novel have become synonymous with the ongoing scandal.
"The book was inspired by [my mother's] story, and now it gives us PTSD to think about it," Hoover explained last year, breaking her silence on the situation in an interview with ELLE. "I feel awful because I almost feel like she’s gone through more with the aftermath of this film, more pain than she went through with my dad, just seeing the ugliness of it.
"I can’t even recommend it anymore," she continued. "I feel like [the lawsuit] has overshadowed it. I’m almost embarrassed to say I wrote it.
"It feels like a circus when there are real people involved, with real feelings and emotions," Hoover added. "This actually truly has impacted some of the actors’ careers in huge ways. And I just find it all around sad."
However, months later, Hoover has spoken out again, explaining how she has now separated her 2016 book from the ongoing court case.
Hoover's rare statement came during a recent episode of Jenna Bush Hager's 'Open Book' podcast, when the host asked her whether it was hard to have one of her "cherished" works wrapped up in scandal.
"You know, it is, but it's getting easier to separate it," Hoover responded. "Because I do look at the success of it. We just were all so shocked at how much readers showed up for it and how well it did and how much it resonated.
"Like, I am so proud of that movie," she continued. "I think the actors, the director, everyone did such a good job making it that, you know, I have to look at everything else separate from the film, from the book."
"[It's] unfortunate," Hoover added of the ongoing drama. "[But] I am still just very much grateful that we got to see it come to life. And for me, I'm very proud of that film."
We will continue to update this story.
