The director and star reflected on their challenging experience with the film, admitting, “To be honest, there were times when I was not directing; it was the women who took charge.” The story of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us, portrayed by Blake Lively as Lily Bloom and Justin Baldoni as Ryle, delves into their relationship’s problems and darker aspects.
Baldoni, who directed and acted in the film, discussed the emotional toll of depicting scenes of gender-based violence during the film’s New York premiere on Tuesday. “Scenes involving gender-based violence were incredibly tough for me,” Baldoni confessed.
“Often, I had to retreat to a private space to process and release the intense emotions I channeled for the role. The reality of such situations is overwhelming, and I aimed for authenticity, but it was emotionally draining to shoot those scenes.”
He credited the film’s success in part to the support he received from his team, particularly the women involved. “The scenes were primarily choreographed and managed by an exceptional intimacy coordinator and stunt coordinator, both women and Blake.
They effectively guided those moments while I focused on portraying Ryle,” Baldoni said. He emphasized his desire for the film to reflect a female perspective, which led him to step back from directing during those scenes.
Baldoni also shared his initial hesitation about acting in the film. He revealed that Hoover’s encouragement through an email, where she suggested he could play Ryle, gave him the confidence to take on the role. “Her belief in me allowed me to believe in myself,” he said, adding that after much deliberation with his wife, he committed to the role.
At the premiere, Hoover, who drew inspiration from her parents’ relationship for the book, watched the film alongside her mother. “It was a deeply emotional experience; my mother cried throughout, and we shared a long, heartfelt embrace afterward,” Hoover recounted.